make no bones about it
(redirected from made no bones about)Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Encyclopedia.
Related to made no bones about: in a nutshell
make no bones about (something)
To be transparent about something, without any equivocation. He makes no bones about having come from a wealthy family. When training a new employee, I make no bones about my expectations, so that they're not surprised by anything down the road.
make no bones about it
Used to introduce or emphasize something that one asserts to be true without hesitation or doubt. Make no bones about it—this deal is terrible for the team. She has a serious case of bronchitis, make no bones about it, but she should be feeling much better after a few days of antibiotics. When training a new employee, I make no bones about my expectations, so that they're not surprised by anything down the road.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
Make no bones about it.
to make no mistake (about it); no need to doubt it; absolutely. This is the greatest cake I've ever eaten. Make no bones about it. Make no bones about it, Mary is a great singer.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
make no bones about
Act or speak frankly about something, without hesitation or evasion. For example, Tom made no bones about wanting to be promoted, or Make no bones about it-she's very talented. Versions of this expression date back to the mid-1400s and the precise allusion is no longer known. Some believe it meant a boneless stew or soup that one could eat without hesitation; others relate it to dice, originally made from bones, that were thrown without hesitation or fuss.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
make no bones about something
COMMON If you make no bones about something, you do not hesitate to express your thoughts or feelings about it. Dave made no bones about resenting her presence in the house. There will be changes in this Welsh team until we get it right. I make no bones about that. Note: This expression may refer to gambling. `Bones' is an old word for dice, so a gambler who `makes no bones' throws the dice after just one shake.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
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.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
make no ˈbones about something/about doing something
not hesitate to do something; be honest and open about something: She made no bones about telling him she wanted a pay rise. ♢ He makes no bones about the fact that he’s been in prison.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
make no bones about
To be forthright and candid about; acknowledge freely: They make no bones about their dislike for each other.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
make no bones about it, to
To do or say something without hesitation, formality, or evasion. This saying is so old that its original meaning has been lost. Nicholas Udall used it in Apothegms from Erasmus (1548): “He made no manier bones ne stickyng, but went in hande to offer up his ownly son” (he made no bones about sacrificing his only son). One writer suggests it comes from a diner who makes no fuss if he encounters bones in his food. Others relate it to dice, so called because they were originally made from bones, and suggest it meant simply throwing the dice without making any prior fuss about it.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer
make no bones about
To speak frankly and directly. A form of this expression was used as early as the 15th century and meant “without difficulty.” The reference is to the bones in stews or soup. Soup without bones would offer no difficulty, and accordingly, one would have no hesitation in swallowing soup with no bones.
Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price Copyright © 2011 by Steven D. Price