stone
stone — noun
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.
- stone wall
- stone floor
- stone bridge
- natural stone
- local stone
- building stone
Grammar Patterns
made of stone
a piece of stone
[number] stones
Usage Note
Uncountable when referring to the material in general ('a wall made of stone'). Countable when referring to individual pieces ('a stone hit the window').
Common Mistakes
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.
- kidney stone
- gallstone
- bladder stone
- pass a stone
- remove a stone
- form a stone
- calculus
the formal medical term; rarely used outside clinical settings
Grammar Patterns
[organ] + stone
Usage Note
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 baby weighed seven stone eight pounds at her last 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.
- lose a stone
- gain a stone
- weigh [number] stone
- [number] stone in weight
Grammar Patterns
[number] stone
Usage Note
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.
Common Mistakes
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.
collocation: precious stone
Mira examined each stone carefully before choosing one for her bracelet design.
- precious stone
- semi-precious stone
- birthstone
- set a stone
- cut a stone
- polish a stone
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.
- peach stone
- cherry stone
- avocado stone
- remove the stone
- take out the stone
Grammar Patterns
[fruit] + stone
Usage Note
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.
- curling stone
- throw a stone
- release the stone
- granite stone
Usage Note
This sense is limited to the sport of curling. Almost always used in combination as 'curling stone', though experienced players may say 'stone' alone.
set in stone
idiomcompletely fixed and impossible to change; used especially when talking about plans, rules, or decisions
The wedding date is not set in stone yet, so we can still change it if needed.
These guidelines are not set in stone and can be adjusted as the project develops.
a stone's throw
idioma very short distance away from a place
The hotel is just a stone's throw from the beach, so we walked there every morning.
Lena's flat is only a stone's throw away from the train station, making the commute easy.
to try every possible way of finding or achieving something, leaving nothing unexplored
The police left no stone unturned in their search for the missing child.
Karim left no stone unturned while looking for a job after graduation.
to achieve two different goals with a single action
By walking to work, Ignacio kills two birds with one stone by saving money and getting exercise.
Taking a course online killed two birds with one stone since she learned new skills and earned a certificate.
a heart of stone
idioma complete lack of sympathy or kindness towards other people
Only someone with a heart of stone would not feel sad watching that film.
The landlord had a heart of stone and refused to listen to their problems.
used to say that people who have faults of their own should not criticise other people for having the same faults
Irina criticises everyone for being late, but she is never on time herself. People in glass houses should not throw stones.
stone cold
idiomcompletely cold, either literally or as an expression of a total lack of emotion
By the time she served dinner, the soup had gone stone cold.
Theo gave a stone cold reply that showed no sign of regret or emotion.
carved/set in stone
idiomSomething that is fixed and cannot be changed.
The deadline is not carved in stone yet.
Are these rules set in stone, or can we discuss them?
To be a person who does not show sympathy or kindness to others.
The landlord had a heart of stone and refused to help.
How can you have a heart of stone after hearing her story?
Used to describe something that is extremely difficult to get or achieve.
Getting a refund from that company is like getting blood from a stone.
Trying to get him to apologize was like getting blood out of a stone.
You should not criticize others because you have faults that can be criticized too.
He criticized her for being late, but people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Remember, people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
A person who moves often does not accumulate wealth or responsibilities but also avoids burdens.
My uncle is a rolling stone; he never stays in one job long.
A rolling stone gathers no moss, but it also never builds a home.
a stone’s throw
idiomA very short distance away from a place.
The library is just a stone's throw from my house.
We stayed at a hotel a stone's throw from the beach.
stone — verb
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.
gerund form: stoning
The bus was stoned by a group of youths as it passed through the neighbourhood.
passive: was stoned by
- stone a car
- stone a building
- stone someone
- be stoned by
- 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
Grammar Patterns
stone + [object]
Usage Note
Usually transitive: someone stones something or someone. The passive construction is very common: 'The car was stoned by vandals.'
