Meaning: abrading stone

n.
a primitive stone artifact (usually made of sandstone) used as an abrader

ston Idiom, Proverb

a stone's throw

a short distance, 25 metres A deer came into the yard, just a stone's throw from our door.

beat your head against a stone wall

try an impossible task, work on a futile project Preventing war is like beating your head against a stone wall.

blood from a stone

(See get blood from a stone)

blow your stones

ejaculate, come There's more to it than blowing your stones. Sex is an art form.

get blood from a stone

do an impossible task, beat your head against... You'll get blood from a stone before you get money from Ed.

heart of stone

a nature without pity The man who murdered his wife and children has a heart of stone.

keep your nose to the grindstone

continue to work hard Keep your nose to the grindstone and you'll pass the final exam.

kill two birds (with one stone)

get two with one try, do two jobs on one trip If you sell and advertise at the same time, you kill two birds... .

kill two birds with one stone

achieve two aims with one effort/action If you take the course now you may be able to kill two birds with one stone and receive credit for it on a future program.

kiss the blarney stone

say a lot of compliments, flattery will get you... You always say that I look nice. Did you kiss the blarney stone?

leave no stone unturned

try in every way, do everything possible The police left no stone unturned when they were looking for the little girl who was lost.

rolling stone

a person who does not live or work in one place He is a rolling stone and I never know where to find him.

stone-broke

having no money He was stone-broke after he came back from his holiday in Greece.

stone dead

very dead, no sign of life, dead as a doornail When we finally found the goose, it was stone dead.

stone's throw

(See a stone's throw)

stone unturned

(See leave no stone unturned)

stoned

drugged, natural high on drugs, spaced out, wasted If he's stoned, he shouldn't drive. Let's hide his keys.

stonewall

block, prevent, not allow The president stonewalled every one of our plans. He said no.

written in stone

written in final form, like a commandment "Our agreement isn't written in stone; it can be changed."

Whitestone

movie theatre in the Bronx - Diamond D

within a stone's throw

Idiom(s): within a stone's throw (of sth) AND (just) a stone's throw away (from sth); (just) a stone's throw (from sth)

Theme: PROXIMITY

very close (to something). (Possibly as close as the distance one could throw a stone. It usually refers to a distance much greater than one could throw a stone.)
• The police department was located within a stone's throw of our house.
• We live in Carbondale, and that's just a stone's throw away from the Mississippi River.
• Come visit. We live just a stone's throw away.
• John saw Mary across the street, just a stone's throw away.
• Philadelphia is a stone's throw from New York City.

sticks and stones

Idiom(s): sticks and stones

Theme: ENMITY

elements of harm [directed at someone]. (Part of a rhyme, "Sticks and stone may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Fixed order.)
• I have had enough of your sticks and stones. I have enough trouble without your adding to it.
• After the opposing candidate had used sticks and stones for a month, suddenly there were kind words heard.

run into a stone wall

Idiom(s): run into a stone wall

Theme: IMPEDIMENT

to come to a barrier against further progress. (Informal.)
• We've run into a stone wall in our investigation.
• Algebra was hard for Tom, but he really ran into a stone wall with geometry.

put one's nose to the grindstone

Idiom(s): put one's nose to the grindstone

Theme: EFFORT

to keep busy doing one's work. (Also with have and get, as in the examples.)
• The boss told me to put my nose to the grindstone.
• I've had my nose to the grindstone ever since I started working here.
• If the other people in this office would get their noses to the grindstone, more work would get done.

millstone about one's neck

Idiom(s): millstone about one's neck

Theme: BURDEN

a continual burden or handicap.
• This huge and expensive house is a millstone about my neck.
• Bill's inability to read is a millstone about his neck.

milestone in one's life

Idiom(s): milestone in one's life

Theme: IMPORTANCE

a very important event or point in one's life. (From the stone at the side of a road showing the distance to or from a place.)
• Joan's wedding was a milestone in her mother's life.
• The birth of a child is a milestone in every parent's life.

keep one's nose to the grindstone

Idiom(s): keep one's nose to the grindstone

Theme: BUSY

to keep busy continuously over a period of time.
• The manager told me to keep my nose to the grindstone or be fired.
• Keep your nose to the grindstone, and you will prosper.

have a heart of stone

Idiom(s): have a heart of stone

Theme: KINDNESS - LACKING

to be cold and unfriendly.
• Sally has a heart of stone. She never even smiles.
• The villain in the play had a heart of stone. He was an ideal villain.

cast the first stone

Idiom(s): cast the first stone

Theme: CRITICISM

to make the first criticism; to be the first to attack. (From a biblical quotation.)
• Well, I don't want to be the one to cast the first stone, but she sang horribly.
• John always casts the first stone. Does he think he's perfect?

