noun / verb
hone
HOHN/həʊn/
A fine abrasive stone used to refine a cutting edge.
She draws the knife across a fine hone to sharpen it.
Etymology
The word for a stone came to name a fine sharpening stone. Improving a skill draws on sharpening a delicate edge: practice makes it more precise.
In context
put in the work to hone your skills and to embrace the journey
More examples
- A few strokes on the hone restore the razor's edge.
- He hones the chisel before carving the oak.
- Keep the hone flat so the blade makes even contact.
Forms
hone · hones · honed · honing
Similar words
- whetstone
- A broader term for sharpening stones, including coarser ones.
- sharpener
- Any tool that sharpens an edge, not necessarily a stone.