Definition: Stone
Etymology
From Middle English ston, stone, stan, from Old English stān, from Proto-West Germanic *stain, from Proto-Germanic *stainaz, from Proto-Indo-European *steyh₂- (to stiffen).
Noun
stone (countable and uncountable, plural stones or (as unit of mass) stone)
- (uncountable) A hard earthen substance that can form large rocks.
- A small piece of stone, a pebble.
- A gemstone, a jewel, especially a diamond.
- (Britain) A unit of mass equal to 14 pounds (approximately 6.3503 kilograms), formerly used for various commodities (wool, cheese, etc.), but now principally used for personal weight.
- (botany) The central part of some fruits, particularly drupes; consisting of the seed and a hard endocarp layer.
- (medicine) A hard, stone-like deposit.
- (board games) A playing piece made of any hard material, used in various board games such as backgammon and go.
- A dull light grey or beige color, like that of some stones.
- (curling) A 42-pound, precisely shaped piece of granite with a handle attached, which is bowled down the ice.
- A monument to the dead; a gravestone or tombstone.
Usage notes
All countable senses use the regular plural stones except the British unit of mass, which uses the invariant plural stone.
Verb
stone (third-person singular simple present stones, present participle stoning, simple past and past participle stoned)
- (transitive) To pelt with stones, especially to kill by pelting with stones.
- She was stoned to death after they found her.
- (transitive) To wall with stones.
- (transitive) To remove a stone from (fruit etc.).
- (intransitive) To form a stone during growth, with reference to fruit etc.
- (transitive) To lap with an abrasive stone to remove surface irregularities.
Adjective
stone (not comparable)
- Constructed of stone.
- stone walls
- Having the appearance of stone.
- stone pot
- Of a dull light grey or beige color, like that of some stones.
Adverb
stone (not comparable)
- As a stone (used with following adjective).
- My father is stone deaf. This soup is stone cold.
Derived terms
- birthstone
- Blarney Stone
- cobblestone
- cornerstone
- curbstone
- flagstone
- gemstone
- gravestone
- headstone
- hearthstone
- limestone
- lodestone
- moonstone
- Philosopher's Stone
- rhinestone
- Rosetta Stone
- sandstone
- soapstone
- stepping stone
- Stone Age
- stonecutter
- Stonehenge
- stonemason
Credits
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