From Middle English bon, from Old English bān (“bone, tusk; the bone of a limb”), from Proto-Germanic *bainą (“bone”), from *bainaz (“straight”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyh₂- (“to hit, strike, beat”).
Cognate with Scots bane, been, bean, bein, bain (“bone”), North Frisian bian, Biin, biinj (“bone; leg”), West Frisian bien (“bone”), Dutch been (“bone; leg”), German Low German Been, Bein (“bone”), German Bein (“leg”), German Gebein (“bones”), Swedish ben (“bone; leg”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Icelandic bein (“bone; leg”), Breton benañ (“to cut, hew”), Latin perfinēs (“break through, break into pieces, shatter”), Avestan 𐬠𐬫𐬈𐬥𐬙𐬈 (byente, “they fight, hit”). Related also to Old Norse beinn (“straight, right, favourable, advantageous, convenient, friendly, fair, keen”) (whence Middle English bain, bayne, bayn, beyn (“direct, prompt”), Scots bein, bien (“in good condition, pleasant, well-to-do, cosy, well-stocked, pleasant, keen”)), Icelandic beinn (“straight, direct, hospitable”), Norwegian bein (“straight, direct, easy to deal with”). See bain, bein.
Meanings
(not-comparable) Of an off-white colour, like the colour of bone.
From Middle English bon, from Old English bān (“bone, tusk; the bone of a limb”), from Proto-Germanic *bainą (“bone”), from *bainaz (“straight”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyh₂- (“to hit, strike, beat”).
Cognate with Scots bane, been, bean, bein, bain (“bone”), North Frisian bian, Biin, biinj (“bone; leg”), West Frisian bien (“bone”), Dutch been (“bone; leg”), German Low German Been, Bein (“bone”), German Bein (“leg”), German Gebein (“bones”), Swedish ben (“bone; leg”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Icelandic bein (“bone; leg”), Breton benañ (“to cut, hew”), Latin perfinēs (“break through, break into pieces, shatter”), Avestan 𐬠𐬫𐬈𐬥𐬙𐬈 (byente, “they fight, hit”). Related also to Old Norse beinn (“straight, right, favourable, advantageous, convenient, friendly, fair, keen”) (whence Middle English bain, bayne, bayn, beyn (“direct, prompt”), Scots bein, bien (“in good condition, pleasant, well-to-do, cosy, well-stocked, pleasant, keen”)), Icelandic beinn (“straight, direct, hospitable”), Norwegian bein (“straight, direct, easy to deal with”). See bain, bein.
Meanings
(not-comparable) Used before an adjective as an intensifier
GWF, well almost anyway, 40, bone-lonely, desperately needs a friend in Southern Maine. 1979 December 22, “Personal advertisement”, in Gay Community News, volume 2, number 22, page 18:
From Middle English bon, from Old English bān (“bone, tusk; the bone of a limb”), from Proto-Germanic *bainą (“bone”), from *bainaz (“straight”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyh₂- (“to hit, strike, beat”).
Cognate with Scots bane, been, bean, bein, bain (“bone”), North Frisian bian, Biin, biinj (“bone; leg”), West Frisian bien (“bone”), Dutch been (“bone; leg”), German Low German Been, Bein (“bone”), German Bein (“leg”), German Gebein (“bones”), Swedish ben (“bone; leg”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Icelandic bein (“bone; leg”), Breton benañ (“to cut, hew”), Latin perfinēs (“break through, break into pieces, shatter”), Avestan 𐬠𐬫𐬈𐬥𐬙𐬈 (byente, “they fight, hit”). Related also to Old Norse beinn (“straight, right, favourable, advantageous, convenient, friendly, fair, keen”) (whence Middle English bain, bayne, bayn, beyn (“direct, prompt”), Scots bein, bien (“in good condition, pleasant, well-to-do, cosy, well-stocked, pleasant, keen”)), Icelandic beinn (“straight, direct, hospitable”), Norwegian bein (“straight, direct, easy to deal with”). See bain, bein.
