holy-stonen.
1. A soft sandstone used by sailors for scouring the decks of ships.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > scouring, scrubbing, or rubbing > [noun] > implement for scouring or scrubbing > stone
scouring-stone1648
holy-stone1823
prayer book1840
Bible1867
hand bible1908
1823 G. Crabb Universal Technol. Dict.
1837 E. Howard Old Commodore I. 64 A wet swab and a dry holy-stone will set all to rights.
1840 R. H. Dana Two Years before Mast xxii. 66 The decks were..white as snow..from constant use of holystones.
1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Holy-stone, a sandstone for scrubbing decks, so called from being originally used for Sunday cleaning, or obtained by plundering church-yards of their tombstones, or because the seamen have to go on their knees to use it.
1890 Spectator 5 Apr. I believe you will find the correct spelling to be ‘holey’, the stones used by preference being full of holes, like a sponge, and that any derivations of the name ‘holy’ were simply inventions to account for what sounded a remarkable name.
2. A stone with a natural hole in it, used as an amulet or charm.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > the occult > sorcery, witchcraft, or magic > enchantment or casting spells > [noun] > charm or amulet > stone or gem
adder-stone1587
sea-bean1607
mole-stone1699
scarabaeus1775
hag stone1787
gamahec1796
holy-stone1825
scarab1878
1825 J. T. Brockett Gloss. North Country Words Holy-stones, holed-stones, are hung over the heads of horses as a charm against diseases.
1855 F. K. Robinson Gloss. Yorks. Words 85 Holy-stone, a flint or pebble in its natural state with a hole through it, numbers of which are found on our coast. They are also called ‘lucky stones’.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1899; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
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n.1823