stone
/stəʊn/ (bre, ipa) · [stˈon] /stəʊn/ (ame, ipa) · [stˈon] /ˈstōn/ (ame, mw) · [stˈon] /stoʊn/ (ame, ipa)
stone — noun
- stonesingular
- stonesplural
1. the very firm natural substance dug out of the earth, from which walls, homes, a
the very firm natural substance dug out of the earth, from which walls, homes, and pathways are built; also, one individual lump of this material
The old church walls were made of grey stone that had weathered over centuries.
uncountable: 'made of stone' for the material in general
Reema skipped flat stones across the surface of the calm lake.
countable: 'stones' for individual pieces
A large stone blocked the narrow path through the mountain pass.
The castle was built from local stone cut from a quarry nearby.
Workers used heavy stones to build the foundation of the new bridge.
文法句型
made of stone
a piece of stone
[number] stones
用法筆記
Uncountable when referring to the material in general ('a wall made of stone'). Countable when referring to individual pieces ('a stone hit the window').
常見錯誤
2. a hard, pebble-like mass that can form inside an organ such as the kidney or gal
a hard, pebble-like mass that can form inside an organ such as the kidney or gallbladder, often causing sharp pain
The doctor told Yuna that her kidney stone was small enough to pass on its own.
compound: kidney stone / gallstone
Otis was rushed to hospital with severe pain from a gallstone that blocked his bile duct.
Drinking plenty of water every day can reduce the risk of forming kidney stones.
After surgery, the surgeon showed Bao the small stone removed from his bladder.
- calculus
the formal medical term; rarely used outside clinical settings
文法句型
[organ] + stone
用法筆記
Almost always used in combination with the organ: kidney stone, gallstone, bladder stone. Rarely used alone without specifying the organ.
3. a British measurement for how heavy a person is, where one stone is the same as
a British measurement for how heavy a person is, where one stone is the same as fourteen pounds or about six and a third kilograms
Karim told the nurse he weighed twelve stone and hoped to lose some weight.
pattern: [number] stone (no plural -s)
The boxer weighed sixteen stone eight pounds at the final check-up.
In Britain many people still use stones and pounds instead of kilograms.
The doctor recorded Paloma's weight as eleven stone, which is healthy for her height.
文法句型
[number] stone
用法筆記
Only used in the UK and Ireland for human body weight. The plural is also 'stone' (not 'stones') after a number: 'He weighs fourteen stone.' Not used in the US, Canada, or most other countries.
常見錯誤
4. a tiny chunk of an expensive natural material like a diamond or ruby, which has
a tiny chunk of an expensive natural material like a diamond or ruby, which has been shaped and made shiny to be worn as jewellery
The jeweller set a brilliant blue stone into the silver ring that Yuna had chosen.
set a stone (into jewellery)
Amihan's grandmother gave her a necklace with three small green stones that sparkled in the light.
Collectors paid a huge sum for the rare yellow diamond, the largest stone of its kind ever found.
The museum displayed a crown covered in precious stones from around the world.
Mira examined each stone carefully before choosing one for her bracelet design.
5. the large, hard seed or pit found inside certain fruits such as peaches, plums,
the large, hard seed or pit found inside certain fruits such as peaches, plums, cherries, and avocados
Élise cut the peach in half and carefully removed the stone before slicing the fruit.
remove the stone + [fruit]
Be careful not to bite into a cherry stone because it can damage your teeth.
The recipe said to take the stones out of the plums before cooking them.
Kemi planted the avocado stone in a pot of soil to try to grow her own tree.
Chef Rodrigo removed each olive stone by hand to prepare the stuffed appetiser.
文法句型
[fruit] + stone
用法筆記
More common in British English. In American English, 'pit' is the usual word. The verb form is 'to stone a fruit' (remove the stone).
6. a heavy, rounded disc made of granite that players slide across ice in the sport
a heavy, rounded disc made of granite that players slide across ice in the sport of curling
The player released the stone with a gentle twist, sending it gliding down the ice.
Each curling stone weighs about twenty kilograms and is made of granite from Scotland.
compound: curling stone
Nkechi watched as her stone knocked the opponent's stone out of the scoring area.
The team polished their stones with a soft cloth before the championship match began.
