English-English Dictionary

Meaning of the word hone in English

What does hone mean in English? Explore the meaning, pronunciation, and specific usage of this word with Lingoland.

hone

US /hoʊn/
UK /həʊn/
"hone" picture

Verb

1.

to sharpen (a blade)

Example:
•
He used a whetstone to hone the edge of his knife.
•
The barber carefully honed his razor before shaving.
Synonym:
sharpen whet grind file strop
2.

to refine or perfect (something) over a period of time

Example:
•
She spent years honing her skills as a painter.
•
The team needs to hone their strategy before the big game.
Synonym:
refine perfect improve polish sharpen

Noun

a sharpening stone, especially one of fine grain

Example:
•
He kept a small hone in his toolkit for quick touch-ups.
•
The chef always used a fine-grained hone to keep his knives razor-sharp.
Synonym:
whetstone sharpening stone grindstone
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Related Word:
honing hone in on