Meaning of holystone in English
Table of contents
Verb
holystoneDefinitions
1. scrub with a holystoneExamples
- « holystone the ship's deck »
Noun
holystoneEtymology
early 19th century: probably from holy+ stone. Sailors called the stones ‘bibles’ or ‘prayer books’, perhaps because they scrubbed the decks on their kneesDefinitions
1. a soft sandstone used for scrubbing the decks of a ship