bell

¹

[ bel ]

noun

1. a hollow instrument of cast metal, typically cup-shaped with a flaring mouth, suspended from the vertex and rung by the strokes of a clapper, hammer, or the like.
2. the stroke or sound of such an instrument:

   We rose at the bell.

3. anything in the form of a bell.
4. the large end of a funnel, or the end of a pipe, tube, or any musical wind instrument, when its edge is turned out and enlarged.
5. Architecture. the underlying part of a foliated capital.
6. Nautical.
   1. any of the half-hour units of nautical time rung on the bell of a ship.
   2. each individual ring of the bell, counted with others to reckon the time:

      It is now four bells.

   3. a signal on the telegraph of a large power vessel, made between the navigating officers and the engineer.
7. Zoology. umbrella ( def 2 ).
8. Botany. the bell-shaped corolla of a flower.
9. Metallurgy. a conical lid that seals the top of a blast furnace and lowers to admit a charge.

verb (used with object)

1. to cause to swell or expand like a bell (often followed by out ):

   Belling out the tubes will permit a freer passage of air.

2. to put a bell on:

   Should we bell the wreath so we'll know when he opens the front door?

3. British Informal. to telephone:

   If I have time, I’ll bell you from the office.

verb (used without object)

1. to take or have the form of a bell.
2. Botany. to produce bells; be in bell (said of hops when the seed vessels are forming).

bell

²

[ bel ]

verb (used with or without object)

1. to bellow like a stag in rutting time.
2. to bay, as a hunting dog.

noun

1. the cry of a rutting stag or hunting dog.

Bell

³

[ bel ]

noun

1. Ac·ton [ak, -t, uh, n], pen name of Anne Brontë.
2. Alexander Graham, 1847–1922, U.S. scientist, born in Scotland: inventor of the telephone.
3. (Arthur) Clive (Howard), 1881–1964, English critic of literature and art.
4. Cur·rer [kur, -er], pen name of Charlotte Brontë.
5. Ellis, pen name of Emily Brontë.
6. James Thomas Cool Papa, 1903–91, U.S. baseball player, a Negro Leagues outfielder noted for his speed.
7. John, 1797–1869, U.S. political leader: Speaker of the House 1834–35.
8. a city in SW California, near Los Angeles.

Bell

¹

/ bɛl /

noun

1. BellActon, Currer Acton , Currer (ˈkʌrə), and Ellis . pen names of the sisters Anne, Charlotte, and Emily Brontë See Brontë
2. BellAlexander Graham18471922MUSScottishSCIENCE: scientistTECHNOLOGY: inventor Alexander Graham . 1847–1922, US scientist, born in Scotland, who invented the telephone (1876)
3. BellSir Francis Henry Dillon18511936MNew ZealandPOLITICS: statesmanPOLITICS: prime minister Sir Francis Henry Dillon . 1851–1936, New Zealand statesman; prime minister of New Zealand (1925)
4. BellGertrude (Margaret Lowthian)18681926FBritishTRAVEL AND EXPLORATION: travellerWRITING: writerPOLITICS: diplomat Gertrude ( Margaret Lowthian ). 1868–1926, British traveller, writer, and diplomat; secretary to the British High Commissioner in Baghdad (1917–26)
5. BellJoshua1967MUSMUSIC: violinist Joshua. born 1967, US violinist
6. BellSusan) Jocelyn1943FBritishSCIENCE: astronomer Dame ( Susan ) Jocelyn , married name Jocelyn Burnell , born 1943, British radio astronomer, who discovered the first pulsar
7. BellVanessa18791961FBritishARTS AND CRAFTS: painter Vanessa , original name Vanessa Stephen . 1879–1961, British painter; a member of the Bloomsbury group, sister of Virginia Woolf and wife of the art critic Clive Bell (1881–1964)

bell

²

/ bɛl /

noun

1. a bellowing or baying cry, esp that of a hound or a male deer in rut

verb

1. to utter (such a cry)

bell

³

/ bɛl /

noun

1. a hollow, usually metal, cup-shaped instrument that emits a musical ringing sound when struck, often by a clapper hanging inside it
2. the sound made by such an instrument or device, as for showing the hours or marking the beginning or end of a period of time
3. an electrical device that rings or buzzes as a signal
4. the bowl-shaped termination of the tube of certain musical wind instruments, such as the trumpet or oboe
5. any musical percussion instrument emitting a ringing tone, such as a glockenspiel, one of a set of hand bells, etc Compare chime 1
6. nautical a signal rung on a ship's bell to count the number of half-hour intervals during each of six four-hour watches reckoned from midnight. Thus, one bell may signify 12.30, 4.30, or 8.30 a.m. or p.m
7. See diving bell
8. biology a structure resembling a bell in shape, such as the corolla of certain flowers or the body of a jellyfish
9. slang.
   a telephone call (esp in the phrase give someone a bell )
10. beat seven bells out of or knock seven bells out of informal.
    to give a severe beating to
11. bell, book, and candle
    1. instruments used formerly in excommunications and other ecclesiastical acts
    2. the solemn ritual ratification of such acts
12. ring a bell
    to sound familiar; recall to the mind something previously experienced, esp indistinctly
13. sound as a bell
    in perfect condition
14. the bells
    the ringing of bells, in a church or other public building, at midnight on December 31st, symbolizing the beginning of a new year

verb

1. to be or cause to be shaped like a bell
2. tr to attach a bell or bells to
3. bell the cat
   to undertake a dangerous mission

Bell

/ bĕl /

1. Scottish-born American scientist and inventor whose lifelong interest in the education of deaf people led him to conceive the idea of transmitting speech by electric waves. In 1876 his experiments with a telegraph resulted in his invention of the telephone. He later produced the first successful sound recorder, an early hearing aid, and many other devices.

