a bone of contention






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.




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 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.



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.



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.




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