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shells

 - 3 dictionary results
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shell

  [shel]
Use shells in a Sentence
–noun
1. a hard outer covering of an animal, as the hard case of a mollusk, or either half of the case of a bivalve mollusk.
2. any of various objects resembling such a covering, as in shape or in being more or less concave or hollow.
3. the material constituting any of various coverings of this kind.
4. the hard exterior of an egg.
5. the usually hard, outer covering of a seed, fruit, or the like, as the hard outside portion of a nut, the pod of peas, etc.
6. a hard, protecting or enclosing case or cover.
7. an attitude or manner of reserve that usually conceals one's emotions, thoughts, etc.: One could not penetrate his shell.
8. a hollow projectile for a cannon, mortar, etc., filled with an explosive charge designed to explode during flight, upon impact, or after penetration.
9. a metallic cartridge used in small arms and small artillery pieces.
10. a metal or paper cartridge, as for use in a shotgun.
11. a cartridgelike pyrotechnic device that explodes in the air.
12. shells, Italian Cookery. small pieces of pasta having the shape of a shell.
13. the lower pastry crust of a pie, tart, or the like, baked before the filling is added.
14. Computers. a program providing a menu-driven or graphical user interface designed to simplify use of the operating system, as in loading application programs.
15. Physics.
a. any of up to seven energy levels on which an electron may exist within an atom, the energies of the electrons on the same level being equal and on different levels being unequal.
b. a group of nucleons of approximately the same energy.
16. a light, long, narrow racing boat, for rowing by one or more persons.
17. the outer part of a finished garment that has a lining, esp. a detachable lining.
18. a woman's sleeveless blouse or sweater, esp. one meant for wear under a suit jacket.
19. Nautical. the plating, planking, or the like, covering the ribs and forming the exterior hull of a vessel.
20. tortoise shell (def. 1).
21. a mollusk.
22. Engineering. the curved solid forming a dome or vault.
23. an arena or stadium covered by a domed or arched roof.
24. a saucer-shaped arena or stadium.
25. the framework, external structure, or walls and roof of a building: After the fire, only the shell of the school was left.
26. a small glass for beer.
27. the metal, pressure-resistant outer casing of a fire-tube boiler.
28. Metallurgy.
a. a scab on the surface of an ingot.
b. a length of unfinished tubing.
c. a pierced forging.
d. a hollow object made by deep drawing.
–verb (used with object)
29. to take out of the shell, pod, etc.; remove the shell of.
30. to separate (Indian corn, grain, etc.) from the ear, cob, or husk.
31. to fire shells or explosive projectiles into, upon, or among; bombard.
–verb (used without object)
32. to fall or come out of the shell, husk, etc.
33. to come away or fall off, as a shell or outer coat.
34. to gather sea shells: We spent the whole morning shelling while the tide was out.
—Verb phrase
35. shell out, Informal. to hand over (money); contribute; pay.
Origin:
bef. 900; (n.) ME; OE scell (north), sciell; c. D schil peel, skin, rink, ON skel shell, Goth skalja tile; (v.) deriv. of the n.; cf. shale

Related forms:
shell-less, adjective
shell-like, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To shells
Buy Seashells Online
Large selection of seashells for weddings, craft and decor use.
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Seaside Inspired | Shells
Sea Shell decor seen on HGTV, Fine Living + featured in Coastal Living
www.SeasideInspired.com/Shells
shell   (shěl)   
n.  

    1. The usually hard outer covering that encases certain organisms, such as mollusks, insects, and turtles; the carapace.

    2. A similar outer covering on an egg, fruit, or nut.

    3. The material that constitutes such a covering.

    4. An external, usually hard, protective or enclosing case or cover.

    5. A framework or exterior, as of a building.

    6. A thin layer of pastry.

    7. The external part of the ear.

    8. The hull of a ship.

    9. A light, long, narrow racing boat propelled by rowers.

    10. An artillery projectile containing an explosive charge.

    11. A metal or cardboard case containing the charge and primer for a piece of firearms ammunition, especially one also containing shot and fired from a shotgun.

    12. Any of the set of hypothetical spherical surfaces centered on the nucleus of an atom that contain the orbitals of electrons having the same principal quantum number.

    13. An analogous pattern of protons and neutrons within a nucleus.

    14. A usually sleeveless and collarless, typically knit blouse, often worn under another top.

    15. The outermost layer of a lined garment such as a coat or jacket: a parka with a waterproof shell.

  2. Something resembling or having the form of a shell, especially:

    1. An external, usually hard, protective or enclosing case or cover.

    2. A framework or exterior, as of a building.

    3. A thin layer of pastry.

    4. The external part of the ear.

    5. The hull of a ship.

    6. A light, long, narrow racing boat propelled by rowers.

    7. An artillery projectile containing an explosive charge.

    8. A metal or cardboard case containing the charge and primer for a piece of firearms ammunition, especially one also containing shot and fired from a shotgun.

