stone

plural stones · alternative Northumbria styen · alternative UK dialectal stean

1. uncountablegeographyA hard earthen substance that can form rocks; especially, such substance when regarded as a building material.

   Toad, that vnder cold ſtone, / Dayes and Nights ha’s thirty one: / Sweltred Venom ſleeping got, / Boyle thou firſt i’th’ charmed pot.

   c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 143, column 2

   3 more examples

   The first day of the weeke, commeth Mary Magdalene earely when it was yet darke, vnto the Sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the Sepulchre.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 20:1

   It is about 2,500 yards in circuit, is built of red stone, and, according to Von Orlich, is now " a bastioned quinquangle ; the ancient walls with semicircular bastions face the two streams ; the land side is quite regular, and consists of two bastions, and a half-bastion with three ravelins," and stands higher than any ground in face of it.

   1858, Edward Thornton, A Gazetteer of the Territories Under the Government of the East India Company and of the Native States on the Continent of India, W. H. Allen & Co., page 22

   The solitary, lumbering trolls of Scandinavian mythology would sometimes be turned to stone by exposure to sunlight. Barack Obama is hoping that several measures announced on June 4th will have a similarly paralysing effect on their modern incarnation, the patent troll.

   2013 June 8, “Obama goes troll-hunting”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8839, page 55

   Synonyms: rock, rock

2. countablegeographyA piece of such material: a block of stone, rock or a pebble.

   A railway station which formerly stood a few miles from Sydney has recently been demolished, stone by stone, and has been re-erected as a church in the Australian Capital Territory of Canberra, about 200 miles away.

   1960 March 28, “Notes and News: Cemetery Station Re-Erected as a Church”, in Railway Magazine, page 215

   Synonyms: pebble

3. countableuncountableA gemstone, a jewel, especially a diamond.

   […]Ineſtimable Stones, vnvalewed Iewels[…]

   c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv], page 180, column 1

4. UKcountableuncountableA unit of weight equal to 14 pounds (≈6.3503 kilograms), formerly used for various commodities (wool, cheese, etc.), but now principally used for personal weight. Abbreviated as st.

   British people measure their weight in stones and pounds. I weigh eight stone five.

   3 more examples

   Seven pounds make a clove, 2 cloves a stone, 2 stone a tod, 6+¹⁄₂ tods a wey, 2 weys a sack, 12 sacks a last. […] It is to be observed here that a sack is 13 tods, and a tod 28 pounds, so that the sack is 364 pounds.

   1843, The Penny Cyclopaedia, page 202

   Generally, however, the stone or petra, almost always of 14 lbs., is used, the tod of 28 lbs., and the sack of thirteen stones.

   1882, James Edwin Thorold Rogers, A History of Agriculture and Prices in England, volume IV, page 209

   Weighed myself at the gym and have hit 10st 8lb, a sure sign of things getting out of control—so I can’t even console myself with a chocolate biscuit.

   1992 October 3, Edwina Currie, Diary

   Synonyms: petra

5. countableuncountablebiologyThe central part of some fruits, particularly drupes; consisting of the seed and a hard endocarp layer.

   a peach stone

   1 more example

   Near-synonym: pip

   Synonyms: pit, seed pit, pyrena, pyrene, pip, pip, pit

6. countableuncountablemedicineA hard, stone-like deposit.

   The pain of passing a larger stone is often compared to child birth.

   2016 September 26, James Hamblin, “A Health Benefit of Roller Coasters”, in The Atlantic

   Synonyms: calculus

7. countableuncountableboard gamesA playing piece made of any hard material, used in various board games such as backgammon and go.
8. countableuncountableA dull light grey or beige, like that of some stones.
9. countableuncountableball gamesA 42-pound, precisely shaped piece of granite with a handle attached, which is bowled down the ice.

   Synonyms: curling stone, rock

10. countableuncountableA monument to the dead; a gravestone or tombstone.

    It seems to me that when I die / These words will be written on my stone[…]

    2013 November 25, Zayn Malik, “Story of My Life”, in Midnight Memories, Columbia Records; Syco Music

    2 more examples

    Amid that scene, if ſome relenting eye Glance on the ſtone where our cold reliques lie.