A rolling stone gathers no moss

Idiom(s): A rolling stone gathers no moss

Theme: LIFESTYLE

A proverb that describes a person who keeps changing jobs or residences and, therefore, accumulates no possessions or responsibilities.
• "John just can't seem to stay in one place," said Sally. "Oh, well, a rolling stone gathers no moss."
• Bill has no furniture to bother with because he keeps on the move. He keeps saying that a rolling stone gathers no moss.

just a stone's throw from

just a stone's throw away from

A rolling stone gathers no moss.

If a person keeps moving from place to place, they gain neither friends nor possessions. Another interpretation is that, by moving often, one avoids being tied down!

Sticks and stones will break my bones but names w

Physical attacks may harm me, but cruel words will not.

As cold as stone

If something is as cold as stone, it is very cold. If a person is as cold as stone, they are unemotional.

Blood out of a stone

If something is like getting blood out of a stone, it is very difficult indeed.

Etched in stone

Something, especially rules and customs, that cannot be changed at all is said to be etched in stone.

Millstone round your neck

A millstone around your neck is a problem that prevents you from doing what you want to do.

Set in stone

If something is set in stone, it cannot be changed or altered.

Stone deaf

Someone who is stone deaf is completely deaf.

cast the first stone|cast|first stone|stone

v. phr., literary To be the first to blame someone, lead accusers against a wrongdoer. Jesus said that a person who was without sin could cast the first stone. Although Ben saw the girl cheating, he did not want to cast the first stone.

get stoned|get|stoned

v. phr., slang To become very drunk or high on some drug. Poor Fred was so stoned that Tom had to carry him up the stairs.
Compare: THREE SHEETS TO THE WIND.

heart of stone|heart|stone

n. phr. A. nature without pity. Mr. Smith has a heart of stone. He whipped his horse until it fell down.

hold one's nose to the grindstone|grindstone|have|

v. phr., informal To work hard all the time; keep busy with boring or tiresome work. Sarah keeps her nose to the grindstone and saves as much as possible to start her own business.

kill two birds with one stone|bird|birds|kill|ston

v. phr. To succeed in doing two things by only one action; get two results from one effort. Mother stopped at the supermarket to buy bread and then went to get Jane at dancing class; she killed two birds with one stone. The history teacher told us that making an outline kills two birds with one stone; it makes us study the lesson till we understand it, and it gives us notes to review before the test.

leave no stone unturned|leave|stone|stone unturned

v. phr. To try in every way; miss no chance; do everything possible.

Usually used in the negative. The police will leave no stone unturned in their search for the bank robbers.
Compare: ALL OUT, BEND HEAVEN AND EARTH, FINE-TOOTH COMB.

millstone around one's neck|millstone|neck

n. phr. An intolerable burden. Max said that his old car was a millstone around his neck.
Compare: MONKEY ON ONE'S BACK.

rolling stone gathers no moss|moss|rolling|rolling

A person who changes jobs or where he lives often will not be able to save money or things of his own.

A proverb. Uncle Willie was a rolling stone that gathered no moss. He worked in different jobs all over the country.

stone wall|brick|brick wall|stone|wall

adj. Something hard to overcome; an idea or belief that is hard to change. The students ran into a brick wall when they asked the principal to put off the examination. Dick tried to change Father's mind about letting him use the car Saturday night, but he was up against a stone wall.

stone's throw|stone|throw|within a stone's throw

adv. phr. Within a very short distance. They live across the street from us, just within a stone's throw. See: HOP, SKIP AND A JUMP.