bred-in-the-bone: Meaning and Definition of

bred-in-the-bone

Pronunciation: (bred'n u bōn'), [key]
— adj.
  1. firmly instilled or established as if by heredity: the bred-in-the-bone integrity of the school's headmaster.
  2. deeply committed or resolved; unwavering: a bred-in-the-bone believer in civil rights.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.