Atlantic stone, ivory. [Obs.] "Citron tables, or Atlantic stone." Milton.Bowing stone. Same as Cromlech. Encyc. Brit.Meteoric stones, stones which fall from the atmosphere, as after the explosion of a meteor.Philosopher's stone. See under Philosopher.Rocking stone. See Rocking-stone.Stone age, a supposed prehistoric age of the world when stone and bone were habitually used as the materials for weapons and tools; — called also flint age. The bronze age succeeded to this.Stone bass(Zoöl.), any one of several species of marine food fishes of the genus Serranus and allied genera, as Serranus Couchii, and Polyprion cernium of Europe; — called also sea perch. Stone biter(Zoöl.), the wolf fish.Stone boiling, a method of boiling water or milk by dropping hot stones into it, — in use among savages. Tylor.Stone borer(Zoöl.), any animal that bores stones; especially, one of certain bivalve mollusks which burrow in limestone. See Lithodomus, and Saxicava.Stone bramble(Bot.), a European trailing species of bramble Stone- break. [Cf. G. steinbrech.] (Bot.) Any plant of the genus Saxifraga; saxifrage.Stone bruise, a sore spot on the bottom of the foot, from a bruise by a stone.Stone canal. (Zoöl.) Same as Sand canal, under Sand.Stone cat(Zoöl.), any one of several species of small fresh-water North American catfishes of the genus Noturus. They have sharp pectoral spines with which they inflict painful wounds.Stone coal, hard coal; mineral coal; anthracite coal.Stone coral(Zoöl.), any hard calcareous coral.Stone crab. (Zoöl.) (a) A large crab (Menippe mercenaria) found on the southern coast of the United States and much used as food. (b) A European spider crab (Lithodes maia). Stone crawfish(Zoöl.), a European crawfish (Astacus torrentium), by many writers considered only a variety

2. A precious stone; a gem. "Many a rich stone." Chaucer. "Inestimable stones, unvalued jewels." Shak.

3. Something made of stone. Specifically: -

(a) The glass of a mirror; a mirror. [Obs.]

Lend me a looking-glass;
If that her breath will mist or stain the stone,
Why, then she lives.
Shak.

(b) A monument to the dead; a gravestone. Gray.

Should some relenting eye
Glance on the where our cold relics lie.
Pope.

4. (Med.) A calculous concretion, especially one in the kidneys or bladder; the disease arising from a calculus.

5. One of the testes; a testicle. Shak.

6. (Bot.) The hard endocarp of drupes; as, the stone of a cherry or peach. See Illust. of Endocarp.

7. A weight which legally is fourteen pounds, but in practice varies with the article weighed. [Eng.]

The stone of butchers' meat or fish is reckoned at 8 lbs.; of cheese, 16 lbs.; of hemp, 32 lbs.; of glass, 5 lbs.

8. Fig.: Symbol of hardness and insensibility; torpidness; insensibility; as, a heart of stone.

I have not yet forgot myself to stone.
Pope.

9. (Print.) A stand or table with a smooth, flat top of stone, commonly marble, on which to arrange the pages of a book, newspaper, etc., before printing; — called also imposing stone.

Stone is used adjectively or in composition with other words to denote made of stone, containing a stone or stones, employed on stone, or, more generally, of or pertaining to stone or stones; as, stone fruit, or stone-fruit; stone-hammer, or stone hammer; stone falcon, or stone-falcon. Compounded with some adjectives it denotes a degree of the quality expressed by the adjective equal to that possessed by a stone; as, stone-dead, stone-blind, stone-cold, stone-still, etc.


  By PanEris using Melati.

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