    9. Any of the set of hypothetical spherical surfaces centered on the nucleus of an atom that contain the orbitals of electrons having the same principal quantum number.

    10. An analogous pattern of protons and neutrons within a nucleus.

    11. A usually sleeveless and collarless, typically knit blouse, often worn under another top.

    12. The outermost layer of a lined garment such as a coat or jacket: a parka with a waterproof shell.

  3. Nautical

    1. The hull of a ship.

    2. A light, long, narrow racing boat propelled by rowers.

    3. An artillery projectile containing an explosive charge.

    4. A metal or cardboard case containing the charge and primer for a piece of firearms ammunition, especially one also containing shot and fired from a shotgun.

    5. Any of the set of hypothetical spherical surfaces centered on the nucleus of an atom that contain the orbitals of electrons having the same principal quantum number.

    6. An analogous pattern of protons and neutrons within a nucleus.

    7. A usually sleeveless and collarless, typically knit blouse, often worn under another top.

    8. The outermost layer of a lined garment such as a coat or jacket: a parka with a waterproof shell.

  4. A small glass for beer.

    1. An artillery projectile containing an explosive charge.

    2. A metal or cardboard case containing the charge and primer for a piece of firearms ammunition, especially one also containing shot and fired from a shotgun.

    3. Any of the set of hypothetical spherical surfaces centered on the nucleus of an atom that contain the orbitals of electrons having the same principal quantum number.

    4. An analogous pattern of protons and neutrons within a nucleus.

    5. A usually sleeveless and collarless, typically knit blouse, often worn under another top.

    6. The outermost layer of a lined garment such as a coat or jacket: a parka with a waterproof shell.

  6. An attitude or a manner adopted to mask one's true feelings or to protect one from perceived or real danger.

  7. Physics

    1. Any of the set of hypothetical spherical surfaces centered on the nucleus of an atom that contain the orbitals of electrons having the same principal quantum number.

    2. An analogous pattern of protons and neutrons within a nucleus.

    3. A usually sleeveless and collarless, typically knit blouse, often worn under another top.

    4. The outermost layer of a lined garment such as a coat or jacket: a parka with a waterproof shell.

    1. A usually sleeveless and collarless, typically knit blouse, often worn under another top.

    2. The outermost layer of a lined garment such as a coat or jacket: a parka with a waterproof shell.

  9. Computer Science A program that works with the operating system as a command processor, used to enter commands and initiate their execution.

  10. A company or corporation with few or no assets or independent operations that is acquired by another company in order to allow the acquiring company to conduct business under the acquired company's legitimate legal standing.

v.   shelled, shell·ing, shells

v.   tr.

    1. To remove the shell of; shuck: shell oysters.

    2. To remove from a shell: shell peas.

    3. To defeat decisively.

    4. Baseball To hit the pitches of (a pitcher) hard and with regularity: shelled the pitcher for eight runs in the first inning.

  2. To separate the kernels of (corn) from the cob.

  3. To fire shells at; bombard.

    1. To defeat decisively.

    2. Baseball To hit the pitches of (a pitcher) hard and with regularity: shelled the pitcher for eight runs in the first inning.

v.   intr.

  1. To shed or become free of a shell.

  2. To look for or collect shells, as on a seashore: spent the day shelling on Cape Cod.

Phrasal Verb(s):
shell out Informal To hand over; pay: had to shell out $500 in car repairs.

[Middle English, from Old English scell; see skel-1 in Indo-European roots.]
shell adj., shell'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

shell  (n.)
O.E. sciell, scill, Anglian scell "seashell, eggshell," related to O.E. scealu "shell, husk," from P.Gmc. *skaljo "divide, separate" (cf. W.Fris. skyl "peel, rind," M.L.G. schelle "pod, rind, egg shell," Goth. skalja "tile"), with the notion of "covering that splits off," from PIE base *(s)kel- "to cut, cleave" (cf. O.C.S. skolika "shell," Rus. skala "bark"). Sense of "mere exterior" is from 1652; that of "hollow framework" is from 1791. Meaning "structure for a band or orchestra" is attested from 1938. Military use (1644) was first of hand grenades, in ref. to the metal case in which the gunpowder and shot were mixed; shell shock first recorded 1915. Shell game "a swindle" is from 1890, from a version of three-card monte played with a pea and walnut shells. Shellfish is from O.E. scylfiscas (pl.).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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