meaning of near bone

[Gelli]

English Language Proficiency Tests, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #52 "Bones", question 9

I won't go into the full details of the proposition, I'll just give you the ......... bones.

(a) naked
(b) bare
(c) simple
(d) stripped

English Language Proficiency Tests, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #52 "Bones", answer 9

I won't go into the full details of the proposition, I'll just give you the bare bones.

Correct answer: (b) bare
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what is exact meaning of near bone?

Gelli

[Mister Micawber]

.
There is no meaning that I know of for 'near bone' as a collocation. 'Near the bone' is synonymous with the idiom, 'close to the bone', and means 'if something you say or write is close to the bone, it is close to the truth in a way that may offend someone'.
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Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mr. Micawber