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View synonyms for

hone

1

[ hohn ]

verb (used with object)

honed, honing.
  1. to make more acute or effective; improve; perfect:

    to hone one's skills.

  2. to sharpen on a whetstone with a fine, compact texture:

    to hone a carving knife.

  3. to enlarge or finish (a hole) using a precision tool with a mechanically rotated abrasive tip.


noun

  1. a whetstone of fine, compact texture for sharpening razors and other cutting tools.
  2. a precision tool with a mechanically rotated abrasive tip, for enlarging holes to precise dimensions.

hone

2

[ hohn ]

verb (used without object)

honed, honing.
  1. South Midland and Southern U.S. to yearn; long:

    to hone for the farm life; to hone after peach pie.

  2. Archaic. to moan and groan.

hone

1

/ əʊ /

noun

  1. a fine whetstone, esp for sharpening razors
  2. a tool consisting of a number of fine abrasive slips held in a machine head, rotated and reciprocated to impart a smooth finish to cylinder bores, etc
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. tr to sharpen or polish with or as if with a hone
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

hone

2

/ əʊ /

verb

  1. often foll byfor or after to yearn or pine
  2. to moan or grieve
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Usage

Hone is sometimes wrongly used where home is meant: this device makes it easier to home in on (not hone in on ) the target
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Other Word Forms

  • Dz· noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of hone1

First recorded before 950; Middle English noun hone, hain “wٲٴDzԱ”; Old English “stone, boundary stone, rock”; cognate with Old Norse hein “hone”; akin to cone

Origin of hone2

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Anglo-French honer (unrecorded); Old French hogner “to grumble, growl,” from Germanic; compare Old Saxon ōԾ “to abuse, revile”
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Word History and Origins

Origin of hone1

Old English stone; related to Old Norse hein

Origin of hone2

C17: from Old French hogner to growl, probably of Germanic origin; compare Old High German ōԱ to revile
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Pacific Clinics Head Start, which serves 500 children, is focused on turning the skills they’ve honed to advocate for their families toward advocating for the program’s very survival.

From

At rallies and events across the country, Poilievre has honed in on issues like housing, crime and the high cost of living, while criticising the Liberals for government overspending.

From

After the pandemic, he embarked on a tour of pubs and halls around the country to hone his craft.

From

Here, he’s done that in the most Cronenbergian of ways, honing in on eccentric characters who feel their emotions with their entire bodies.

From

UK sketch groups often form through friendships and showcase their talent at the Edinburgh Fringe, whereas many US comedians train at improv and sketch clubs, specifically honing their skills for shows like SNL.

From

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HondurasHonecker