Definition

A flat, circular stone that turns and is used for grinding, sharpening, or polishing tools.

Example

He used a grindstone to sharpen his knife.

Conversation

I finally found my old grindstone in the garage yesterday!

That's awesome! Do you still use it for sharpening tools?

Yeah, it really comes in handy for my woodworking projects.

Nice! There's something satisfying about using a grindstone instead of modern tools.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Grindstone → The word is formed from "grind" (from Old English "grindan", meaning to crush or grind) and "stone" (from Old English "stan", meaning rock or stone). A grindstone is a stone used for grinding or sharpening tools.

Memory Tip

Think of 'crushing' ('grind') something against a 'rock' ('stone') to sharpen it — that's what a grindstone does.

Visually Confused Words