Meanings
(uncountable) A composite material consisting largely of calcium phosphate and collagen and making up the skeleton of most vertebrates.
Ne take noon hede to brynge togidere þe parties of þe boon þat is to-broken or dislocate, til viij. daies ben goon in þe wyntir, & v. in þe somer; for þanne it schal make quytture, and be sikir from swellynge; & þanne brynge togidere þe brynkis eiþer þe disiuncture after þe techynge þat schal be seid in þe chapitle of algebra. a1420, The British Museum Additional MS, 12,056, “Wounds complicated by the Dislocation of a Bone”, in Robert von Fleischhacker, editor, Lanfranc's "Science of cirurgie.", London: K. Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co, translation of original by Lanfranc of Milan, published 1894, →ISBN, page 63:
(countable) Any of the components of an endoskeleton, made of this material.
No Trophee, Sword, nor Hatchment o're his bones. c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene v], page 275, column 1:
(countable, uncountable) A bone of a fish; a fishbone.
(countable, uncountable) A bonefish.
The reason I rarely fish for Mag Bay bones with a 5-weight or 6-weight is the number of fish that can turn light stuff inside out. 2019, Scott Sadil, “Tres Bocas”, in California Fly Fisher:
(countable, uncountable) One of the rigid parts of a corset that forms its frame, the boning, originally made of whalebone.
(countable, uncountable) One of the fragments of bone held between the fingers of the hand and rattled together to keep time to music.
(countable, uncountable) Anything made of bone, such as a bobbin for weaving bone lace.
(countable, figuratively, uncountable) The framework of anything.
This year thus far I have travelled to eight of our laboratories talking about quality, telling the people who work in our company that quality is the muscle and bone of our company. 1988, Clinical Laboratories: Hearings Before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, One Hundredth Congress, Second Session, March 10 and July 27, 1988, volume 4, page 299:
(countable, uncountable) An off-white colour, like the typical colour of bone.
(US, countable, in-plural, informal, uncountable) A dollar.
(countable, informal, uncountable) The wishbone formation.
(countable, slang, uncountable) An erect penis; a boner.
Speakin' on the phone, for hours on end / On the bone from just listenin', and then: 2003, “Let Me Watch”, in Vaudeville Villain, performed by Viktor Vaughn ft. Apani B. Fly:
(countable, in-plural, slang, uncountable) A domino or die.
The Accountant had brought out already a box of dominoes, and was toying architecturally with the bones. 1899 (please specify the page), Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part:
Let's head to the casino and roll them bones!
(countable, slang, uncountable) A cannabis cigarette; a joint.
In between sets I took her outside, sat against a fence near the dumpster, and smoked a bone with her. 2006, Sean Conway, Gillis Huckabee, page 140:
(countable, figuratively, uncountable) A reward.
