hone

hone

hone¹ [hōn]

n.

[ME < OE han, a stone, akin to ON hein, a hone < IE base * ko(i)-, to sharpen, whet > L cos, whetstone, cotes, sharp rock, Gr kōnos, cone]

a fine-grained, hard stone used to sharpen cutting tools

vt.

honed, honing

1. to sharpen with or as with a hone

2. Mech. to enlarge or smooth (a bore) to exact specifications with a rotating stick (honing stone) containing abrasive material

honer

n.

hone² [hōn]

vi.

honed, honing [ME honen < NormFr honer < OFr houir, to disgrace (< Frank * haunjan, to scorn, insult, akin to OE hean, wretched) < IE base * kau-, to humiliate > Latvian kauns, disgrace; sense infl. by OFr hognier, to grumble, prob. of echoic orig.] Dial.

1. to yearn; long

2. to grumble; moan