1 C1 idiomatic informal
To apply oneself seriously and work diligently at a task.
"If you want to pass the exams, you need to bone down and stop wasting time."
inseparable
bone down
C1 informal inseparable intransitive
To apply oneself seriously and work hard at a task.
In plain English
To start working really hard and not stop.
What does "bone down" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Usage tip
Uncommon and may be considered a dialectal or dated variant of 'buckle down' or 'knuckle down'. Some speakers may not recognise it. Learners are advised to use 'buckle down' or 'knuckle down' instead.
Words that pair with "bone down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
work task study job revision
How to conjugate "bone down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
bone down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
bones down
he/she/it
Past simple
boned down
yesterday
Past participle
boned down
have + pp
-ing form
boning down
continuous
Hear "bone down" in the wild
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Other ways to say "bone down"
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