home in

The phrase originates in military use in the early 20th century, apparently by analogy with the older term homing pigeon. From the 1960s it is also found in the mistaken variant hone in.

• hone in (proscribed)

home in (third-person singular simple present homes in, present participle homing in, simple past and past participle homed in)

1. (military, of an aircraft or guided missile, often with 'on') To draw close to a destination, especially using radar; to move towards a target.
2. (often with 'on') To focus or narrow down to something; to find, draw closer or move towards, as by trial and error or a gradual seeking process.

   He used the clues to home in on the source of the flames.

   We are homing in on a solution.

   The eagle homed in for the kill.

• zero in

• homing beacon