    1717, Alexander Pope, “Eloisa to Abelard”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume II, London: […] J. Wright, for Lawton Gilliver […], published 1717, →OCLC, page 434

    I would have written of me on my stone: / I had a lover's quarrel with the world.

    1942, Robert Frost, “The Lesson for Today”, in The Poems of Robert Frost: […], New York, N.Y.: The Modern Library, published 1946, →OCLC, page 408

11. countableobsoleteuncountableA mirror, or its glass.

    She's dead as earth: Lend me a Looking-glaſſe; / If that her breath will miſt or ſtaine the ſtone, / Why then ſhe liues.

    c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii], page 309, column 1

12. countableobsoleteuncountableA testicle.

    […]and yet I warrant it had vpon it brow, a bumpe as big as a young Cockrels ſtone?

    c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii], page 56, column 1

    2 more examples

    Hee that is wounded in the ſtones, or hath his priuie member cut off, ſhall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord.

    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Deuteronomy 23:1

    To make Capons […] ſome for this Purpoſe make it their Buſineſs after Harveſt-time to go to Markets for buying up Chickens, and between Michaelmas and All-hollantide caponize the Cocks, when they have got large enough to have Stones of ſuch a Bigneſs that they may be pulled out; for if they are too little, it can't be done.

    1750, W[illiam] Ellis, The Country Housewife's Family Companion […] , London: James Hodges; B. Collins, →OCLC, page 157

13. countablehistoricaluncountablemediaA stand or table with a smooth, flat top of stone, commonly marble, on which to arrange the pages of a book, newspaper, etc. before printing.

    The Chief called the makeup editor to the stone, pointed to the story which had caught his eye, and suggested a fairly simple remake.

    1965, George Murray, The Madhouse on Madison Street, page 38

    Synonyms: imposing stone

alternative Northumbria styen · alternative UK dialectal stean

1. not comparableConstructed of stone.

   stone walls

   Synonyms: stonen

2. not comparableHaving the appearance of stone.

   stone pot

3. not comparableOf a dull light grey or beige, like that of some stones.
4. not comparableAfrican-American VernacularUsed as an intensifier.

   She is one stone fox.

   4 more examples

   Yeah, he's a stone fuck–up. But he's stand–up, too, don't forget that.

   1994, Andrew H. Vachss, Born Bad: Stories

   Of course the Torah rejects (*some*) sexual acts between members of the same sex. And of course it doesn't condemn gays and lesbians. Someone who doesn't realize that is a stone bigot to begin with.

   2000 September 9, Lisa Beth, “Rabbi Shmuli Boteach Refuted”, in soc.culture.jewish.moderated (Usenet)

   “And I got the best metal man in the business going for me, too.” “This job's going to be a stone motherfucker,” Flacco said

   2001, Andrew H. Vachss, Pain Management

   He might be a stone killer who simply doesn't care if his victim's alive or dead at the time of disfigurement.

   2009, John Lutz, Night Victims, page 307

5. not comparableslangWilling to give sexual pleasure but not to receive it.

   stone butch

   3 more examples

   stone femme

   Lately I've read these stories by women who are so angry with stone lovers, even mocking their passion when they finally give way to trust, to being touched.

   1993, Leslie Feinberg, Stone Butch Blues, Los Angeles: Alyson Books, published 2003, →ISBN, page 9

   My physical preference tends more to very masculine-bodied non-transitioning stone TG butches.

   c. 2000, Sonya, “Femme Identity: Stone-Butch/Femme Dynamic, FTM/Femme Dynamic”, in Transensual Femme, archived from the original on 20 May 2000

   Antonyms: pillow princess

alternative Northumbria styen · alternative UK dialectal stean

1. not comparableAs a stone (used with following adjective).

   My father is stone deaf. This soup is stone cold.

2. not comparableslangAbsolutely, completely (used with following adjectives).

   I went stone crazy after she left.

   1 more example

   I said the medication made my vision temporarily blurry, it did not make me stone blind.

present singular third person stones · participle present stoning · participle past stoned · past stoned

1. transitiveTo pelt with stones; especially, to kill by pelting with stones.

   stoned to death

   4 more examples

   She got stoned to death after they found her.

