Idioms for stone

    cast the first stone, to be the first to condemn or blame a wrongdoer; be hasty in one's judgment: What right has she to cast the first stone?
    leave no stone unturned, to exhaust every possibility in attempting to achieve one's goal; spare no effort: We will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to find the culprit.

Origin of stone

before 900; (noun) Middle English stan, sto(o)n, Old English stān; cognate with Dutch steen, German Stein, Old Norse steinn, Gothic stains; akin to Greek stī́a pebble, Latin stīria icicle; (v.) Middle English stanen, stonen, derivative of the noun; (adj. and adv.) Middle English, derivative of the noun

OTHER WORDS FROM stone

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH stone

boulder cobblestone granule pebble rock stone

British Dictionary definitions for cast the first stone (1 of 2)

Stone
/ (stəʊn) /

noun

Oliver. born 1946, US film director and screenwriter: his films include Platoon (1986), Born on the Fourth of July (1989), JFK (1991), Nixon (1995), Alexander (2004), and World Trade Center (2006)
Sharon. born 1958, US film actress: her films include Basic Instinct (1991), Casino (1995), and Cold Creek Manor (2003)

British Dictionary definitions for cast the first stone (2 of 2)

stone
/ (stəʊn) /

noun

adverb

(in combination) completely stone-cold; stone-dead

verb (tr)

Derived forms of stone

stonable or stoneable, adjective stoneless, adjective stonelessness, noun stonelike, adjective

Word Origin for stone

Old English stān; related to Old Saxon stēn, German Stein, Old Norse steinn, Gothic stains, Greek stion pebble

Medical definitions for cast the first stone

stone
[ stōn ]

n.

calculus

Scientific definitions for cast the first stone

stone
[ stōn ]

Rock, especially when used in construction.
The hard, woody inner layer (the endocarp) of a drupe such as a cherry or peach. Not in scientific use.
See calculus.

Idioms and Phrases with cast the first stone (1 of 2)

cast the first stone

Also, throw the first stone. Be quick to blame, criticize, or punish, as in She's always criticizing her colleagues, casting the first stone no matter what the circumstances. The term comes from the New Testament (John 8:7), where Jesus defends an adulteress against those who would stone her, saying “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Also see people who live in glass houses; pot calling the kettle black.

Idioms and Phrases with cast the first stone (2 of 2)

stone