Other Words From

• bell-less adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bell¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English belle; cognate with Dutch bel; derivative of bell ²

Origin of bell²

First recorded before 1000; Middle English bellen, Old English bellan “to roar”; cognate with Old High German bellan, German bellen “to bark,” Middle Dutch bellen, belen, Old Norse belja; bellow, belch

Word History and Origins

Origin of bell¹

Old English bellan ; related to Old Norse belja to bellow, Old High German bellan to roar, Sanskrit bhāsate he talks; see bellow

Origin of bell²

Old English belle ; related to Old Norse bjalla , Middle Low German bell ; see bell ²

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. get/have one's bell rung,
   1. to receive a serious blow to the head:

      He'd had his bell rung one too many times playing professional sports.

   2. to be aroused sexually or be brought to orgasm.
2. ring a bell, to evoke a memory, especially a vague or partial recollection; remind one of something:

   His name rings a bell but I can't remember him.

3. ring someone's bell,
   1. to deliver a serious blow to the head.
   2. to be or provide what is desired, enjoyed, or preferred by someone:

      Historical fiction just doesn't ring my bell.

   3. Slang. to arouse sexually or bring someone to orgasm.
4. ring the bell,
   1. to win; take the prize:

      The camera lingered on the face of the coach as it registered that her team had at last rung the bell.

   2. to succeed with or win over people:

      Despite its promising start, the company has not yet designed a product that rings the bell.

5. saved by the bell,
   1. (of a boxer) saved from a knockout by the ringing of a gong signaling the end of a round.
   2. (of any person) spared from anticipated trouble by some extraneous event.
6. with bells on, Informal. eagerly; ready to enjoy oneself:

   Just say when, and we'll be there with bells on.

7. bell the cat. cat ( def 19 ).

More idioms and phrases containing bell

In addition to the idiom beginning with bell , also see clear as a bell ; ring a bell ; saved by the bell ; sound as a bell ; with bells on .

Example Sentences

"If the mother doesn’t feel like they want to be with their baby, there should be alarm bells ringing."

From BBC

But phones would be off limits once the opening bell rings, including lunch or nutrition and other breaks, until the end of the school day.

From Los Angeles Times

I use a lot of different peppers like serrano and bell peppers and maybe some jalapenos.

From Los Angeles Times

It suited the noisy, high-energy, atmosphere in an office where loud music plays and staff are encouraged to ring a bell to cheers when a sale is completed.

From BBC

For the remaining scholars, coaches and advocates, the movement to end no-fault divorce gaining any more ground sets off alarm bells.

From Salon

More About Bell

What is a basic definition of bell?

A bell is a hollow instrument, usually resembling a hollow cup with a flaring mouth and made out of metal. Bell is also the sound that this object makes. Bell can also refer to something shaped like a bell. Bell has several other uses as a noun and verb.

Bells are common objects used to make sounds, usually to alert people to something. Bells come in many sizes and can make sounds that range from pleasant to shrill. Bells make noise either by being struck on the outside or by having something on the inside that strikes the inner surfaces.

Real-life examples: Churches often use bells to indicate the current hour or that a religious service has started or ended. Schools use bells to alert students that a class has begun or ended. Jingle bells are often seen and heard during the winter holiday season. The Liberty Bell is a large bell that is considered a national symbol of the United States.

Used in a sentence: The ringing of church bells could be heard all over town. 

Bell also refers to the distinctive sound that bells make. The sound is most often described as a “ringing” or “jingling” sound.

Used in a sentence: The soldiers got out of bed at the bell. 

A bell’s shape is often used as a point of reference.

Real-life examples: A line on a chart that goes up, levels off, and goes down again in a symmetrical pattern is often described as bell-shaped or as a bell curve. The chrysaora jellyfish is shaped like a bell. A bell pepper is a sweet pepper shaped like a bell. Anything shaped like a bell might be called bell-shaped.

Used in a sentence: The children were amazed by the bell-shaped body of the giant jellyfish.

Where does bell come from?

The first records of bell come from before the year 1000. It comes from the Old English word belle.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to bell?

• bell-less (adjective)

What are some synonyms for bell?

• chime
• gong
• buzzer
• siren
• alarm

What are some words that share a root or word element with bell? 

• bellow
• bellhop
• bell-bottoms
• bellflower
• bellwether
• ring a bell
• bell pepper

What are some words that often get used in discussing bell?

• ring
• jingle
• church
• school
• wedding
• cow

How is bell used in real life?

Bell is a common word that most often refers to a hollow instrument used to make sound.

MAN THE TOWERS, RING THE BELLS!

— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) June 1, 2014

Reminder: students taking the ASVAB test this morning should report straight to the media center at the first bell! Good luck!

— BRHS Counselors (@BRHScounselors) March 11, 2020

Why hasn't Taco Bell made a bell shaped taco, and call it The @TacoBell?

— Evan • Taste of Country Nights (@BigBoyRadio) July 2, 2013

 

 

Try using bell!

Is bell used correctly in the following sentence?

The line graph showed a bell shape, with a straight line from left to right.