noun
(plural) the most basic facts or elements
-
he told us only the bare bones of the story
• Usage Domain: ↑plural, ↑plural form, ↑colloquialism
• Hypernyms:
↑kernel, ↑substance, ↑core, ↑center, ↑centre, ↑essence, ↑gist, ↑heart, ↑heart and soul, ↑inwardness, ↑marrow, ↑meat, ↑nub, ↑pith, ↑sum, ↑nitty-gritty
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noun pluralthe afternoon paper had reported the bare bones of the case — Thomas Thursday
he finally stripped his proposition to its bare bones — A.H.Vandenberg †1951
* * *
—bare-bones, adj.
the irreducible minimum; the most essential components: Reduce this report to its bare bones. There is nothing left of the town but the bare bones - a couple of stores, a church, and a few houses.
[1910-15]
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bare bones plural noun
The barest essentials or facts
• • •
Main Entry: ↑bare
————————
bare bones
The essentials (of a subject)
• • •
Main Entry: ↑bone
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bare bones,
the essentials of something, without any embellishment; the unadorned facts: »
These are the bare bones of the policy (London Times).
bare|bones «BAIR BOHNZ», noun, adjective.
–n.
a very skinny person, especially one whose bones can be seen.
–adj.
meager: »
a barebones program of education.
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noun
the bare bones
: the most basic or important facts or parts of something
The company reduced the staff to the bare bones. [=the company's staff only includes people who are absolutely needed]
— often + of
What are the bare bones of the story?
Useful english dictionary. 2012.