When I'm a good dog they sometimes throw me a bone in 1979, Pink Floyd, Nobody Home:
stay (rigid parts of a corset) · os · doggy treat (reward) · rib (rigid parts of a corset)
Translations (638)
cjs сӧӧк (component of a skeleton) · cv шӑмӑ (component of a skeleton) · kpv лы (material) · dsb kósć (material) · zea beên (material) · ttt üştuqun (material) · bo རུས་ཁོག (component of a skeleton) · clt ruv (material) · uga 𐎓𐎑𐎎 (component of a skeleton) · uz suyak (material) · be косць (component of a skeleton) · cop ⲕⲉⲉⲥ (material) · fi luu (material) · ryu 骨 (component of a skeleton) · grc ὀστοῦν (material) · gl espiña (fishbone) · qu tullu (material) · vi xương (material) · ia osso (component of a skeleton) · bn হাড় (component of a skeleton) · kmr dasîk (fishbone) · mi kōiwi (material) · pa ਹੱਡੀ (component of a skeleton) · de Chnoche (component of a skeleton) · luo chogo (component of a skeleton) · eu hezur (component of a skeleton) · ota عظم (component of a skeleton) · ru ко́сточка (fishbone) · te ఎముక (material) · la os (component of a skeleton) · ur عَظْم (material) · cv шӑм (component of a skeleton) · zh 滑頭 /滑头 (material) · mnc ᡤᡳᡵᠠᠩᡤᡳ (material) · cop ⲕⲁⲥ (component of a skeleton) · mn яс (component of a skeleton) · sh kost (material) · fur vues (material) · id tulang (material) · tl weso (material) · zh гўдўзы (material) · kry k'ərəp' (material) · sk kosť (material) · kk сүйек (material) · ig ọkpụkpụ (material) · nl been (component of a skeleton) · pdt Knoaken (material) · lo ກະດູກ (component of a skeleton) · zh гўдў (material) · fy bonke (component of a skeleton) · sat ᱡᱟᱝ (component of a skeleton) · lad gueso (material) · bal ہڈ (component of a skeleton) · za goet (component of a skeleton) · yai ситак (material) · jv balung (component of a skeleton) · sq kockë (material) · bua яһан (component of a skeleton) · pcc ndos (material) · to hui (material) · tpi bun (material) · az sümük (material) · wo yax (component of a skeleton) · st lesapo (component of a skeleton) · sah уҥуох (material) · cy asgwrn (material) · wao c'íti (component of a skeleton) · is bein (component of a skeleton) · ur ہَڈّی (component of a skeleton) · ur اُسْتُخوان (component of a skeleton) · zu ithambo (component of a skeleton) · mel tuleang (material) · ar عضم (component of a skeleton) · fa عَظْم (material) · eu hezur (material) · mt għadam (material) · tao toang (component of a skeleton) · ca os (material) · fr nonos (reward) · sw mfupa (material) · grc ὀστέον (material) · kmr hestî (corset part) · agr ukunč (material) · nah omitl (component of a skeleton) · kum сюек (component of a skeleton) · mg taolana (component of a skeleton) · ctd guh (material) · lt kaulas (component of a skeleton) · rm öss (material) · uz suyak (component of a skeleton) · lus ruh (material) · bor ra (material) · ruq uos (material) · ar عَظْمَة (component of a skeleton) · pjt tarka (component of a skeleton) · ja 骨 (component of a skeleton) · bua яһан (material) · kpv лы (component of a skeleton) · bal ہڈ (material) · oj nikan (component of a skeleton) · bg кост (material) · ps هډ (material) · wa oxhea (component of a skeleton) · ln mokuwa (material) · sc ossu (component of a skeleton) · ar عَظْم (material) · ti ዓጽሚ (material) · lv kauls (material) · fo bein (component of a skeleton) · fa اُسْتُخْوَان (material) · grc ὀστέον (component of a skeleton) · tg устухон (material) · ast aresta (fishbone) · txb āy (component of a skeleton) · apw bitsʼinn (component of a skeleton) · tpw kanga (material) · de Fischgräte (fishbone) · gu હાડકું (material) · rup os (component of a skeleton) · pl kość (material) · iba tulang (material) · te ఎముక (component of a skeleton) · ami 'okak (component of a skeleton) · bg кост (component of a skeleton) · sva ჯიჯვ (component of a skeleton) · kmr hestî (colour) · he עֶצֶם (material) · th กระดูก (component of a skeleton) · sv ben (component of a skeleton) · ko 뼈다귀 (component of a skeleton) · vi xương (component of a skeleton) · ca blanc d'os (colour) · roa-tar osse (material) · ja 骨 (material) · et luine (colour) · sk kosť (component of a skeleton) · am አጥንት (material) · bcl dugi (fishbone) · sa अस्थि (component of a skeleton) · as হাড় (material) · tyv сөөк (component of a skeleton) · uk кість (material) · tk süýek (component of a skeleton) · yo egungun (component of a skeleton) · nio latää (component of a skeleton) · zza zel (diq) (fishbone) · fr baleine (corset part) · rut кьырыб (material) · zza este (diq) (material) · sne turang (material) · dar лига (material) · sib tulang (material) · mrj лу (material) · pa ਅਸਥੀ (component of a skeleton) · el μπανέλα (corset part) · ur ہاڑ (component of a skeleton) · om lafee (component of a skeleton) · dsb (rybjeca) wósć (fishbone) · kaa su'yek (material) · bdr bokog (material) · rel laf (material) · pl ość (fishbone) · or ଅସ୍ଥି (component of a skeleton) · ivb tohang (component of a skeleton) · gez ዐፅም (material) · id tulang (component of a skeleton) · slr sinek (material) · nds Knaken (component of a skeleton) · alt сӧӧк (fishbone) · rcf zo (component of a skeleton) · udm лы (component of a skeleton) · alh galawa (component of a skeleton) · kls aṭhí (material) · ist uosso (material) · pcm bón (component of a skeleton) · yua baak (component of a skeleton) · ife ekũkũ (component of a skeleton) · tzm ⵉⵖⵙⵙ (material) · wa oxh (component of a skeleton) · yue 滑頭 /滑头 (material) · yo eegun (component of a skeleton) · ko 뼈 (component of a skeleton) · cv шӑмӑ (material) · luq epá (component of a skeleton) · el κόκαλο (material) · mdf пакарь (material) · ilo tulang (material) · fa اُسْتُخْوَان (component of a skeleton) · sq kockë (component of a skeleton) · ban balung (material) · zh гўдўр (material) · bh हड्डी (material) · tsg bukug (material) · ota كمیك (material) · mr अस्थि (material) · it osseo (colour) · apw ítsin (component of a skeleton) · rgn òṣ (material) · he עֶצֶם (component of a skeleton) · ta எலும்பு (material) · km ឆ្អឹង (component of a skeleton) · ce даьӏахк (material) · evn гирамна (material) · af been (material) · mr हाड (material) · crh süyek (component of a skeleton) · lou dézo (component of a skeleton) · ny fupa (component of a skeleton) · jje 뻬 (material) · aa lafa (material) · mww pob txha (material) · fi luunvalkoinen (colour) · hak 骨頭 /骨头 (material) · kpy гʼытгʼым (component of a skeleton) · tmr גַּרְמָא (material) · ru кость (component of a skeleton) · zza este (diq) (component of a skeleton) · et luu (component of a skeleton) · mt abjad maħmuġ (colour) · ur ہاڑ (material) · apy zehpo (material) · ms tulang (component of a skeleton) · cu ⰽⱁⱄⱅⱐ (component of a skeleton) · aad nəŋolak (component of a skeleton) · ht zo (component of a skeleton) · lt kaulas (material) · sw mfupa (fishbone) · am አጥንት (component of a skeleton) · nn bein (component of a skeleton) · war tul-an (material) · cs kost (material) · cu кость (component of a skeleton) · tpi bun (component of a skeleton) · pt espinha (fishbone) · de Gebeine (material) · br askorn (component of a skeleton) · ccc kajpu (component of a skeleton) · zh 骨頭 /骨头 (material) · kl saaneq (component of a skeleton) · de Knochen (component of a skeleton) · ur اَسْتِھ (component of a skeleton) · nup tsúkùn (material) · ota سوموك (component of a skeleton) · scn ossu (material) · hy ոսկոր (fishbone) · ast caspia (fishbone) · uk кі́стка (material) · bn হাড় (material) · hi