holystone

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: ho=ly=stone

CIDE DICTIONARY

holystone, n. 

 A stone used by seamen for scrubbing the decks of ships.  Totten.  [1913 Webster]

holystone, v. t. 

 To scrub with a holystone, as the deck of a vessel.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

holystone, n. & v. Naut.
--n. a piece of soft sandstone used for scouring decks.
--v.tr. scour with this.

Etymology

19th c.: prob. f. HOLY + STONE: the stones were called bibles etc., perh. because used while kneeling

THESAURUS

holystone

abstergent, baptize, bath, bathe, cathartic, cleaner, cleaning agent, cleaning solvent, cleanser, cleansing cream, cold cream, cream, dentifrice, depurant, detergent, diuretic, douche, emetic, enema, flush, flush out, gargle, irrigate, lather, launder, lave, lotion, mop, mop up, mouthwash, nauseant, pumice stone, purgative, purge, purifier, rinse, rinse out, ritually immerse, scour, scrub, scrub up, shampoo, shower, sluice, sluice out, soap, solvent, sponge, swab, synthetic detergent, syringe, toivel, tooth powder, toothpaste, tub, wash, wash out, wash up