Make (one's) bones verb phrase
To murder someone in order to gain membership into a criminal gang
It is hard to believe that an amicable girl like her made her bones at such young age.
To establish one's fame, status, or respect
He made his bones as a talented chef by winning the first place in many cooking competitions.
As a distinguished professor, he has recently made his bones by achieving a major breakthrough in quantum physics.
The verb "make" must be conjugated according to its tense.
The idiom took its root in the criminal underworld of the United States.