हड्डी (material) · eo osto (component of a skeleton) · el μπαλένα (corset part) · sm ivi (material) · uk кі́стка (component of a skeleton) · din yuɔɔm (component of a skeleton) · bzj boan (component of a skeleton) · gmh gebeine (material) · igl áchíkwúù (material) · koi лы (material) · vi chất xương (material) · dlm vuas (material) · ain ポネ (component of a skeleton) · tzo bak (material) · nl bot (component of a skeleton) · or ହାଡ଼ (material) · yo egungun (material) · gl óso (material) · lb Schank (component of a skeleton) · zza bine (diq) (component of a skeleton) · tr kemik (material) · lv kauls (component of a skeleton) · cop ⲕⲉⲥ (material) · bcl tulang (component of a skeleton) · xcl ոսկր (material) · si ගිනිමැලය (component of a skeleton) · tl buto (material) · okm ᄲᅧ〮 (component of a skeleton) · frr knooke (material) · ani рокьи (material) · cnk ähu (material) · ml എല്ല് (material) · tly astə (material) · ky сөөк (material) · bg кости́ца (fishbone) · se dákti (component of a skeleton) · cho foni (component of a skeleton) · cu ⰽⱁⱄⱅⱐ (material) · yi ביין (component of a skeleton) · eo osto (material) · nds Been (material) · hi अस्थि (component of a skeleton) · az qılçıq (fishbone) · zh 滑 (material) · gl argana (fishbone) · csb kòsc (material) · ps هډ (component of a skeleton) · mxw goat (component of a skeleton) · mfe lezo (component of a skeleton) · cy blew pysgodyn (fishbone) · hu csont (material) · arc ܓܪܡܐ (component of a skeleton) · ryu 骨 (material) · hak 滑头 (material) · zh 骨 (component of a skeleton) · es hueso (material) · az sümük (component of a skeleton) · dsb štapc (fishbone) · aer ngkwerne (material) · rm òss (material) · sq eshtër (material) · ha ƙashi (component of a skeleton) · ang bān (material) · zh 骨頭 /骨头 (component of a skeleton) · fr os (component of a skeleton) · ang bān (component of a skeleton) · bni lokwa (material) · mk жи́ца (corset part) · lo ກະດູກ (material) · ur اَسْتِھ (material) · mhr лу (material) · ceb bukog (material) · fr os (material) · mi iwi (component of a skeleton) · fa اُسْتُخوَان (component of a skeleton) · chr ᎪᎳ (component of a skeleton) · tr kılçık (fishbone) · kxd tulang (material) · is beinhvítur (colour) · ckb ئێسقان (component of a skeleton) · ab абаҩ (component of a skeleton) · gug kangue (component of a skeleton) · de Knochen (material) · nl balein (corset part) · da knogle (material) · sl kost (material) · qu tullu (component of a skeleton) · nl knekel (component of a skeleton) · slr sinik (material) · ha ƙashi (material) · dv ކަށި (component of a skeleton) · ko 뼈 (material) · tet ruin (material) · be косць (material) · kmr hestî (material) · ab абаҩ (material) · ruo os (material) · ar عَظْم (component of a skeleton) · tk gylçyk (fishbone) · zlw-osk kosť (material) · kn ಮೂಳೆ (component of a skeleton) · mrw tolan (material) · ssy lafa (material) · mak buku (material) · arc ܓܪܡܐ (material) · et luu (material) · zdj shiɓa (fishbone) · cu кость (material) · hsb kósć (component of a skeleton) · tyv сөөк (material) · nb bein (component of a skeleton) · ca os (component of a skeleton) · ga cnámh (component of a skeleton) · ug سۆڭەك (component of a skeleton) · mt xewka (fishbone) · bin ùgbòlòkò (component of a skeleton) · fi ruoto (fishbone) · za ndok (component of a skeleton) · mba tul-an (material) · alt сӧӧк (component of a skeleton) · yo eegun (material) · ar عضم (material) · sv ben (material) · da knogle (component of a skeleton) · csb gnôt (component of a skeleton) · igl áchíkwúù (component of a skeleton) · gl óso (component of a skeleton) · it osso (material) · shu عضم (material) · et vaalaluu (corset part) · nog суьек (component of a skeleton) · tsg bukug (component