Common Mistakes
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.
pattern: stoned to death
- be stoned to death
- stoning as punishment
- be stoned for [crime]
- lapidate
the formal, Latinate term; extremely rare in everyday English
Grammar Patterns
be stoned to death
Usage Note
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.
- stone the cherries
- stone the olives
- stone the plums
- stoned fruit
- 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
Grammar Patterns
stone + [fruit]
Usage Note
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'.
Common Mistakes
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.
fixed combo: stone broke
The wind was stone cold against her face as she walked home through the snow.
- stone cold
- stone dead
- stone broke
- 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
Grammar Patterns
stone + [adjective]
Usage Note
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.
Common Mistakes
stone — adjective
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 wall
- stone floor
- stone house
- stone bridge
- stone path
- stone steps
- stone-built
specifically about buildings constructed from stone
- rock
much less common as an attributive adjective; 'rock wall' emphasises a rougher, natural look
Grammar Patterns
stone + [noun]
Usage Note
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.'
Common Mistakes
2. completely cold in temperature, or showing no emotion at all; always used in com
completely cold in temperature, or showing no emotion at all; always used in combination with 'cold' as the compound 'stone-cold'
The soup was stone-cold by the time the guests sat down at the table.
literal: stone-cold (temperature)
Adaeze gave him a stone-cold stare that made him stop talking at once.
figurative: stone-cold (emotionless)
The detectives followed a stone-cold trail that led nowhere useful.
Fatima's reply was stone-cold and she did not smile or show any feeling at all.
The morning air was stone-cold, so we wrapped ourselves in warm coats before going out.
- stone-cold stare
- stone-cold trail
- stone-cold soup
- stone-cold coffee
- ice-cold
similar intensifier; emphasises that something is as cold as ice
- freezing cold
less formal; emphasises discomfort from cold
- emotionless
the literal synonym for the figurative meaning of 'stone-cold'
- warm
for the temperature meaning
- warm-hearted
for the emotional meaning
Grammar Patterns
stone-cold + [noun]
Usage Note
Almost always written with a hyphen as 'stone-cold'. Can be used literally (cold temperature) or figuratively (showing no emotion). The adverb 'stone' can also modify 'cold' in the same meaning ('stone cold' without hyphen when the adverb is used).
Word family
- stonyadjectiveB2
- stonilyadverbC1
- stonedadjectiveB2
- stonewarenounB2
- stoneworknounB2
- stonemasonnounB2
- stonecutternounC1
- keystonenounC1
- milestonenounB2
- gemstonenounB1
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
All four words describe pieces of the earth's hard mineral surface, but they differ in size and use. 'Stone' is the most general everyday word for a small-to-medium piece you can hold or build with. 'Rock' is broader — it can mean an entire cliff or mountain ('the rock face'), a large mass underground ('bedrock'), or the material itself. 'Pebble' refers to a very small, smooth stone, typically worn round by water, found on beaches or riverbeds. 'Boulder' is a massive, rounded rock, far too large for a person to lift, often seen in landscapes or used in gardening. 'Gravel' is a collection of small, rough stones mixed with sand, used for paths and driveways. For example: 'Reema skipped a flat stone across the lake.' — a stone is the right size and shape. 'They drove past a giant boulder by the roadside.' — a boulder is huge. 'The path was covered in loose gravel.' — gravel is a mass of tiny stones.
Etymology
The word 'stone' comes from Old English 'stān', which belongs to a family of similar words across the Germanic languages: German 'Stein', Dutch 'steen', and Old Norse 'steinn'. Going further back, these all descend from the Proto-Indo-European root *stai-, meaning 'stone' or 'to harden'. This ancient root also gave us the Greek 'stion' (pebble), the Sanskrit 'styāyate' (it hardens), and the Church Slavic 'stena' (wall). The word has kept its basic meaning for over five thousand years, which matches how fundamental stone has always been to human life — for tools, buildings, and later as a unit of weight and a metaphor for hardness and permanence.