English Reference
noun · verb · adjective · adverb

bone

n. · v. · adj. · adv.
US /ˈboʊn/ UK /bˈəʊn/ bone UK spelling boned

  1. 01 A2 Elementary Medicine

    n.one of the hard, white pieces that make up the frame of a person's or animal's body.

    n.any of the individual rigid components of the vertebrate endoskeleton, composed of calcium phosphate and collagen.

    Simple

    The doctor showed me the X-ray of the broken bone in my arm.

    In context

    The forensic anthropologist examined the pelvic bone to determine the approximate age and sex of the remains found at the site.

  2. 02 B1 Intermediate Science

    n.the hard substance that skeletons are made of.

    n.the dense, semi-rigid calcified connective tissue forming the substance of the skeleton.

    Simple

    The handle of the old knife was made of carved bone.

    In context

    Microscopic analysis revealed that the bone had begun to lose density, a common indicator of long-term nutritional deficiency.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced American EnglishSlangInformal

    n.a slang word for a dollar.

    n.a slang term for a dollar, typically used in the plural.

    Simple

    The concert ticket cost me fifty bones, but it was worth it.

    In context

    He claimed the entire repair job would only set me back twenty bones, which seemed suspiciously cheap for such extensive damage.

  4. 04 B2 Upper Intermediate Cooking

    v.to take the bones out of meat or fish before cooking it.

    v.to remove the skeletal remains from meat, poultry, or fish during food preparation.

    Simple

    You should bone the chicken thighs before you put them in the stew.

    In context

    The chef demonstrated how to bone a leg of lamb with a sharp knife, ensuring minimal waste of the prime cuts.

    debonefillet
  5. 05 C2 Proficiency SlangVulgar

    v.a very informal and rude way to say 'have sex with someone'.

    v.to engage in sexual intercourse; a vulgar slang term often used transitively.

    Simple

    They were caught boning in the back of the car.

    In context

    The film relied heavily on crude humor, featuring several scenes where characters joked about who they wanted to bone.

  6. 06 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.a very pale, off-white colour like the colour of a bone.

    adj.denoting a specific shade of off-white or light greyish-yellow.

    Simple

    She chose a bone-coloured dress for the summer wedding.

    In context

    The interior designer suggested bone silk curtains to complement the darker mahogany furniture in the study.

    ivoryoff white
  7. 07 B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    adv.used before some adjectives like 'dry' or 'idle' to mean 'completely'.

    adv.used as an intensifier before specific adjectives, most commonly 'dry' or 'idle'.

    Simple

    The ground was bone dry after three months without any rain.

    In context

    Despite the heavy downpour earlier that morning, the sheltered porch remained bone dry throughout the storm.

Usage bone tissue

This entry
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Common
Updated