Welcome to our fun guide on “Bone Idioms”! In this easy-to-understand post, we’ll explore some quirky phrases that use the word “bone.” Even if you’re just starting to learn idioms, you’ll find these examples simple and clear!
Bone Idioms
Here are 20 bone idioms in English with meaning and example sentence for each.
1. Bone of Contention
Meaning: A subject or issue over which there is disagreement
Example: The last cookie was a bone of contention between them.
2. Bone to Pick
Meaning: A complaint or grievance
Example: She had a bone to pick with him about the mess.
3. Close to the Bone
Meaning: Riskily close to causing offense
Example: His joke was a bit close to the bone.
4. Cut to the Bone
Meaning: Reduce drastically
Example: Budget cuts have sliced our funding to the bone.
5. Feel It in My Bones
Meaning: To sense something instinctively
Example: I feel it in my bones; it’s going to rain!
6. Make No Bones About
Meaning: To state something plainly
Example: She made no bones about her dissatisfaction.
7. Toss a Bone
Meaning: To give a small concession
Example: They tossed us a bone with a slight discount.
8. Bones to Ashes
Meaning: Totally destroyed or consumed
Example: The evidence went from bones to ashes.
9. Work One’s Fingers to the Bone
Meaning: Work extremely hard
Example: He worked his fingers to the bone renovating the house.
10. Bone Dry
Meaning: Completely dry
Example: After the heatwave, the soil was bone dry.
11. Have a Skeleton in the Closet
Meaning: To have a hidden secret
Example: Everyone has a skeleton in the closet.
12. Skin and Bone
Meaning: Very thin or emaciated
Example: The abandoned dog was all skin and bone.
13. Bone Idle
Meaning: Extremely lazy
Example: He was bone idle throughout summer.
14. Chew the Bone
Meaning: To think about something intensely
Example: He chewed the bone of that problem all day.
15. Bonehead
Meaning: A foolish person
Example: Stop being such a bonehead!
16. Funny Bone
Meaning: A person’s sense of humor
Example: He really hit my funny bone with that joke.
17. Give a Dog a Bone
Meaning: To give someone a small reward
Example: Let’s give the interns a bone for their hard work.
18. Bare Bones
Meaning: The most basic aspects
Example: The presentation covered only the bare bones.
19. Bone Up On
Meaning: Study or review
Example: She’s boning up on her math for the test.
20. Break a Bone
Meaning: To fracture a bone
Example: He broke a bone playing football.
