hone

CEFRB2

/hoʊn/

verb · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To improve a skill through practice.

  2. 02

    verb

    To sharpen a blade or tool.

Examples

  • GPS allows us to hone in on the correct location.

  • Tom wanted to hone his skills as a photographer.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
4
Synonyms
2

Also pronounced

  • /həʊn/

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. A machine tool used in the manufacture of precision bores.

  2. To sharpen with a hone; to whet.

noun

Extra meaning

  1. A sharpening stone composed of extra-fine grit used for removing the burr or curl from the blade of a razor or some other edge tool.

More examples

In context

  • Such tunges ſhuld be torne out by the harde rootes,

  • He also honed the procedure known as cut and fill - whereby the spoil from railway cuttings was used to build up embankments.

  • Huh? Training in your room under the torchlight / Hone that form to get you ready for the big fight

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

She spent hours practicing to blank her piano skills before the concert.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From Middle English hon (“whetstone”), from Old English hān, from Proto-Germanic *hainō (compare Dutch heen, Norwegian hein), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱeh₃i- (“to sharpen”) (compare Ancient Greek κῶνος (kônos, “cone”), Persian سان (sân, “whetstone”)).