stone

Everyday

1. A stone is a small piece of rock. tree →
2. Stone is the hard material rocks are made of: a stone wall. tree →
3. A stone is the hard seed in the middle of some fruits, like a cherry or a peach. tree →
4. A stone is a jewel: a ring with a red stone. tree →
5. A stone is a unit of weight used in Britain and Ireland: a stone is 14 pounds. tree →
6. A kidney stone is a hard lump that can form in the body. tree →

In the lessons

Maths: a thing counted (stones collected, stones in a wall); rarely a unit of weight. Science: rocks and stones, the Stone Age when tools were made of stone. Everyday: stepping stones, «a stone's throw» (very near), «kill two birds with one stone» (do two things at once).

Examples

• Ben found 14 stones on the beach. tree →
• The wall uses 300 stones. tree →
• He threw 5 stones into the lake. tree →
• Each stone weighs 2 pounds. tree →
• My dad weighs 12 stone. tree →
• Take the stone out of the peach before you eat it. tree →
• We crossed the stream on stepping stones. tree →
• The park is just a stone's throw from our house. tree →
• The stones slip under my feet! tree →

Note

Countable for pieces (stones); uncountable for the material (made of stone). Usually the thing counted. Trap: in British problems «stone» can be a weight (one stone is 14 pounds), and the plural is often «stone»: 12 stone. Safety: never throw stones at people, cars or animals.

In Jewish tradition

Stones in the Torah are used for altars, pillars, tablets and boundary markers. They are also used for punishment by stoning.

Interpretation. The two tablets of the Ten Commandments were stone, and Jacob set up a stone pillar at Beth-el. The altar had to be of whole, uncut stones, and the rabbis explained that iron, which makes weapons, should not touch what promotes peace.

Examples

• And the stone upon the well's mouth was great. (Torah GEN.29.2, JPS 1917) tree →
• And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. (Torah GEN.31.45, JPS 1917) tree →
• The deeps cover them — they went down into the depths like a stone. (Torah EXO.15.5, JPS 1917) tree →
• Or who laid the corner-stone thereof, (Writings JOB.38.6, JPS 1917) tree →
• And then carry him out, and stone him, that he die.' (Prophets 1KI.21.10, JPS 1917) tree →
• The stone which the builders rejected is become the chief corner-stone. (Writings PSA.118.22, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable for pieces (stones); uncountable for the material (made of stone). Usually the thing counted. Trap: in British problems «stone» can be a weight (one stone is 14 pounds), and the plural is often «stone»: 12 stone. Safety: never throw stones at people, cars or animals.