"Hone in on," or "Home in on?"
Do We "Hone In" on Something, or "Home In" on It?Although many people—including professional writers—use "hone in on," the standard form is "home in on." We see the nonstandard wording in well edited publications (including The Washington Post), and hear it in the speech of educated people. Interchanging the two is understandable. They look and sound a lot alike, and there is at least a little overlap in meaning. To home in on, common in military use, means “to guide (as by heat or radar) to a target—to its intended home.” And to hone means “to sharpen or improve,” which might suggest making changes to reach a goal. Maybe the two will become interchangeable someday. But for now, keep honing your skills, and homing in on standard wording. |
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