stony
gb/stˈoʊni/ us/stˈoʊni/
B1
Anglais
~ 7200
Sens
0 sens
adjective
B1
property
1
made of or covered with stones
Made of stone, or having many small stones on the surface.
Schéma d’usage :
a stony [surface/place/path]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use "stone" instead of "stony" before a noun, saying *"a stone beach"* instead of the usual "a stony beach". Use "stony" as the adjective when you want to describe a surface that has many stones on it.
Synonymes
rocky (Often suggests larger rocks and a rough, uneven surface, while "stony" can suggest many small stones as well.)
Antonymes
grassy (Describes land covered with grass instead of stones, giving a softer, easier surface.)
Collocations
stony ground
|stony path
|stony beach
|stony hillside
|stony field
|stony track
Thèmes
nature
|geography
|daily life
|housing
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- We struggled up the stony path to the old castle.
- The farmer cleared the stony field before planting crops.
- They spread blankets on the stony beach and watched the waves.
- After the storm, the road turned into a narrow, stony track.
- The village sits on a stony hillside above the river.
Exemples pédagogiques
- We walked along a long, stony road.
- The children played on the stony beach.
- It is hard to run on stony ground.
- He fell on the stony path and hurt his knee.
adjective
B2
property
2
showing no emotion or warmth
Showing no feeling or kindness; looking cold and hard, like stone.
Schéma d’usage :
a stony [silence/face/expression/gaze]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes think "stony" here means only "hard" or "strong" and use it in positive phrases like *"a stony hero"*, which sounds odd. In emotional contexts, "stony" usually has a negative feeling, suggesting coldness or lack of kindness. Also, do not confuse "stony silence" with simply "quiet"; it suggests silence that feels cold and unfriendly.
Synonymes
impassive (More formal; describes not showing emotion, without the cold or harsh feeling that "stony" often suggests.)
Antonymes
warm (Describes a friendly, kind, and open manner, the opposite emotional feeling of a "stony" reaction.)
Collocations
stony silence
|stony face
|stony expression
|stony gaze
|stony look
|stony reply
Thèmes
emotions
|communication
|social
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- Her joke was met with stony silence from the audience.
- He listened with a stony expression, giving nothing away.
- The manager's stony response made it clear there would be no second chance.
- She fixed him with a stony gaze and said nothing.
- Despite his apologies, her face remained stony and unreadable.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The teacher gave him a stony look when he arrived late.
- My father listened in stony silence and did not answer.
- Her face was stony when she heard the bad news.
- He sat there with a stony expression and looked very cold.
adjective
informal
C1
state
3
having no money at all
Having no money; completely broke. This is mostly used in the phrase "stony broke".
Schéma d’usage :
[someone] is stony broke
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may try to use "stony" alone to mean "poor", as in *"I am stony"*. In modern English this sounds wrong; this money meaning is almost always in the fixed phrase "stony broke". Also, do not confuse "broke" (no money) with "broken" (damaged).
Synonymes
penniless (More neutral or slightly formal; often used in writing, while "stony broke" is very informal and conversational.)
Antonymes
wealthy (Describes someone having a lot of money, the opposite of being completely without money.)
Collocations
be stony broke
|left stony broke
|completely stony broke
Thèmes
money
|daily life
|finance
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- After paying the rent and bills, I'm stony broke until next month.
- The failed business venture left them stony broke.
- He joked that he was stony broke but rich in friends.
- I can't come on holiday this year; I'm absolutely stony broke.
- She was stony broke and had to move back in with her parents.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I am stony broke after my trip.
- He was stony broke and could not buy food.
- They were stony broke when they came to the city.
- She is stony broke, so she stays at home on weekends.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
stony
API
GB/stˈoʊni/
US/stˈoʊni/
Syllabes et accentuation
stony (1 syllabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (stony)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: stony
- Comparative: stonier
- Superlative: stoniest
Famille de mots
Forms
stonier
adjective
stoniest
adjective
Core family
stone
noun A2
Expressions
fall on stony ground
1/fˈɔl ˈɔn stˈoʊni ɡɹˈaʊnd/
idiom
literary
get no interest or support
To be ignored or not accepted by people, so that an idea, request, or suggestion has no effect.
Exemples
- His call for reforms fell on stony ground in the boardroom.
- The charity's appeal for more volunteers fell on stony ground.
stony broke
1/stˈoʊni bɹˈoʊk/
idiom
informal
having no money at all
Having no money at all; completely broke.
Exemples
- I'm stony broke until I get paid next week.
- They were stony broke after paying for the wedding.
stony silence
1/stˈoʊni sˈaɪləns/
idiom
complete, cold lack of response
A total, uncomfortable silence that feels cold or unfriendly, especially after someone speaks or does something.
Exemples
- Her question was met with stony silence from the group.
- He tried to apologize, but there was a stony silence on the other end of the phone.
stony-faced
1/stˈoʊni fˈeɪst/
fixed phrase
having an expressionless, cold face
Looking very serious and cold, with no smile and no sign of feeling on the face.
Exemples
- The judge sat stony-faced as the verdict was read out.
- She remained stony-faced while everyone else laughed.