hone

(hōn)
n.

1. A fine-grained whetstone for giving a keen edge to a cutting tool.
2. A tool with a rotating abrasive tip for enlarging holes to precise dimensions.

tr.v., honed, hon·ing, hones.

1. To sharpen on a fine-grained whetstone.
2. To perfect or make more intense or effective: a speaker who honed her delivery by long practice.

phrasal verb:

hone in

1. To move or advance toward a target or goal: The missiles honed in on the military installation.
2. To direct one's attention; focus: The lawyer honed in on the gist of the plaintiff's testimony.

[Middle English, from Old English hān, stone. Hone in, alteration of home in.]

hone² (hōn)
intr.v. Informal, honed, hon·ing, hones.

1. To whine or moan.
2. To hanker; yearn.

[Obsolete French hoigner, from Old French, perhaps from hon, cry of discontent.]

View more Health videos

verb

To give a sharp edge to: acuminate, edge, sharpen, whet. See sharp/dull.

hone²

verb

To have a strong longing for: ache, covet, desire, hanker, long², pant, pine, want, wish, yearn. See desire.

IN BRIEF: A whetstone made of fine gritstone; Make perfect or complete; Sharpen.

Tutor's tip: "Hone" (sharpen) your social skills at "home" (where you live).

LearnThatWord.com is a free vocabulary and spelling program where you only pay for results!

v

To sharpen.

For a list of words related to hone, see:

• Fabrication and Manufacturing Processes - hone: (vb) grind to smoothly finished surface
• Shaving, Shaping, Sharpening, and Smoothing Tools - hone: abrasive whetstone for sharpening bladed cutting tools

---

See words rhyming with "hone."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Hone.

Dansk (Danish)
1.
v. tr. - slibe, hvæsse
n. - slibesten

2.
v. intr. - murre, mukke, klage

Nederlands (Dutch)
slijpen, wetten, aanzetten, slijpsteen, oliesteen, wetsteen

Français (French)
1.
v. tr. - (lit, fig) aiguiser, affûter
n. - pierre à aiguiser

2.
v. intr. - gémir (fam), geindre, convoiter (qch), soupirer (pour/après qch)

Deutsch (German)
1.
v. - schleifen, schärfen
n. - Wetzstein, Schleifstein

2.
v. - sich sehnen, jammern

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - ακονίζω, τροχίζω
n. - ακόνι, ακονόπετρα, λαδάκονο

Italiano (Italian)
affilare

Português (Portuguese)
v. - amolar
n. - pedra (f) de amolar

Русский (Russian)
ворчать, точить, точильный камень

Español (Spanish)
1.
v. tr. - afilar
n. - piedra de afilar

2.
v. intr. - sentir nostalgia

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - slipa, bryna
n. - slipsten, brynsten

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
1. 磨刀石, 用磨刀石磨

2. 想念, 抱怨

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
1.
n. - 磨刀石
v. tr. - 用磨刀石磨

2.
v. intr. - 想念, 抱怨

한국어 (Korean)
1.
v. tr. - 숫돌로 갈다
n. - 숫돌

2.
v. intr. - 불평하다, 신음하다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 砥石, ホーン
v. - 砥石でとぐ, ホーンでとぎ上げる, 砥石で研ぐ

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يشحذ, يسن, يتذمر, يتوق (الاسم) حجر الشحذ أو السن أو التجليخ‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮אבן משחזת‬
v. tr. - ‮השחיז‬
v. intr. - ‮התגעגע‬

If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.

To select your translation preferences click here.