HONE

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hān stone; akin to Old Norse hein whetstone, Latin cot-, cos, Sanskrit śiśāti he whets Date: 14th century whetstone , II. transitive verb (~d; honing) Date: 1798 to sharpen or smooth with a whetstone, to make more acute, intense, or effective ; whet , ~r noun III. intransitive verb (~d; honing) Etymology: Middle French hoigner to grumble Date: 1600 yearn , grumble , moan