See bone of contention in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
{
"etymology_text": "A reference to two dogs fighting over the same bone.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "bones of contention",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
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"args": {
"1": "bones of contention"
},
"expansion": "bone of contention (plural bones of contention)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
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"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
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"examples": [
{
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],
"text": "It is still a bone of contention whether to go ahead with the original plan in light of the new evidence.",
"type": "example"
},
{
"bold_text_offsets": [
[
82,
100
]
],
"ref": "1959 April 23, C. R. Clinker and R. A. Dane, “The Railways of Peterborough”, in Railway Magazine, page 230:",
"text": "The crossing caused serious congestion with long traffic hold-ups, and had been a bone of contention between the local authorities and the railway for over eighty years. It was controlled from Fletton Road Junction Signalbox (removed at the same time) and, until a wheel was installed in 1920, required two gatemen on each turn of duty.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"bold_text_offsets": [
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57,
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],
"ref": "2018 November 18, Phil McNulty, “England 2 - 1 Croatia”, in BBC Sport:",
"text": "England's \"Football Coming Home\" anthem became a serious bone of contention at the World Cup - with Croatia using it as a sign of arrogance from their opponents in the build up to the semi-final.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Something that continues to be disputed; something on which no agreement can be reached."
],
"id": "en-bone_of_contention-en-noun-UY0CRPZa",
"links": [
[
"disputed",
"disputed"
],
[
"agreement",
"agreement"
],
[
"reach",
"reach"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(idiomatic) Something that continues to be disputed; something on which no agreement can be reached."
],
"related": [
{
"word": "apple of discord"
},
{
"word": "sticking point"
},
{
"word": "stumbling block"
}
],
"tags": [
"idiomatic"
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"lang_code": "bg",
"roman": "jáblǎka na razdóra",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "я́блъка на раздо́ра"
},
{
"code": "cs",
"lang": "Czech",
"lang_code": "cs",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "jablko sváru"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"lang_code": "nl",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "twistpunt"
},
{
"code": "et",
"lang": "Estonian",
"lang_code": "et",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"word": "tüliõun"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"lang_code": "fi",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"word": "kiistakapula"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"lang_code": "fi",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"word": "riitakapula"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"lang_code": "fr",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "pomme de discorde"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"lang_code": "de",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "Zankapfel"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"lang_code": "it",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "pomo della discordia"
},
{
"code": "lv",
"lang": "Latvian",
"lang_code": "lv",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "strīda ābols"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"lang_code": "pl",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "kość niezgody"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"lang_code": "pl",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "jabłko niezgody"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"lang_code": "ru",
"roman": "jábloko razdóra",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "я́блоко раздо́ра"
},
{
"code": "sk",
"lang": "Slovak",
"lang_code": "sk",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"word": "jablko sváru"
},
{
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"lang_code": "sv",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "stridsäpple"
},
{
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"lang_code": "sv",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "tvistefrö"
}
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈbəʊn əv kənˈtɛnʃən/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈboʊn əv kənˈtɛnʃən/",
"tags": [
"US"
]
},
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],
"word": "bone of contention"
}
{
"etymology_text": "A reference to two dogs fighting over the same bone.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "bones of contention",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "bones of contention"
},
"expansion": "bone of contention (plural bones of contention)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"related": [
{
"word": "apple of discord"
},
{
"word": "sticking point"
},
{
"word": "stumbling block"
}
],
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{
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"Terms with Czech translations",
"Terms with Dutch translations",
"Terms with Estonian translations",
"Terms with Finnish translations",
"Terms with French translations",
"Terms with German translations",
"Terms with Italian translations",
"Terms with Latvian translations",
"Terms with Polish translations",
"Terms with Russian translations",
"Terms with Slovak translations",
"Terms with Swedish translations"
],
"examples": [
{
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],
"text": "It is still a bone of contention whether to go ahead with the original plan in light of the new evidence.",
"type": "example"
},
{
"bold_text_offsets": [
[
82,
100
]
],
"ref": "1959 April 23, C. R. Clinker and R. A. Dane, “The Railways of Peterborough”, in Railway Magazine, page 230:",
"text": "The crossing caused serious congestion with long traffic hold-ups, and had been a bone of contention between the local authorities and the railway for over eighty years. It was controlled from Fletton Road Junction Signalbox (removed at the same time) and, until a wheel was installed in 1920, required two gatemen on each turn of duty.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"bold_text_offsets": [
[
57,
75
]
],
"ref": "2018 November 18, Phil McNulty, “England 2 - 1 Croatia”, in BBC Sport:",
"text": "England's \"Football Coming Home\" anthem became a serious bone of contention at the World Cup - with Croatia using it as a sign of arrogance from their opponents in the build up to the semi-final.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Something that continues to be disputed; something on which no agreement can be reached."
],
"links": [
[
"disputed",
"disputed"
],
[
"agreement",
"agreement"
],
[
"reach",
"reach"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(idiomatic) Something that continues to be disputed; something on which no agreement can be reached."
],
"tags": [
"idiomatic"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈbəʊn əv kənˈtɛnʃən/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈboʊn əv kənˈtɛnʃən/",
"tags": [
"US"
]
},
{
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"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/06/En-us-bone_of_contention.ogg/En-us-bone_of_contention.ogg.mp3",
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"translations": [
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"lang_code": "bg",
"roman": "jáblǎka na razdóra",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "я́блъка на раздо́ра"
},
{
"code": "cs",
"lang": "Czech",
"lang_code": "cs",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "jablko sváru"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"lang_code": "nl",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "twistpunt"
},
{
"code": "et",
"lang": "Estonian",
"lang_code": "et",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"word": "tüliõun"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"lang_code": "fi",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"word": "kiistakapula"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"lang_code": "fi",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"word": "riitakapula"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"lang_code": "fr",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "pomme de discorde"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"lang_code": "de",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "Zankapfel"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"lang_code": "it",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "pomo della discordia"
},
{
"code": "lv",
"lang": "Latvian",
"lang_code": "lv",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "strīda ābols"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"lang_code": "pl",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "kość niezgody"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"lang_code": "pl",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "jabłko niezgody"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"lang_code": "ru",
"roman": "jábloko razdóra",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "я́блоко раздо́ра"
},
{
"code": "sk",
"lang": "Slovak",
"lang_code": "sk",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"word": "jablko sváru"
},
{
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"lang_code": "sv",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "stridsäpple"
},
{
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"lang_code": "sv",
"sense": "Something that continues to be disputed",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "tvistefrö"
}
],
"word": "bone of contention"
}
Download raw JSONL data for bone of contention meaning in English (5.7kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-03-25 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-03-03 using wiktextract (05c257f and 9d9a410). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.