1. bell(n = noun.artifact) - a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck;
is a kind of acoustic device, signaling device
has parts: clapper, tongue, sound bow
has particulars: church bell, cowbell, death bell, death knell, dinner bell, electric bell, fire bell, school bell, sheep bell, shop bell, cascabel, sleigh bell, tocsin, warning bell, liberty bell
Derived form verb bell1
2. bell(n = noun.artifact) buzzer, doorbell - a push button at an outer door that gives a ringing or buzzing signal when pushed;
is a kind of button, push, push button
has particulars: night bell
3. bell(n = noun.event) toll - the sound of a bell being struck; "saved by the bell"; "she heard the distant toll of church bells"
is a kind of sound
has particulars: knell, angelus, angelus bell
Derived form verb bell1
4. bell(n = noun.time) ship's bell - (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.;
is a kind of time unit, unit of time
5. bell(n = noun.shape) bell shape, campana - the shape of a bell;
is a kind of curve, curved shape
6. bell(n = noun.person) alexander melville bell, melville bell - a phonetician and father of Alexander Graham Bell (1819-1905);
is a kind of phonetician
7. bell(n = noun.person) vanessa bell, vanessa stephen - English painter; sister of Virginia Woolf; prominent member of the Bloomsbury Group (1879-1961);
is a kind of painter
is a member of bloomsbury group
8. bell(n = noun.person) alexander bell, alexander graham bell - United States inventor (born in Scotland) of the telephone (1847-1922);
is a kind of artificer, discoverer, inventor
9. bell(n = noun.artifact) chime, gong - a percussion instrument consisting of a set of tuned bells that are struck with a hammer; used as an orchestral instrument;
is a kind of percussion instrument, percussive instrument
has particulars: carillon, handbell
10. bell(n = noun.artifact) - the flared opening of a tubular device;
is a kind of opening
is a part of blunderbuss, funnel, wind, wind instrument
bell(v = verb.contact) - attach a bell to; "bell cows"
is one way to attach
Derived forms noun bell1, noun bell3
Sample sentences:
Somebody ----s something
1. 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. [1913 Webster]
" Bells have been made of various metals, but the best have always been, as now, of an alloy of copper and tin." [1913 Webster]
2. A hollow perforated sphere of metal containing a loose ball which causes it to sound when moved. [1913 Webster]
3. Anything in the form of a bell, as the cup or corol of a flower. Shak. [1913 Webster]
4. 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. [1913 Webster]
5. The strikes of the bell which mark the time; or the time so designated. [1913 Webster]
" On shipboard, time is marked by a bell, which is struck eight times at 4, 8, and 12 o'clock. Half an hour after it has struck “eight bells” it is struck once, and at every succeeding half hour the number of strokes is increased by one, till at the end of the four hours, which constitute a watch, it is struck eight times." [1913 Webster]
" Bell is much used adjectively or in combinations; as, bell clapper; bell foundry; bell hanger; bell-mouthed; bell tower, etc., which, for the most part, are self-explaining." [1913 Webster]
1. To put a bell upon; as, to bell the cat. [1913 Webster]
2. To make bell-mouthed; as, to bell a tube. [1913 Webster]
To develop bells or corollas; to take the form of a bell; to blossom; as, hops bell. [1913 Webster]
To utter by bellowing. [1913 Webster]
To call or bellow, as the deer in rutting time; to make a bellowing sound; to roar. [1913 Webster]
"As loud as belleth wind in hell." [1913 Webster]
"The wild buck bells from ferny brake." [1913 Webster]
bell, n. & v.
--n.
1 a hollow usu. metal object in the shape of a deep upturned cup usu. widening at the lip, made to sound a clear musical note when struck (either externally or by means of a clapper inside).
2 a a sound or stroke of a bell, esp. as a signal. b (prec. by a numeral) Naut. the time as indicated every half-hour of a watch by the striking of the ship's bell one to eight times.
3 anything that sounds like or functions as a bell, esp. an electronic device that rings etc. as a signal.
4 a any bell-shaped object or part, e.g. of a musical instrument. b the corolla of a flower when bell-shaped.
5 (in pl.) Mus. a set of cylindrical metal tubes of different lengths, suspended in a frame and played by being struck with a hammer.
--v.tr.
1 provide with a bell or bells; attach a bell to.
2 (foll. by out) form into the shape of the lip of a bell.
Idiom:
bell-bottom
1 a marked flare below the knee (of a trouser-leg).
