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Stone Meaning, Uses, and Common Mistakes (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：a small hard piece of natural rock (stone)

stone 🔊

/stoʊn/

n., v.

A hard, natural material found in the ground, used for building things like houses and walls. It can also be a small piece of this material.

Hand holding a grey stone with textured surface on pebbles

a small hard piece of natural rock 🔊

➕

/ə smɔːl hɑːrd piːs əv ˈnætʃrəl rɒk/

n., v.

A small, hard, solid piece of mineral matter found on the ground, often used for building, throwing, or decoration.

📁 Category：Objects & Materials 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Old English 'stan', related to Dutch 'steen' and German 'Stein', all from Proto-Germanic *stainaz.

💡 Mnemonic

Think of a stone being so 'st'urdy and 'on'e-piece; it's a hard, natural object you can hold.

📖 Example

The children collected smooth stones from the riverbank to build a small tower. 🔊 The children collected smooth stones from the riverbank to build a small tower.

🔗 Collocations

throw a stone – to propel a small rock through the air using your hand

stone wall – a wall built from stones

pile of stones – a collection of stones stacked together

🔄 Synonyms

pebble (n.) – a small, smooth stone worn by water

rock (n.) – a large piece of stone, or any hard solid mineral mass

boulder (n.) – a very large, rounded rock

🚫 Antonyms

sand (n.) – loose grains of rock, much smaller than stones

🌱 Derivatives

stony (adj.) – covered with or containing stones

stoned (adj.) – having the stone removed from a fruit

stonework (n.) – the art or craft of building with stone

📖 Cultural Story

Stone has been used by humans for tools and construction since prehistoric times. The word appears in many idioms like 'stone's throw' (short distance) and 'leave no stone unturned' (search thoroughly).

Meaning 2：the hard seed inside a fruit like a peach or cherry (stone)

stone 🔊

/stoʊn/

n., v.

The hard seed in the middle of some fruits like peaches, cherries, or plums. You need to remove it before eating.

Peach cut in half showing the brown stone inside

the hard seed inside a fruit like a peach or cherry 🔊

➕

/ðə hɑːrd siːd ɪnˈsaɪd ə fruːt laɪk ə piːtʃ ɔːr ˈtʃeri/

n., v.

A large, hard pit that contains the seed of certain fruits such as peaches, plums, and cherries.

📁 Category：Diet & Health 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

Don't forget to remove the stone before blending the peaches for your smoothie. 🔊 Don't forget to remove the stone before blending the peaches for your smoothie.

🔗 Collocations

fruit stone – the hard pit inside a fruit

remove the stone – to take out the stone from a fruit

cherry stone – the stone of a cherry

🔄 Synonyms

pit (n.) – the hard seed at the center of a fruit like a peach or avocado

kernel (n.) – the softer, edible seed inside a nut or stone fruit

seed (n.) – a small part of a plant that can grow into a new plant

🚫 Antonyms

flesh (n.) – the soft, edible part of a fruit surrounding the stone

peel (n.) – the outer skin of a fruit, opposite of the inner stone

🌱 Derivatives

stoneless (adj.) – having no stone (e.g., seedless fruit)

stoned fruit (n.) – a fruit that has had its stone removed