point the bone at
point the bone at
betray someone
cause someone's downfall – Australian
The phrase comes from an Australian Aboriginal ritual in which a bone is pointed at a victim so as to curse them and cause their sickness or death.
Related Idioms and Phrases :
a bag of bones
an emaciated person or animal
Compare with be skin and bone.
the bare bones
the basic facts about something without any detail
a bone of contention
a subject or issue over which there is continuing disagreement
The idea is of a bone thrown into the midst of a number of dogs and causing a fight between them.
a bone in your head = a bone in your leg
a (feigned) reason for idleness – informal
close to the bone = near the bone
(of a remark) penetrating and accurate to the point of causing hurt or discomfort
(of a joke or story) likely to cause offence because near the limit of decency
cut something to the bone = pare something to the bone
reduce something to the bare minimum.
have a bone to pick with someone = have a bone to gnaw with someone
have reason to disagree or to be annoyed with someone – informal
A bone to pick (or gnaw) has been a metaphor for a problem or difficulty to be thought over since the mid 16th century.
in your bones
felt, understood or believed very deeply or instinctively
make no bones about something
have no hesitation in stating or dealing with something, however unpleasant, awkward or distasteful it is.
This expression which dates back to the 16th century, may originally have referred to eating a bowl of soup in which no bones were found and which was therefore easily eaten.
not a bone in your body
not the slightest trace of the specified quality
1999 - Scott Turow - Personal Injuries - I mean, I like Betty. Not a mean bone in her body.
to the bone
(of a wound) so deep as to expose the victim's bone
affecting a person in a very penetrating way
to your bones = to the bone
in a very fundamental way (used to emphasize that a person possesses a specified quality as an essential or innate aspect of their personality).
2003 Eve Gloria is known today to be a conservative to her bones—a true monarchist.
work your fingers to the bone
work very hard.
point the bone at :
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