Bell
[bel] or [bɛl]
Definition
(noun.) a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck.
(noun.) the flared opening of a tubular device.
(noun.) the sound of a bell being struck; 'saved by the bell'; 'she heard the distant toll of church bells'.
(noun.) United States inventor (born in Scotland) of the telephone (1847-1922).
(noun.) English painter; sister of Virginia Woolf; prominent member of the Bloomsbury Group (1879-1961).
(noun.) a phonetician and father of Alexander Graham Bell (1819-1905).
(noun.) the shape of a bell.
(noun.) (nautical) each of the eight half-hour units of nautical time signaled by strokes of a ship's bell; eight bells signals 4:00, 8:00, or 12:00 o'clock, either a.m. or p.m..
(verb.) attach a bell to; 'bell cows'.
Checked by Darren--From WordNet
Definition
(n.) A hollow metallic vessel, usually shaped somewhat like a cup with a flaring mouth, containing a clapper or tongue, and giving forth a ringing sound on being struck.
(n.) A hollow perforated sphere of metal containing a loose ball which causes it to sound when moved.
(n.) Anything in the form of a bell, as the cup or corol of a flower.
(n.) That part of the capital of a column included between the abacus and neck molding; also used for the naked core of nearly cylindrical shape, assumed to exist within the leafage of a capital.
(n.) The strikes of the bell which mark the time; or the time so designated.
(v. t.) To put a bell upon; as, to bell the cat.
(v. t.) To make bell-mouthed; as, to bell a tube.
(v. i.) To develop bells or corollas; to take the form of a bell; to blossom; as, hops bell.
(v. t.) To utter by bellowing.
(v. i.) To call or bellow, as the deer in rutting time; to make a bellowing sound; to roar.
Checker: Wendy
Definition
n. a bubble formed in a liquid.
n. a hollow vessel of metal which gives forth a ringing sound when struck by the tongue or clapper suspended inside—as in church-bell hand-bell alarm-bell night-bell marriage-bell &c.: a corolla shaped like a bell: the body of a Corinthian or composite capital without the surrounding foliage: anything bell-shaped as in diving-bell bell-glass the bell or outward-turned orifice of a trumpet &c.: a bell rung to tell the hour: (naut.) the bell struck on shipboard every half-hour as many times as there are half-hours of the watch elapsed—'two bells ' 'three bells ' &c. meaning that there are two or three half-hours past; the watch of four hours is eight bells.—v.t. to furnish with a bell esp. in To bell the cat to take the leading part in any hazardous movement from the ancient fable of the mice who proposed to hang a warning bell round the cat's neck.—ns. Bell′cote (archit.) an ornamental structure made to contain one or two bells and often crowned by a small spire; Bell′-crank a rectangular lever in the form of a crank used for changing the direction of bell-wires; Bell′-found′er one who founds or casts bells; Bell′-glass a bell-shaped glass for sheltering flowers; Bell′-hang′er one who hangs and repairs bells; Bell′man one who rings a bell esp. on the streets before making public announcements: a town-crier; Bell′-met′al the metal of which bells are made—an alloy of copper and tin; Bell′-punch a hand-punch containing a signal-bell used for punching a hole in a ticket in order to keep a record of the number of fares taken; Bell′-ring′er one whose business it is to ring a bell on stated occasions: a performer with musical hand-bells; Bell′-rope the rope by which a bell is rung.—adj. Bell′-shaped.—ns. Bell′-tow′er a tower built to contain one or more bells a campanile; Bell′-tur′ret a turret containing a bell-chamber usually crowned with a spire; Bell′-weth′er the leading sheep of a flock on whose neck a bell is hung: (fig.) any loud turbulent fellow esp. the leader of a mob.—Bell book and candle a phrase popularly used in reference to a form of excommunication ending with the words 'Do to the book quench the candle ring the bell.'—To bear or carry off the bell to have or to gain the first place.
v.i. to bellow roar: to utter loudly.—n. the cry of a stag at rutting-time.
Checker: Natalia
Unserious Contents or Definition
To hear a bell in your sleep, denotes that you will have cause for anxiety.
To hear bells tolling in your dreams, death of distant friends will occur, and intelligence of wrong will worry you. Liberty bells, indicate a joyous victory over an opponent.
To dream you hear or ring a door bell, foretells unexpected tidings, or a hasty summons to business, or the bedtide of a sick relative.
Inputed by Barbara
Examples
- Mr. Bell quite startled me when he said, some idea of the kind--' 'Mr. Bell! Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell. North and South.
- The Bell Company fought alone against the Western Union, and it was a struggle of giants. Rupert S. Holland. Historic Inventions.
- But--Mr. Bell--have you come from Oxford or from Milton? Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell. North and South.
- The sign Bell out of order is usually due to the fact that the battery is either temporarily or permanently exhausted. Bertha M. Clark. General Science.
- With its sharp clear bell it strikes three quarters after seven and ticks on again. Charles Dickens. Bleak House.
- It was as if from some aerial belfry, high up above the stir and jar of the earth, there was a bell continually tolling, 'All are shadows! Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell. North and South.
- As he was returning the box to his waistcoat pocket, a loud bell rang for the servants' dinner; he knew what it was. Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre.
- As soon as the current flows, the coils become magnetic and attract the soft iron armature, drawing it forward and causing the clapper to strike the bell. Bertha M. Clark. General Science.
- Do you mind touching the bell? Wilkie Collins. The Woman in White.
- How Tom, genius-like, struck out new paths, and, relinquishing the old names of the letters, called U _bell_ and P _bottle_. Benjamin Franklin. Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin.
- Yes, there was a sound of bells at the door below, a cry from Hannah, and then Laurie's voice saying in a joyful whisper, Girls, she's come! Louisa May Alcott. Little Women.
- Diving bells have been made of various forms, more especially in that of a bell or hollow truncated cone, with the smaller end closed, and the larger one, which is placed lowermost, open. Various. The Wonder Book of Knowledge.
- The church-bells were going for a week-day service; they suggested a word of affectionate remonstrance on my part. Wilkie Collins. The Moonstone.
- Listen and you'll hear all the bells in the city jangling. Charles Dickens. Bleak House.
- The bells were still ringing when he got to Lowick, and he went into the curate's pew before any one else arrived there. George Eliot. Middlemarch.
- Here you saw the sweet azure of blue-bells, and recognized in pearl-white blossoms, spangling the grass, a humble type of some starlit spot in space. Charlotte Bronte. Shirley.
- All the bells of Sabbath were ringing, and she followed them until she came to the Foundling Church, into which she went. William Makepeace Thackeray. Vanity Fair.
- When you hear them eight bells you'll find her just about ten minutes short of her score sure. Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- Every Christmas Day he presented himself, as a profound novelty, with exactly the same words, and carrying the two bottles like dumb-bells. Charles Dickens. Great Expectations.
- He saw the clump of coloured bells, and the tree-like, tiny branch: also her hands, with their over-fine, over-sensitive skin. D. H. Lawrence. Women in Love .
- Her eye caught on a bee entering a deep-belled flower: when that bee flew forth with his spoil she would begin--that should be the sign. Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell. North and South.
Editor: William