of a skeleton) · nah omitetl (component of a skeleton) · ar عضمة (component of a skeleton) · cdo 骨骨 (material) · de Bein (material) · sh кост (material) · egy qs-Z1 (material) · haw iwi (material) · nap uosso (material) · tr sünük (component of a skeleton) · ota كمیك (component of a skeleton) · pt osso (material) · akl tue-an (material) · cop ⲕⲉⲥ (component of a skeleton) · ky сөөк (component of a skeleton) · mi wheua (material) · nb bein (material) · rm oss (material) · hil tul-an (material) · jje 뻬 (component of a skeleton) · jv ꦧꦭꦸꦁ (material) · ast espina (fishbone) · nv tsʼin (component of a skeleton) · rw igufwa (component of a skeleton) · mr हाड (component of a skeleton) · zh 骨質 /骨质 (material) · mns-nor лув (material) · fa اُسْتُخوان (material) · krl luu (component of a skeleton) · bzj boan (material) · el ψαροκόκαλο (fishbone) · tk süýek (material) · ota سوموك (material) · hu szálka (fishbone) · el οστό (component of a skeleton) · egy qs-Z1 (component of a skeleton) · bcl tulang (material) · ill tulan (material) · ltg kauls (material) · de Bein (component of a skeleton) · mn яс (material) · nus cɔɣ (component of a skeleton) · zea beên (component of a skeleton) · hu csont (component of a skeleton) · mk ко́ска (material) · co ossu (material) · ig ọkpụkpụ (component of a skeleton) · pms òss (material) · luq kuako (component of a skeleton) · te బొక్క (component of a skeleton) · et kont (component of a skeleton) · min tulang (material) · kmr hestî (component of a skeleton) · ps هډوکى (material) · niu hui (material) · fr arête (fishbone) · za ndok (material) · ijc ungbóu (component of a skeleton) · fa اُسْتُخون (component of a skeleton) · sc ossu (material) · ba һөйәк (material) · hi हड्डी (component of a skeleton) · myv ловажа (material) · xda jarra (component of a skeleton) · rw igufa (component of a skeleton) · cy asgwrn (component of a skeleton) · fi valaanluu (corset part) · ro os (material) · jje 꽝 (component of a skeleton) · gl balea (corset part) · alt сӧӧк (material) · tt сөяк (material) · ro os (component of a skeleton) · os стӕг (material) · ulb ógúngún (component of a skeleton) · nb ben (component of a skeleton) · nl been (material) · es hueso (component of a skeleton) · nds Graat (fishbone) · ms tulang (material) · gu અસ્થિ (material) · my အရိုး (material) · nds Butt (component of a skeleton) · aqc лекки (material) · ur ہَڈّی (material) · kn ಮೂಳೆ (material) · fa اُسْتُخون (material) · sw mfupa (corset part) · oc òs (component of a skeleton) · mt għadma (component of a skeleton) · mn ᠶ᠋ᠠᠰᠤ (material) · av ракьа (material) · vo bom (material) · zu ithambo (material) · ast güesu (material) · zom gu (material) · pl gnat (component of a skeleton) · dlg оӈуок (component of a skeleton) · xal ясн (component of a skeleton) · ka ძვალი (material) · oc òs (material) · ota عظم (material) · udi уъкъеън (material) · sl kost (component of a skeleton) · cs kost (component of a skeleton) · gv craue (component of a skeleton) · mi kōiwi (component of a skeleton) · sw mfupa (component of a skeleton) · alu susuri (component of a skeleton) · xcl ոսկր (component of a skeleton) · sv benvit (colour) · hy ոսկոր (component of a skeleton) · krl luu (material) · la os (material) · ka ძვალი (component of a skeleton) · fr sucette (reward) · sh kost (component of a skeleton) · mk ко́ска (fishbone) · ce даьӏахк (component of a skeleton) · ta எலும்பு (component of a skeleton) · ast güesu (component of a skeleton)
From Middle English bon, from Old English bān (“bone, tusk; the bone of a limb”), from Proto-Germanic *bainą (“bone”), from *bainaz (“straight”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyh₂- (“to hit, strike, beat”).
