Holystone

Quick meaning: Holystone is a noun meaning (nautical) A piece of soft sandstone used for scouring the wooden decks of ships, usually with sand and seawater.

Meaning

(nautical) A piece of soft sandstone used for scouring the wooden decks of ships, usually with sand and seawater.

More Meanings

1. A stone with a naturally-formed hole, used by Yorkshiremen for good luck.
2. (transitive) To use a holystone.

Example Sentences

Six days shalt thou labour and do all thou art able, And on the seventh—holystone the decks and scrape the cable.

Six days shalt thou labor and do all that thou art able, / And on the seventh holystone the deck and scrape the cable.

The boils called sand boils, which form on the front of the knee, are generally produced by small particles of sand being rubbed beneath the skin when the men are kneeling to holystone the decks. Very troublesome sores are thus produced. Great care should, therefore, be taken never to kneel with the bare knees upon a sanded deck.

Word Forms

• holystones
• holystoning
• holystoned

Synonyms for holystone

Depending on context, synonyms include bible.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include bible, whitestone, scrubstone, hard, hearthstone, sandlighter.

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