verb
hone
hohn
verb
1
To sharpen, especially a blade, using a fine stone.
"He honed the kitchen knives before carving the roast."
2
To improve or refine a skill over time.
"She spent years honing her craft as a stand-up comedian."
"The team honed its strategy through months of practice."
noun
1
A fine-grained stone used for sharpening blades.
"He ran the razor over the hone a few times before shaving."
How to Use Hone
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo make something sharper or better, whether that's a blade or a skill.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "home in on" — "hone in on" is a very common error; the traditional correct phrase is "home in on".
Easily confused with
Common pairings
hone a skill
hone your craft
hone a blade
Word Forms
honed past tense, honed past tense, hones plural, hones plural, hones singular, hones singular
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He _____ the kitchen knives before carving the roast.
Etymology
From Old English hān ("stone"), related to Proto-Germanic and ultimately Proto-Indo-European roots meaning "to sharpen".