Definition of holystone in English:
holystone
nounˈhəʊlɪstəʊnˈhoʊliˌstoʊn
historical A piece of soft sandstone used for scouring the decks of ships.
Example sentencesExamples
- We junior cadets were made to go down on our knees in rows and scrub the wooden decks with holystones in a to and fro motion.
- The only noises were the holystones being dragged back and forth, the wind in the rigging, the creaking of the ship, and Hornblower's footsteps across the quarter-deck.
verbˈhəʊlɪstəʊnˈhoʊliˌstoʊn
[with object]historical Scour (a deck) with a holystone.
Example sentencesExamples
- The men holystoning the deck went at it with a will.
- Alternatively, I also have a thing about random whippings such as might be done by a bosuns mate with a rope's end on board ship, as the men were holystoning the decks.
- The decks of this late Victorian Navy were holystoned white.
- We junior cadets were made to go down on our knees in rows and scrub the wooden decks with holystones in a to and fro motion.
Origin
Early 19th century: probably from holy + stone. Sailors called the stones ‘bibles’ or ‘prayer books’, perhaps because they scrubbed the decks on their knees.
Definition of holystone in US English:
holystone
nounˈhōlēˌstōnˈhoʊliˌstoʊn
historical A piece of soft sandstone used for scouring the decks of ships.
Example sentencesExamples
- We junior cadets were made to go down on our knees in rows and scrub the wooden decks with holystones in a to and fro motion.
- The only noises were the holystones being dragged back and forth, the wind in the rigging, the creaking of the ship, and Hornblower's footsteps across the quarter-deck.
verbˈhōlēˌstōnˈhoʊliˌstoʊn
[with object]historical Scour (a deck) with a holystone.
Example sentencesExamples
- We junior cadets were made to go down on our knees in rows and scrub the wooden decks with holystones in a to and fro motion.
- The decks of this late Victorian Navy were holystoned white.
- Alternatively, I also have a thing about random whippings such as might be done by a bosuns mate with a rope's end on board ship, as the men were holystoning the decks.
- The men holystoning the deck went at it with a will.
Origin
Early 19th century: probably from holy + stone. Sailors called the stones ‘bibles’ or ‘prayer books’, perhaps because they scrubbed the decks on their knees.