2 (in pl.) trousers with bell-bottoms. bell-bottomed having bell-bottoms. bell-buoy a buoy equipped with a warning bell rung by the motion of the sea. bell-founder a person who casts large bells in a foundry. bell-glass a bell-shaped glass cover for plants. bell-jar a bell-shaped glass cover or container for use in a laboratory. bell-metal an alloy of copper and tin for making bells (the tin content being greater than in bronze). bell-pull a cord or handle which rings a bell when pulled. bell-push a button that operates an electric bell when pushed. bell-ringer a person who rings church bells or handbells. bell-ringing this as an activity. bell-tent a cone-shaped tent supported by a central pole.
bell-wether
1 the leading sheep of a flock, with a bell on its neck.
2 a ringleader. clear (or sound) as a bell perfectly clear or sound. ring a bell colloq. revive a distant recollection; sound familiar.
bell, n. & v.
--n. the cry of a stag or buck at rutting-time.
--v.intr. make this cry.
Etymology:
OE bellan bark, bellow
N resonance, ring, ringing, tintinabulation, reflexion, reflection, reverberation, echo, reecho, zap, zot, buzz (hiss), low note, base note, bass note, flat note, grave note, deep note, bass, basso, basso profondo, baritone, barytone, contralto, echo chamber, resonator, tinnitus, bell, doorbell, buzzer, gong, cymbals (musical instruments), sympathetic vibrations, natural frequency, coupled vibration frequency, overtone, resonating cavity, sounding board, tuning fork, tuning, squelch, frequency selection, resonator, resonator circuit, radio resonant structure, aromaticity, alternating double bonds, non-bonded resonance, pi clouds, unsaturation, double bond, (valence), resounding, resonant, reverberant, tinnient, tintinnabulary, sonorous, booming, deep-toned, deep-sounding, deep-mouthed, vibrant, hollow, sepulchral, gruff, sweet bells jangled, out of time and harsh, echoing down the mountain and through the dell.
N musical instruments, band, string-band, brass-band, orchestra, orchestrina, monochord, polychord, harp, lyre, lute, archlute, mandola, mandolin, mandoline, guitar, zither, cither, cithern, gittern, rebeck, bandurria, bandura, banjo, bina, vina, xanorphica, viol, violin, fiddle, kit, viola, viola d'amore, viola di gamba, tenor, cremona, violoncello, bass, bass viol, base viol, theorbo, double base, contrabasso, violone, psaltery, bow, fiddlestick, piano, pianoforte, harpsichord, clavichord, clarichord, manichord, clavier, spinet, virginals, dulcimer, hurdy-gurdy, vielle, pianino, Eolian harp, organ, harmonium, harmoniphon, American organ, barrel organ, hand organ, accordion, seraphina, concertina, humming top, flute, fife, piccolo, flageolet, clarinet, claronet, basset horn, corno di bassetto, oboe, hautboy, cor Anglais, corno Inglese, bassoon, double bassoon, contrafagotto, serpent, bass clarinet, bagpipes, union pipes, musette, ocarina, Pandean pipes, reed instrument, sirene, pipe, pitch-pipe, sourdet, whistle, catcall, doodlesack, harmoniphone, horn, bugle, cornet, cornet-a-pistons, cornopean, clarion, trumpet, trombone, ophicleide, French horn, saxophone, sax, buglehorn, saxhorn, flugelhorn, althorn, helicanhorn, posthorn, sackbut, euphonium, bombardon tuba, cymbal, bell, gong, tambour, tambourine, tamborine, drum, tom-tom, tabor, tabret, tabourine, taborin, side drum, kettle drum, timpani, tympani, tymbal, timbrel, castanet, bones, musical glasses, musical stones, harmonica, sounding-board, rattle, tam-tam, zambomba, reed, tuning fork, triangle, Jew's harp, musical box, harmonicon, xylophone, sordine, sordet, sourdine, sourdet, mute, (iv) PERCEPTION OF SOUND.
