hone

[hoʊn]

hone Definition

• 1. to sharpen or refine something, especially a skill
• 2. a fine-grained whetstone for sharpening cutting tools

Using hone: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "hone" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

• Example

  She honed her writing skills through practice and feedback.

• Example

  He spent hours honing his presentation for the conference.

• Example

  The chef honed his knife on the hone before starting to cut the vegetables.

hone Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for hone

• sharpen
• improve
• perfect
• refine
• whetstone

Antonyms for hone

• dull
• blunt
• unsharpened

Phrases with hone

• on the hone

  in the process of being sharpened or refined

  Example

  The team is currently on the hone, working to perfect their strategy.

• hone in on

  to focus on or concentrate intensely on something

  Example

  The detective was able to hone in on the suspect's location using GPS tracking.

• put the hone to

  to apply effort to sharpen or improve something

  Example

  I need to put the hone to my language skills before I can apply for that job.

Origins of hone

from Old English 'hān', meaning 'stone'

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Summary: hone in Brief

The verb 'hone' [hoʊn] means to sharpen or refine something, especially a skill, and is often used in phrases like 'hone in on' and 'put the hone to.' It can also refer to a fine-grained whetstone used for sharpening cutting tools. Examples include 'She honed her writing skills through practice and feedback' and 'The chef honed his knife on the hone before starting to cut the vegetables.'