# bone up

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bone-up
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to study hard or learn a lot about a specific subject in a short time.

For teachers: to review or study a particular subject intensively, often in preparation for an imminent event or requirement.

## Examples

- I need to bone up on my French before my trip.
- He spent the entire weekend boning up on tax law before his big meeting with the accountants.
- The candidate spent weeks boning up on regional economic policies to ensure she could handle the rigorous questioning during the televised debate.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I must bone up my history." but "I must bone up on my history." — the preposition 'on' is almost always required when specifying the subject of study.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by the preposition 'on' before the subject being studied.
- Teaching tip: explain that this is an informal Americanism; the 'bone' likely refers to 'bony' fingers or hard work, similar to 'cramming' but often implies a more targeted review.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.