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stony

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Stony

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Middle English stony, stoni, stani, from Old English stāniġ, stǣniġ (stony, rocky), from Proto-Germanic *stainagaz (stony), equivalent to stone +‎ -y. Cognate with Scots stany (stony), West Frisian stienich (stony), Dutch stenig (stony, metalled), German steinig (stony, rocky, gravelly), Swedish stenig (stony, rocky, pebbly).

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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stony (comparative stonier, superlative stoniest)

  1. As hard as stone.
    Synonym: rock hard
    Antonym: soft
  2. Containing or made up of stones.
    Synonyms: pebbly, rocky, shingly
    a stony path
    • 2022, Liam McIlvanney, The Heretic, page 443:
      The track was stony with a grassy camber up the middle.
  3. (figuratively) Of a person, lacking warmth and emotion.
    Synonyms: cold, cool, hardhearted, heartless, impassive, unemotional, unfeeling; see also Thesaurus:stern
    Antonyms: passionate, warm
    • 2012 March 19, David Denby, “Everybody Comes to Rick’s: “Casablanca” on the Big Screen”, in The New Yorker[1]:
      When Victor Laszlo leads the demoralized French in the “Marseilles[sic – meaning Marseillaise],” and even Yvonne, the chippy who is sleeping with a Nazi officer, joins in, the stoniest intellectual collapses in tears.
  4. (figuratively) Of an action or expression such as a look, showing no warmth of emotion.
    Synonyms: cold, cool, frosty, unwelcoming
    Antonyms: welcoming, warm
    She gave him a stony reception.
    • 1817 December, Percy Bysshe Shelley, “The Revolt of Islam. []”, in [Mary] Shelley, editor, The Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley. [], volume I, London: Edward Moxon [], published 1839, →OCLC, page 264:
      o’er the heaps of dead, / Whose stony eyes glared in the morning light, / I trod; []
    • 1977 April 9, “Mailer Mauls "Perverts"”, in Gay Community News, page 2:
      The Oscar-thrilled audience reacted to Mailer's attempt at humor in stony silence.
  5. (UK and Australia, slang) Short for stony broke: without any money.
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:impoverished

Derived terms

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Translations

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References

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Anagrams

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Middle English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Inherited from Old English stāniġ, from Proto-West Germanic *stainag, from Proto-Germanic *stainagaz; equivalent to ston +‎ -y.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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stony

  1. Comprised or composed of stone or rock
  2. Made or built of stone or rock
  3. Covered in stones or pebbles
  4. Inhabiting a stony environment
  5. (figurative) emotionless; stolid
  6. (medicine) hard, solid

Descendants

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  • English: stony
  • Scots: stany

References

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