Definition Synonyms
Definition of bones - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun, plural
1.
medicalthe hard parts inside a body that form its structure
- The human skeleton is made up of 206 bones..
2.
structureframework or foundation of something
- The bones of the building were still intact.
3.
musicRare percussive instrument made from ribs or woodRare
- He played the bones during the folk song.
4.
- They gave each other bones after the victory.
Images of bones

percussive instrument made from ribs or wood
Expressions with bones
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
say something clearly and openly without hiding or hesitating
She made no bones about her dislike for the plan.
flesh on a body preventing skinniness
She finally has some meat on her bones.
express something openly without hesitation or doubt
She did not make any bones about her dislike for the plan.
very thin person or animal
After the illness, he looked like a bag of bones.
felt deeply and instinctively without evidence
She knew in her bones that he was lying.
additional details or substance
The report needs more meat on the bones to be convincing.
state of being without doubt or uncertainty
His honesty left no bones about it.
person or animal extremely thin from malnutrition
After the illness, he was just skin and bones.
gain respect through hard work or achievement
He had to earn his bones in the company.
very thin person
After his illness, he looked like a sack of bones.
the mineral that makes bones strong
Calcium in your bones is essential for maintaining bone strength and density.
very simple without extra features or decoration
The bare-bones room had only a bed and a chair.
extremely thin or emaciated
After the illness, he was all skin and bones.
be certain about something without evidence
I feel in my bones that today will be a good day.
establish status and respect in a field
She made her bones in the tech industry.
inherited disorder with increased bone density
Doctors diagnosed the child with marble bones disease.
live to an old age
He hopes to make old bones and see his grandchildren grow up..
set of rods for multiplication and division
Napier's bones simplified complex calculations in the 17th century.
Origin of bones
Old English, ban (bone)
Terms with bones included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
medical
one of the curved bones in the chest of humans and animals
medical
internal framework of bones in a body
body anatomy
the point where two bones meet allowing movement
medical
series of bones supporting the body
cooking
liquid made by boiling beef bones and meat
cooking
narrow strip of deep-fried chicken without bones
cooking
liquid made by simmering chicken bones and vegetables
cooking
piece of meat or fish without bones
cooking
strip of meat or fish without bones
cooking
meat cut including curved bones from the animal's chest
medical
either of the two triangular bones in the shoulder
medical
internal framework of bones in a body
medical
connections between bones allowing movement
medical
damage to muscles bones or nerves in the rear of the torso
medical
unhealthy way of holding the body that strains bones and muscles
facial structure
two bones in the face below the eyes
cooking
remove the bones from meat or fish
medical
supportive device for broken bones
soup base
savory stock from simmered beef, bones, sometimes vegetables
medical
arrangement and quality of bones in a body
food
not containing bones
visible bones
having prominent bones
fast food
deep-fried strip of chicken without bones or skin
medical
the joint connecting bones in a finger
Examples of bones in a sentence
Bones protect vital organs in the body. The architect admired the bones of the ancient structure. Despite the renovations, the bones of the house remained unchanged. The musician skillfully tapped the bones in rhythm. Bones added a unique sound to the street performance. They exchanged bones before the game started.
Giving bones was their way of saying hello.
View all translations of bones
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:os, ossature, ...
- German:Knochen, Struktur, ...
- Italian:ossa, struttura portante, ...
- Spanish:huesos, armazón, ...
- Portuguese:ossos, estrutura, ...
- Chinese:骨头, 骨架, ...
- Japanese:骨, 骨組み, ...
- Arabic:عِظَام, هِيكَل, ...
- Hebrew:עַצָּמוֹת, שֶׁלֶד, ...
- Russian:скелет, каркас, ...
- Ukrainian:кістки, каркас, ...
- Hindi:हड्डियाँ, ढांचा, ...
Definition of bone - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
medicalhard whitish tissue making up the skeleton
- The x-ray showed a fracture in the bone near his wrist..
2.
figurativeessence or core of something
- We need to get down to the bone of the issue during our discussion..
3.
- They played bones all night.
4.
colorRare off-white shade like animal skeleton materialRare
- She painted the walls bone.
