Stone

STONE, noun [Gr.]

1. A concretion of some species of earth, as lime, silex, clay and the like, usually in combination with some species of air or gas, with sulphur or with a metallic substance; a hard compact body, of any form and size. In popular language, very large masses of concretions are called rocks; and very small concretions are universally called gravel or sand, or grains of sand. Stones are of various degrees of hardness and weight; they are brittle and fusible, but not malleable, ductile, or soluble in water. Stones are of great and extensive use int he construction of buildings of all kinds, for walls, fences, piers, abutments, arches, monuments, sculpture and the like. When we speak of the substance generally, we use stone in the singular; as a house or wall of stone But when we speak of particular separate masses, we say, a stone or the stones.

2. A gem; a precious stone

Inestimable stones, unvalud jewels.

3. Any thing made of stone; a mirror.

4. A calculous concretion in the kidneys or bladder; the disease arising from a calculus.

5. A testicle.

6. The nut of a drupe or stone fruit; or the hard covering inclosing the kernel, and itself inclosed by the pulpy pericarp.

7. In Great Britain, the weight of fourteen pounds. [8, 12, 14, or 16.] [Not used in the United States, except in reference to the riders of horses in races.]

8. A monument erected to preserve the memory of the dead.

Should some relentless eye glance on the stone where our cold relics lie--

9. It is used to express torpidness and insensibility; as a heart of stone

I have not yet forgot myself to stone

10. stone is prefixed to some words to qualify their signification. Thus stone-dead, is perfectly dead, as lifeless as a stone; stone-still, still as a stone perfectly still; stone-blind, blind as a stone perfectly blind.

To leave no stone unturned, a proverbial expression which signifies to do every thing that can be done; to use all practicable means to effect an object.

Meteoric stones, stones which fall from the atmosphere, as after the displosion of a meteor.

Philosophers stone a pretended substance that was formerly supposed to have the property of turning any other substance into gold.

STONE, adjective Made of stone or like stone; as a stone jug.

STONE, verb transitive

1. To pelt, beat or kill with stones.

And they stoned Stephen calling on God and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Acts 7:58.

2. To harden.

O perjurd woman, thou dost stone my heart. [Little used.]

3. To free from stones; as, to stone raisins.

4. To wall or face with stones; to line or fortify with stones; as, to stone a well; to stone a cellar.