N indication, symbolism, symbolization, semiology, semiotics, semeiology, semeiotics, Zeitgeist, characteristic, diagnostic, lineament, feature, trait, fingerprint, voiceprint, footprint, noseprint, cloven hoof, footfall, recognition (memory), diagnostic, divining rod, detector, sign, symbol, index, indice, indicator, point, pointer, exponent, note, token, symptom, dollar sign, dollar mark, type, figure, emblem, cipher, device, representation, epigraph, motto, posy, gesture, gesticulation, pantomime, wink, glance, leer, nod, shrug, beck, touch, nudge, dactylology, dactylonomy, freemasonry, telegraphy, chirology, byplay, dumb show, cue, hint, clue, clew, key, scent, signal, signal post, rocket, blue light, watch fire, watch tower, telegraph, semaphore, flagstaff, cresset, fiery cross, calumet, heliograph, guidon, headlight, mark, scratch, line, stroke, dash, score, stripe, streak, tick, dot, point, notch, nick, print, imprint, impress, impression, keyboard symbols, printing symbols, red letter, italics, sublineation, underlining, bold font, jotting, note, annotation, reference, blaze, cedilla, guillemets, hachure, quotation marks, ", double quotes, " ", parentheses, "( )", brackets, "", braces, "", left arrow, "<", right arrow, ">", forward slash, "/", backward slash, "\", exclamation point, "!", commercial at, "@", pound sign, "#", percent sign, "%", carat, "", ampersand, "&", asterisk, "*", hyphen, "-", dash, "-", "_", em dash, "--", plus sign, "+", equals sign, "=", question mark, "?", period, ", ", semicolon, ", ", colon, ":", comma, ", ", apostrophe, "'", single quote, "'", tilde, "~", badge, criterion, countercheck, countermark, countersign, counterfoil, duplicate, tally, label, ticket, billet, letter, counter, check, chip, chop, dib, totem, tessera, card, bill, witness, voucher, stamp, cacher, trade mark, Hall mark, signature, mark, autograph, autography, attestation, hand, hand writing, sign manual, cipher, seal, sigil, signet, hand and seal, paraph, brand, superscription, indorsement, endorsement, password, watchword, catchword, security card, pass, passkey, credentials, open sesame, timbrology, mot de passe, mot du guet, pass-parole, shibboleth, title, heading, docket, address card, visiting card, carte de visite, insignia, banner, banneret, bannerol, bandrol, flag, colors, streamer, standard, eagle, labarum, oriflamb, oriflamme, figurehead, ensign, pennon, pennant, pendant, burgee, blue Peter, jack, ancient, gonfalon, union jack, banderole, old glory, quarantine flag, vexillum, yellow-flag, yellow jack, tricolor, stars and stripes, bunting, heraldry, crest, coat of arms, arms, armorial bearings, hatchment, escutcheon, scutcheon, shield, supporters, livery, uniform, cockade, epaulet, chevron, garland, love knot, favor, beacon, cairn, post, staff, flagstaff, hand, pointer, vane, cock, weathercock, guidepost, handpost, fingerpost, directing post, signpost, pillars of Hercules, pharos, bale-fire, beacon-fire, l'etoile du Nord, landmark, seamark, lighthouse, balize, polestar, loadstar, lodestar, cynosure, guide, address, direction, name, sign, signboard, warning, omen, prefigurement, trace, record, warning &c, alarm, scepter, trophy, gauge, milestone, milepost, brand, fool's cap, check, telltale, test, mileage ticket, milliary, notification, advertisement, word of command, call, bugle call, trumpet call, bell, alarum, cry, battle cry, rallying cry, angelus, reveille, sacring bell, sanctus bell, exposition &c (explanation), proof, pattern, indicating, indicative, indicatory, denotative, connotative, diacritical, representative, typical, symbolic, pantomimic, pathognomonic, symptomatic, characteristic, demonstrative, diagnostic, exponential, emblematic, armorial, individual, known by, recognizable by, indicated, pointed, marked, denotable, indelible, in token of, symbolically, in dumb show, ecce signum, ex ungue leonem, ex pede Herculem, vide ut supra, vultus ariete fortior.
alarm bell, alexander bell, alexander graham bell, alexander melville bell, angelus bell, bell animalcule, bell apple, bell arch, bell bearer, bell book, bell buoy, bell captain, bell cot, bell cote, bell crank, bell deck, bell founder, bell foundry, bell gable, bell glass, bell heather, bell jar, bell magpie, bell metal, bell morel, bell pepper, bell process, bell push, bell ringer, bell ringing, bell seat, bell shape, bell system of control, bell tent, bell the cat, bell toad, bell tower, canterbury bell, church bell, currer bell, death bell, dinner bell, diving bell, electric bell, fairy bell, fire bell, heather bell, honey bell, liberty bell, melville bell, night bell, peach bell, sancte bell, school bell, sheep bell, ship's bell, shop bell, silver bell, sleigh bell, stink bell, telephone bell, vanessa bell, warning bell, willow bell, wind bell