5.
fashionDated rigid part of corset providing structureDated
- The corset's bone provided structure.
Verb
1.
cookingremove the bones from meat or fish
- She decided to bone the chicken before roasting it.
2.
- He bragged about boning his date last night.
3.
tailoringRare UK insert stiffening material into clothingRare UK
- The dressmaker will bone the corset for extra support.
4.
constructionTECH. make level using a specific procedureTECH.
- The workers boned the ground before laying the foundation.
Adjective
1.
colorsoff-white color similar to pale ivory
- She wore a bone dress to the event.
2.
structureskeletal in material or appearance
- The bone handle was smooth and polished.
Expressions with bone
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
ulnar nerve by the elbow that causes sharp pain or tingling
I hit my crazy bone on the table and my arm tingled.
ulnar nerve at the elbow causing tingling when hit
I accidentally hit my funny bone on the table.
study intensively to refresh knowledge
She needs to bone up on her math before the test.
extremely lazy or unwilling to work
He is bone idle and never helps around the house.
study intensively or review
She needs to bone up on her French before the trip.
stubborn and persistent, refusing to give up easily
He was like a dog with a bone, never stopping until he solved the problem.
give a small token of support or help
The manager threw a bone to the team by approving a small bonus.
make someone laugh or be amused
The comedian's joke really tickled my funny bone.
characteristic or quality in someone's nature
He doesn't have a mean bone in his body.
subject or issue over which there is ongoing disagreement
The property line has been a bone of contention between the neighbors for years..
problem needing discussion or resolution
I have a bone to pick with you about yesterday.
extremely dry without any moisture
The desert was dry as a bone.
extremely tender meat easily separates from the bone
The ribs were falling off the bone after hours of slow cooking.
the physical body of a human or animal
The statue looked so real, like flesh and bone.
offer a small gesture of encouragement
She threw him a bone by praising his effort.
extremely or deeply
The cold wind chilled him to the bone.
argue or disagree with someone about something
She decided to pick a bone with him over the chores.
any bone located in the human arm
The x-ray showed a fracture in the arm bone near the elbow..
bone given to a dog as a treat
The dog happily chewed on the dog bone.
bone forming the structure of the leg
The femur is the longest leg bone.
either of the two triangular bones in the shoulder
The shoulder bone connects the arm to the body.
aching or hurting feeling that seems to come from inside a bone
The patient reported severe bone pain in both legs at night.
cut of beef with a T-shaped bone
I ordered a T-bone for dinner.
arrangement and quality of bones in a body
Her strong bone structure was evident in her defined jawline..
Origin of bone
Germanic, ban (bone)
Examples of bone in a sentence
The dog buried the bone in the backyard. Her speech cut to the bone of the matter. The novel's plot gets to the bone of human nature. He rolled the bones and won the game. The old men gathered to play bones. The designer chose bone for the sofa fabric.
Her dress was a lovely shade of bone. The dressmaker adjusted the bone for a better fit. Each bone in the corset was carefully sewn in place. The chef will bone the fish for the dish. He learned how to bone a duck in culinary school. He was known to bone around with different partners. They joked about who would bone whom at the party. She decided to bone the bodice for a better fit. The tailor boned the jacket to maintain its shape. They boned the surface to ensure it was perfectly flat. The team boned the field before installing the turf. The walls were painted in a bone shade. He chose a bone carpet for the living room. The museum displayed a bone sculpture from ancient times. She wore a necklace with bone beads.
View all translations of bone
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:os, désosser, ...
- German:Knochen, entbeinen, ...
- Italian:osso, disossare, ...
- Spanish:hueso, deshuesar, ...
- Portuguese:osso, desossar, ...
- Chinese:骨头, 去骨, ...
- Japanese:骨, 骨を取る, ...
- Arabic:عَظْم, عَظَّمَ, ...
- Hebrew:עֶצֶם, לְנַקֵּר, ...
- Russian:скелет, удалять кости, ...
- Ukrainian:кістка, виймати кістки, ...
- Hindi:हड्डी, हड्डियाँ निकालना, ...
icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.
icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.
icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the