用法筆記
This sense is limited to the sport of curling. Almost always used in combination as 'curling stone', though experienced players may say 'stone' alone.
stone — verb
- stonepresent simple I / you / we / they
- stones3rd person singular
- stoning-ing form
- stonedpast simple
1. to hurl pieces of rock towards a person, animal, or thing, often because you are
to hurl pieces of rock towards a person, animal, or thing, often because you are angry or want to cause harm
The angry crowd began to stone the abandoned car in the middle of the street.
Some children were stoning a tin can when the teacher told them to stop.
The protesters threatened to stone the embassy windows if their demands were ignored.
In many places, stoning someone's property is a serious crime that leads to arrest.
The bus was stoned by a group of youths as it passed through the neighbourhood.
- pelt
to throw things (not necessarily stones) repeatedly at someone or something
- bombard
to attack continuously with objects or questions; more general and can be figurative
- throw rocks at
the literal, less formal phrase; 'stone' is the single-word verb form
文法句型
stone + [object]
用法筆記
Usually transitive: someone stones something or someone. The passive construction is very common: 'The car was stoned by vandals.'
常見錯誤
2. to put a person to death as a penalty, by having a group of people fling rocks a
to put a person to death as a penalty, by having a group of people fling rocks at them until they stop breathing
Under the law of the time, the court ordered that the woman be stoned for her crime.
passive: be stoned for [crime]
In some historical accounts, communities would stone those found guilty of serious offences.
International human rights groups have condemned the practice of stoning people as cruel punishment.
The practice of stoning someone to death has been abolished in most countries around the world.
- lapidate
the formal, Latinate term; extremely rare in everyday English
文法句型
be stoned to death
用法筆記
Almost always used in passive voice or in historical and legal contexts. The agent is typically a group or the state, not an individual. The full form 'stoned to death' is the most common expression.
3. to take out the large hard seed (stone) from inside a fruit before eating or coo
to take out the large hard seed (stone) from inside a fruit before eating or cooking it
The recipe said to stone the olives before adding them to the sauce.
British English; 'pit' in American English
Yan spent the afternoon stoning cherries for the pie filling.
You should always stone the plums before giving them to young children to eat.
Mira carefully stoned each date before stuffing it with cheese for the party guests.
The kitchen assistant stoned the avocados and scooped the flesh into a bowl.
- pit
the American English equivalent; 'I need to pit the cherries'
- remove the stone from
the explanatory phrase used in recipes when the single verb may be unfamiliar
文法句型
stone + [fruit]
用法筆記
More common in British English; in American English, 'pit' is the usual verb. Some recipes say 'remove the stones' instead of using the verb 'stone'.
常見錯誤
stone — adverb
1. used before certain adjectives to mean completely or extremely, emphasising that
used before certain adjectives to mean completely or extremely, emphasising that something is fully in that state — only used in fixed combinations such as stone cold, stone dead, or stone broke
By the time the police arrived, the man was already stone dead.
fixed combo: stone dead
The tea had gone stone cold while they argued about the best route to take.
fixed combo: stone cold
After paying all his bills, Henrik was stone broke until his next payday.
The wind was stone cold against her face as she walked home through the snow.
- completely
the standard adverb; less emphatic and usable before any adjective
- dead
used in similar fixed intensifier position: 'dead serious', 'dead tired'
- stone-cold
the hyphenated adjective form of the same intensifier
文法句型
stone + [adjective]
用法筆記
Only used before a small fixed set of adjectives: cold, dead, broke, and occasionally 'sober'. This is NOT a productive pattern — you cannot invent new combinations like 'stone happy' or 'stone tired'. Each combination must be learned as a fixed phrase.
常見錯誤
stone — adjective
- stonepositive
- stonercomparative
- stonestsuperlative
1. made of the hard, solid mineral material from the ground; used before a noun to
made of the hard, solid mineral material from the ground; used before a noun to describe what something is built or made from
The cottage had a stone floor that stayed cool even during the hot summer months.
attributive: stone + noun
The Cabrera family lived in an old stone house with thick walls and small windows.
A stone bridge crossed the river at the edge of the quiet village.
The kitchen counter was made of a beautiful polished stone called black granite.
A stone path led from the gate through the garden to the front door.
- stone-built
specifically about buildings constructed from stone
- rock
much less common as an attributive adjective; 'rock wall' emphasises a rougher, natural look
文法句型
stone + [noun]
用法筆記
Attributive only — always placed before a noun ('a stone wall'). Not used in predicative position: ❌ 'The wall is stone.' ✅ 'The wall is made of stone.'