etymology - Why do people use "bone" in the phrase "bone stock" to emphasize that a car is unmodified?


"Bone stock" or "stock" means that a car is unmodified. Where did "bone" come from? Why does it emphasize the condition of being stock?



Answer



It means that the car is entirely stock (no aftermarket parts at all) down to its very core. Note this definition from Merriam-Webster:



bone, noun :


a : essence, core {cut costs to the bone} {a liberal to the bone}


b : the most deeply ingrained part : heart —usually used in plural {knew in his bones that it was wrong}



It's tied in with other bone-related idioms like "close to the bone," "feel something in one's bones," "chilled to the bone," and the like.


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