Cognate with Scots bane, been, bean, bein, bain (“bone”), North Frisian bian, Biin, biinj (“bone; leg”), West Frisian bien (“bone”), Dutch been (“bone; leg”), German Low German Been, Bein (“bone”), German Bein (“leg”), German Gebein (“bones”), Swedish ben (“bone; leg”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Icelandic bein (“bone; leg”), Breton benañ (“to cut, hew”), Latin perfinēs (“break through, break into pieces, shatter”), Avestan 𐬠𐬫𐬈𐬥𐬙𐬈 (byente, “they fight, hit”). Related also to Old Norse beinn (“straight, right, favourable, advantageous, convenient, friendly, fair, keen”) (whence Middle English bain, bayne, bayn, beyn (“direct, prompt”), Scots bein, bien (“in good condition, pleasant, well-to-do, cosy, well-stocked, pleasant, keen”)), Icelandic beinn (“straight, direct, hospitable”), Norwegian bein (“straight, direct, easy to deal with”). See bain, bein.
Meanings
To prepare (meat, etc) by removing the bone or bones from.
One of the fish stalls specialized in boning shad, and he who has never eaten a boned shad baked twenty minutes on a hot oak plank has been deprived of the most delicious morsel that the ocean yields. 1949, Kenneth Lewis Roberts, I Wanted to Write, page 44:
Then it is boned; keeping the bone in during cooking improves the flavour and enriches the meat with calcium. 2009, Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat, A History of Food, page 379:
Other fish suited to boning through the back include small bluefish, Arctic char, steelhead salmon, salmon, small wild striped bass, hybrid striped bass, Whitefish, drum, trout, and sea trout. 2011, Aliza Green, Steve Legato, The Fishmonger's Apprentice, page 38:
The ballottine is made of a piece of meat, fowl, game or fish which is boned, stuffed, and rolled into the shape of a bundle. The term ballottine should strictly apply only to meat, boned and rolled, but not stuffed. 1977, Prosper Montagné, Charlotte Snyder Turgeon, The New Larousse Gastronomique, page 73:
To fertilize with bone.
He cites an instance of land heavily boned 70 years ago as “still markedly luxuriant beyond any other grass land in the same district.” 1859 July 9, The Economist, page 758:
To put whalebone into.
Having my stays very fully boned and fitted with shoulder-straps. 1871, Figure-Training:
To make level, using a particular procedure; to survey a level line.
boning rod
(ambitransitive, of a man, slang, usually, vulgar) To have sexual intercourse (with).
Stash in the buildin wit this chick named Alona / From Daytona, when I was young I wants to bone her 1997, “It's All About the Benjamins”, in No Way Out, performed by Puff Daddy:
When we return we'll find out which one of our six remaining contestants' dreams will be totally ruined, like your mom's reputation after I bone her face. 2007, Stacey Deddo, The Elimination Special, Part II: The Elimination (Drawn Together), season 3, episode 14, spoken by The Jew Producer (James Arnold Taylor), via Comedy Central:
We’re bonin’ on the dark blocks / Wearin’ out the shocks, wettin’ up the dashboard clock 1993, “Back Seat (of My Jeep)”, in 14 Shots to the Dome, performed by LL Cool J:
We were sitting in the student union between classes, and I had just been trying to decide which one of them I was gonna bone first that night. 2006, Noire [pseudonym], Thug-A-Licious: An Urban Erotic Tale, New York, N.Y.: One World, Ballantine Books, →ISBN, page 153:
I swear on the good book that if you pull through, I will bone Travis Junior. 2007, Reno Mounties (Reno 911!), season 4, episode 11, spoken by Deputy Cherisha Kimball (Mary Birdsong), via Comedy Central:
[…]These cats stay rapping about cars they don't own / I am sick of rappers bragging about models they don't bone 2006, “Sick of it all”, in Masta Ace (lyrics), Pariah:
I'd been boning French chicks for a while now and was always shocked to see how many able-bodied young white women had no qualms about being on welfare. 2012, Gavin McInnes, The Death of Cool: From Teenage Rebellion to the Hangover of Adulthood, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 89:
O Memmius, well and slowly did you bone me, supine, day by day, with the whole of that beam. 1894, Catullus, translated by Leonard C. Smithers, The Carmina of Gaius Valerius Catullus, section 58:
(Australia, dated, in Aboriginal culture) To perform “bone pointing”, a ritual that is intended to bring illness or even death to the victim.
