# stone

/ˈstoʊn/ (US) · /stˈəʊn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stone
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 2. fruit seed

noun · CEFR B1

the large, hard seed in the middle of some fruits like peaches or cherries.

For teachers: the hard endocarp of a drupe, containing the seed.

- Be careful not to bite the stone when you eat that plum.
- The chef demonstrated how to slice around the stone of the avocado before twisting the two halves apart.

### 3. unit of weight

noun · CEFR B2 · British English

a British unit of weight equal to 14 pounds (about 6.4 kilograms).

For teachers: a British unit of mass equivalent to 14 pounds; the plural form remains 'stone' when used as a measurement.

- He lost two stone after he started going to the gym regularly.
- Despite his height, the boxer weighed only eleven stone, placing him firmly in the featherweight category for the upcoming match.

### 4. jewel

noun · CEFR B1

a precious jewel, such as a diamond or emerald.

For teachers: a gemstone or precious jewel, often used in the context of jewellery making.

- The ring had a beautiful blue stone set in the middle.
- The jeweller examined the stone under a magnifying glass to check for internal flaws and clarity.

### 5. medical deposit

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a hard piece of material that sometimes forms inside the body, like in the kidney.

For teachers: a hard, mineralised concretion formed within an organ, such as the kidney or gallbladder.

- The doctor told him he had a small kidney stone.
- The patient was advised to increase fluid intake to help pass the calcium oxalate stone naturally without surgical intervention.

### 6. to throw rocks at

verb · CEFR B2

to throw stones at someone, often to punish or kill them.

For teachers: to pelt or kill someone by throwing stones as a form of capital punishment or assault.

- In ancient times, people were sometimes stoned for breaking the law.
- The angry mob began to stone the windows of the embassy during the protest.

### 7. to remove seeds

verb · CEFR B2

to take the hard seeds out of fruit.

For teachers: to remove the pits or stones from fruit before cooking or eating.

- You need to stone the cherries before you put them in the pie.
- The recipe requires you to stone and halve the apricots before poaching them in a light syrup.

### 8. to be under drug influence

verb · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal

to be very affected by a drug like cannabis.

For teachers: to be under the influence of a narcotic, particularly cannabis; almost exclusively used in the passive voice or as a past-participle adjective.

- They sat on the sofa, completely stoned and watching cartoons.
- He admitted to being heavily stoned during the party, which explained his inability to follow the conversation.

### 9. made of stone

adjective · CEFR A2

made out of rock or stone.

For teachers: constructed or consisting of stone; non-gradable.

- They walked along a narrow stone path through the garden.
- The architect insisted on a stone floor for the lobby to ensure durability against heavy foot traffic.

## Examples

- The boy threw a small stone into the river.
- The ancient walls were built using heavy grey stone found in the local mountains.
- Geologists analyzed the composition of the stone to determine whether the formation resulted from volcanic activity or sedimentary deposits over millions of years.

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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.