   55 But hee being full of the holy Ghost, looked vp stedfastly into heauen, and saw the glory of God, and Iesus standing on the right hand of God, 56 And said, Behold, I see the heauens opened, and the Sonne of man standing on the right hand of God. 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their eares, and ran vpon him with one accord, 58 And cast him out of the citie, and stoned him: and the witnesses layd downe their clothes at a yong mans feete, whose name was Saul. 59 And they stoned Steuen, calling vpon God, and saying, Lord Iesus receiue my spirit. 60 And he kneeled downe, and cried with a loud voice, Lord lay not this sinne to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleepe.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 7:55–60

   An up slow train on the Howrah-Burdwan line, north of Calcutta, arrived 15 min. late at Belur recently. The delay resulted in several waiting passengers stoning the driver and the guard.

   1955 March, “Indian Driver Stoned for Unpunctuality”, in Railway Magazine, page 190

   Our house was being stoned by a group of adolescent boys. We called the police seven times and they wouldn't come.

   1980 February 9, Chris Guilfoy, anonymous quotee, “Town Meeting Talks About The Issue of Violence”, in Gay Community News, volume 7, number 28, page 1

   Synonyms: lapidate, stean

2. transitiveTo wall or wall up with stones.

   […] and since it was a rule of the French troops not to be a burden on the people along their route it could be that the advance guard dug and stoned the well for the troop's own special use.

   1974, Mathias Peter Harpin, Prophets in the wilderness: a history of Coventry, Rhode Island

   Synonyms: stean

3. transitiveTo remove a stone from (fruit etc.).

   Synonyms: destone, pit

4. intransitiveTo form a stone during growth, with reference to fruit etc.
5. slangtransitiveEspecially of cannabis or narcotics: To intoxicate. (Usually in passive)
6. SingaporeintransitiveslangTo do nothing, to stare blankly into space and not pay attention when relaxing or when bored.

   I was stoning the whole of today.

   2003, Roger, Joy, Vera and Amanda Loh, Facts about Singapore: Differences between Ohio and Singapore

   2 more examples

   Resume writing class lesson 2, stoning.

   2011 November 2, Shermaine Ong, (Please provide the book title or journal name)

   The Marina Barrage is a reservoir, but everyone goes there because the spacious greenery at the top is the perfect place for stoning, which is Singlish for hanging out and chilling.

   2015 April 8, Becky Osawa, Trekking with Becky: Stoning at the Marina Barrage, Singapore

   Synonyms: chill, chillax, chill out, hang out, rilek, daydream, veg out

7. transitiveTo lap with an abrasive stone to remove surface irregularities.

   Before they did the setup on the machining center, they stoned the table to knock down any nicked burrs.

plural Stones

1. countableAn English occupational and habitational surname from Old English, for someone who lived near a stone worked with stone, from Old English stan.

   Tucker Carlson (also a jacket and tie guy) picked up on the hoo-ha on his Fox News show, calling the hoodie-jacket combination a “cry for help” and inviting Roger Stone, the disgraced former political operative and author of his own “Best and Worst dressed List,” to comment.

   2023 February 20, Vanessa Friedman, “Don Lemon, Nikki Haley and the Lessons of a Hoodie”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

2. countableA male given name.
3. A placename:
   1. countableuncountableA village in Stone with Bishopstone and Hartwell parish, Buckinghamshire, previously in Aylesbury Vale district (OS grid ref SP7811).
   2. countableuncountableA village in Ham and Stone parish, Stroud district, Gloucestershire (OS grid ref ST6895).
   3. countableuncountableA village and civil parish in Dartford borough, Kent (OS grid ref TQ5774).
   4. countableuncountableA hamlet in Maltby parish, Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, South Yorkshire (OS grid ref SK5589).
   5. countableuncountableA market town and civil parish with a town council in Stafford borough, Staffordshire (OS grid ref SJ9034).
   6. countableuncountableA village and civil parish in Wyre Forest district, Worcestershire (OS grid ref SO8575).
   7. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in California.
   8. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Indiana.
   9. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community and coal town in Pike County, Kentucky; named for coal businessman Galen L. Stone.
   10. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in the town of Rutland, Dane County, Wisconsin.
   11. abbreviationcountableellipsisuncountableEllipsis of Stone County.