“You don’t know!”, Bony echoed. “You can tell me who boned me fifteen years ago on the other side of the world, and you can’t tell me who killed the white-fella in the Crater”. 1962, Arthur Upfield, The Will of the Tribe, Collier Books, page 48:
(usually, with "up") To study.
bone up
“I know it. You do not study.” “What’s the use of boning all the time! I wasn’t cut out for it.” 1896, Burt L. Standish, Frank Merriwell's Chums:
To polish boots to a shiny finish.
[…] the permanent boning (excessive polishing) of boots by recruits […] c. 1980, F. van Zy, SADF National Service (1979-1980), archived from the original on 22 Jun 2004:
To nag, especially for an unpaid debt.
Dix Handley: Don’t bone me!
Cobby: Now look, I’m not boning you, Dix—
Dix: Did I ever welsh?
Cobby: Nobody said you did—
Dix: You just boned me! 1950, Asphalt Jungle:
tr sikişmek (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · no knulle (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · mk вади коски (to remove bones) · el ξεκοκαλίζω (to remove bones) · es follar con (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · mi mākiri) (to remove bones) · fr baiser (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · fr fourrer (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · es joder con (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · fr désosser (to remove bones) · mi kōhaha (to remove bones) · mi kōhurehure (to remove bones) · sk pichať (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · es culear (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · it chiavare (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · pt comer (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · cmn 去骨 (to remove bones) · it fottere (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · tr kılçık temizlemek (to remove bones) · vi gỡ xương (to remove bones) · es coger con (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · hu megdug (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · io desostizar (to remove bones) · no pule (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · ca desossar (to remove bones) · bg обезкостявам (to remove bones) · es quemarse las pestañas (to study) · es deshuesar (to remove bones) · de ausbeinen (to remove bones) · de vögeln (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · de ficken (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · he זיין (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · fr queuter (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · de nageln (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · de poppen (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · de entbeinen (to remove bones) · de bumsen (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · fr zober (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · zza zela weçinen (to remove bones) · hu kicsontoz (to remove bones) · cmn 剔骨 (to remove bones) · it scopare (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · mi kokoki (to remove bones) · fi nussia (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · fi poistaa luut (to remove bones) · ko 뼈를 깎다 (to study) · fi naida (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · pt foder (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · sv bena ur (to remove bones) · sk odkostiť (to remove bones) · yue 起骨 (to remove bones) · pt desossar (to remove bones) · fr potasser (to study) · la exossō (to remove bones) · es tirarse a (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · fr piner (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · he דפק (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · pt transar (slang: have sexual intercourse with) · ru снима́ть мясо с костей (to remove bones) · it disossare (to remove bones) · es quitar las espinas (to remove bones)
Unknown; probably related in some way to Etymology 1, above.
Meanings
(slang, transitive) To apprehend, steal.
But troll's old seat is much the same,
And the bone he boned from its owner 1936, J.R.R. Tolkien, “The Root of the Boot”, in Songs for the Philologists:
Therefore she wants to take results that belong to other people: she wants to bone everybody else's loaf. 1942, Rebecca West, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon, Canongate, published 2006, page 802:
[…]as long as you and I live I take it for granted that you will not suspect me of boning them. But to guard against casualties hereafter, I have asked Nicolay to write you a line saying that I have never had in my possession or custody any of the papers which you entrusted to him. 1915, William Roscoe Thayer, The Life and Letters of John Hay:
“Did I?” said Squeers, “Well it was rather a startling thing for a stranger to come and recommend himself by saying that he knew all about you, and what your name was, and why you were living so quiet here, and what you had boned, and who you had boned it from.” 1839, Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby, page 127: