bell
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bell
a hollow instrument that is rung by the strokes of a clapper, hammer, etc.: She rang a bell to summon her servants.
Not to be confused with:
belle – the most popular woman among many: She was the belle of the ball.
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
bell 1
(bĕl)n.
1. A hollow metal musical instrument, usually cup-shaped with a flared opening, that emits a metallic tone when struck.
2. Something resembling such an instrument in shape or sound, as:
a. The round, flared opening of a wind instrument at the opposite end from the mouthpiece.
b. bells A percussion instrument consisting of metal tubes or bars that emit tones when struck.
c. A hollow, usually inverted vessel, such as one used for diving deep below the surface of a body of water.
d. The corolla of a flower: "In a cowslip's bell I lie" (Shakespeare).
e. The body of a jellyfish.
3. Nautical
a. A stroke on a hollow metal instrument to mark the hour.
b. The time indicated by the striking of this instrument, divided into half hours.
v. belled, bell·ing, bells
v.tr.
1. To put a bell on.
2. To cause to flare like a bell.
v.intr.
Idiom: To assume the form of a bell; flare.
bell the cat
To perform a daring act.
[Middle English belle, from Old English.]
bell 2
(bĕl)n.
The bellowing or baying cry of certain animals, such as a deer in rut or a beagle on the hunt.
intr.v. belled, bell·ing, bells
To utter long, deep, resonant sounds; bellow.
[From Middle English bellen, to bellow, from Old English bellan.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
bell
(bɛl)n
1. (Instruments) a hollow, usually metal, cup-shaped instrument that emits a musical ringing sound when struck, often by a clapper hanging inside it
2. (Horology) 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. (Electrical Engineering) an electrical device that rings or buzzes as a signal
4. (Instruments) the bowl-shaped termination of the tube of certain musical wind instruments, such as the trumpet or oboe
5. (Instruments) any musical percussion instrument emitting a ringing tone, such as a glockenspiel, one of a set of hand bells, etc. Compare chime13
6. (Nautical Terms) 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. (Nautical Terms) See diving bell
8. (Biology) biology a structure resembling a bell in shape, such as the corolla of certain flowers or the body of a jellyfish
9. (Telecommunications) slang Brit a telephone call (esp in the phrase give someone a bell)
10. beat seven bells out of knock seven bells out of informal Brit to give a severe beating to
11. (Ecclesiastical Terms) bell, book, and candle
a. instruments used formerly in excommunications and other ecclesiastical acts
b. informal 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
vb
15. to be or cause to be shaped like a bell
16. (tr) to attach a bell or bells to
17. bell the cat to undertake a dangerous mission
[Old English belle; related to Old Norse bjalla, Middle Low German bell; see bell2]
bell
(bɛl)n
(Zoology) a bellowing or baying cry, esp that of a hound or a male deer in rut
vb
(Zoology) to utter (such a cry)
[Old English bellan; related to Old Norse belja to bellow, Old High German bellan to roar, Sanskrit bhāsate he talks; see bellow]
Bell
(bɛl)n
1. (Biography) Acton, Currer (ˈkʌrə), and Ellis. pen names of the sisters Anne, Charlotte, and Emily Brontë. See Brontë
2. (Biography) Alexander Graham. 1847–1922, US scientist, born in Scotland, who invented the telephone (1876)
3. (Biography) Sir Francis Henry Dillon. 1851–1936, New Zealand statesman; prime minister of New Zealand (1925)
4. (Biography) Gertrude (Margaret Lowthian). 1868–1926, British traveller, writer, and diplomat; secretary to the British High Commissioner in Baghdad (1917–26)
5. (Biography) Joshua. born 1967, US violinist
6. (Biography) Dame (Susan) Jocelyn, married name Jocelyn Burnell, born 1943, British radio astronomer, who discovered the first pulsar
7. (Biography) 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)
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
bell1
(bɛl)n.
1. a hollow metal instrument, typically cup-shaped with a flaring mouth, that produces a ringing sound when struck.
2. any device, as an electronic circuit, that produces a similar sound.
3. the stroke or sound of a bell.
4. something having the form of a bell, as the flared end of a musical wind instrument.
5. any of the half-hour units of nautical time rung on the bell of a ship.
v.t. 7. to cause to flare like a bell.
8. to put a bell on.
v.i. 9. to take or have the form of a bell.
Idioms: 1. bell the cat, to attempt something dangerous or daring.
2. with bells on, eagerly; ready to enjoy oneself.
[before 1000; Middle English, Old English belle, c. Middle Dutch, Middle Low German belle]
bell2
(bɛl)v.i.
1. to bellow; bay.
n. 2. a bellowing or baying sound, esp. of a stag in rut or a hunting dog.
[1275–1325; Middle English; Old English bellan to roar, c. Middle Dutch bel(l)en, Old High German bellan, Old Norse belja]
Bell
(bɛl)n.
Alexander Graham, 1847–1922, U.S. scientist, born in Scotland: inventor of the telephone.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
bell
- The flared open end of a wind instrument.See also related terms for wind instrument.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
bell
Past participle: belled
Gerund: belling
| Imperative |
|---|
| bell |
| bell |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  bell - a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struckacoustic device - a device for amplifying or transmitting sound church bell - a bell in a church tower (usually sounded to summon people to church); "church bells were ringing all over town" cowbell - a bell hung around the neck of cow so that the cow can be easily located death bell, death knell - a bell rung to announce a death dinner bell - a bell rung to announce that dinner has been served electric bell - a bell activated by the magnetic effect of an electric current fire bell - a bell rung to give a fire alarm school bell - a bell rung to announce beginning or ending of class sheep bell - a bell hung round the neck of a sheep so that the sheep can be easily located shop bell - a bell attached to the door of a small shop; warns the proprietor that a customer has entered the shop signaling device - a device used to send signals cascabel, sleigh bell - a bell attached to a sleigh, or to the harness of a horse that is pulling a sleigh sound bow - contact (the part of a bell) against which the clapper strikes warning bell, tocsin - a bell used to sound an alarm |
| 2. |  bell - a push button at an outer door that gives a ringing or buzzing signal when pushednight bell - a doorbell to be used at night push button, button, push - an electrical switch operated by pressing; "the elevator was operated by push buttons"; "the push beside the bed operated a buzzer at the desk" | |
| 3. |  bell - the sound of a bell being struck; "saved by the bell"; "she heard the distant toll of church bells"sound - the sudden occurrence of an audible event; "the sound awakened them" knell - the sound of a bell rung slowly to announce a death or a funeral or the end of something angelus, angelus bell - the sound of a bell rung in Roman Catholic churches to announce the time when the Angelus should be recited | |
| 4. |  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.time unit, unit of time - a unit for measuring time periods | |
| 5. |  bell - the shape of a bell curve, curved shape - the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes | |
| 6. | Bell - a phonetician and father of Alexander Graham Bell (1819-1905) | |
| 7. | Bell - English painter; sister of Virginia Woolf; prominent member of the Bloomsbury Group (1879-1961) Bloomsbury Group - an inner circle of writers and artists and philosophers who lived in or around Bloomsbury early in the 20th century and were noted for their unconventional lifestyles | |
| 8. |  Bell - United States inventor (born in Scotland) of the telephone (1847-1922) | |
| 9. |  bell - a percussion instrument consisting of a set of tuned bells that are struck with a hammer; used as an orchestral instrumentcarillon - set of bells hung in a bell tower handbell - a bell that is held in the hand percussion instrument, percussive instrument - a musical instrument in which the sound is produced by one object striking another | |
| 10. | bell - the flared opening of a tubular device blunderbuss - a short musket of wide bore with a flared muzzle funnel - a conically shaped utensil having a narrow tube at the small end; used to channel the flow of substances into a container with a small mouth opening - a vacant or unobstructed space that is man-made; "they left a small opening for the cat at the bottom of the door" wind instrument, wind - a musical instrument in which the sound is produced by an enclosed column of air that is moved by the breath | |
| Verb | 1. |  bell - attach a bell to; "bell cows" attach - cause to be attached |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
جَرَسكل أداة كالجَرَس
zvonzvonekzvoněnízvoneczvoneček
klokkeringeklokke
kellopuhelusoittosoittokello
zvono
harangcsengõcsengő
bjallaklukkaklukka, bjalla
鐘
종
skambutisvarpas
zvaniņšzvanszvārgu- lis
clopot
zvonzvonček
zvonzvonec
klockapling
ระฆัง
chuông
bell
[bel]A. N
1. (= church bell) → campana f; (= handbell) → campanilla f; (= doorbell, electric bell) → timbre m; (for cow) → cencerro m; (for cat, on toy, dress etc) → cascabel m
two/eight bells (Naut) las medias horas de cada guardia marítima
to ring a bell that rings a bell → eso me suena
it doesn't ring a bell with me → no me suena
he was saved by the bell (lit) (Boxing) → le salvó la campana (fig) → se salvó por los pelos
two/eight bells (Naut) las medias horas de cada guardia marítima
to ring a bell that rings a bell → eso me suena
it doesn't ring a bell with me → no me suena
he was saved by the bell (lit) (Boxing) → le salvó la campana (fig) → se salvó por los pelos
2. [of trumpet] → pabellón m; [of flower] → campanilla f
3. (Brit) (= phone call) I'll give you a bell → te llamaré
B. CPD bell glass, bell jar N → fanal m, campana f de cristal
bell pull N → campanilla f
bell push N → pulsador m de timbre
bell rope N → cuerda f de campana
bells and whistles NPL (esp Comput) → elementos mpl accesorios (pej) → florituras fpl
bell tent N → pabellón m
bell tower N → campanario m
bell pull N → campanilla f
bell push N → pulsador m de timbre
bell rope N → cuerda f de campana
bells and whistles NPL (esp Comput) → elementos mpl accesorios (pej) → florituras fpl
bell tent N → pabellón m
bell tower N → campanario m
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
bell
[ˈbɛl] n [church] → cloche f; (small) → clochette f, grelot m
Our cat has a bell on its neck → Notre chat a une clochette à son collier.
as clear as a bell → clair(e) comme de l'eau de roche
to be as sound as a bell → être en parfait état
that rings a bell (reminds me of sth) → cela me rappelle qch
Our cat has a bell on its neck → Notre chat a une clochette à son collier.
as clear as a bell → clair(e) comme de l'eau de roche
to be as sound as a bell → être en parfait état
that rings a bell (reminds me of sth) → cela me rappelle qch
(on door) → sonnette f
to ring the bell → sonner à la porte
I've been ringing the door bell for ages → Ça fait un moment que je sonne à la porte.
to ring the bell → sonner à la porte
I've been ringing the door bell for ages → Ça fait un moment que je sonne à la porte.
(electric) → sonnerie f
to give sb a bell (British) (= phone) → donner un coup de fil à qnbell-bottomed trousers [ˈbɛlbɒtəmd] bell-bottoms [ˈbɛlbɒtəmz] npl → pantalon m (à) pattes d'éléphant
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
bell
:bell-bottomed trousers (esp Brit), bell-bottoms
pl → ausgestellte Hosen
bellboy
n (esp US) → Page m, → Hoteljunge m
bell captain
n (US) → Chef(in) m(f) → der Hotelpagen
bell
:bellflower
n (Bot) → Glockenblume f
bell heather
n → Glockenheide f
bellhop
n (US) = bellboy
bell
:bell pull
n → Klingelzug m
bell push
n → Klingel f
bell-ringer
n → Glöckner m
bell-ringing
n → Glockenläuten nt
bell rope
n (in church) → Glockenstrang m; (in house) → Klingelzug m
bells and whistles
pl (esp Comput inf: = additional features) → Extras pl
bell-shaped
adj → glockenförmig, kelchförmig
bell
:bell tent
n → Rundzelt nt
bell tower
n → Glockenturm m
bellwether
n → Leithammel m
bell
1n
→ Glocke f; (small: on toys, pet’s collar etc) → Glöckchen nt, → Schelle f; (= school bell, doorbell, of bicycle) → Klingel f, → Glocke f (dated); (= handbell also) → Schelle f; (of typewriter, Telec) → Klingel f; as clear as a bell (voice) → glasklar; picture → gestochen scharf; hear, sound → laut und deutlich; as sound as a bell → kerngesund
(= sound of bell) → Läuten nt; (of doorbell, school bell, telephone etc) → Klingeln nt; (in athletics) → Glocke f → zur letzten Runde; there’s the bell → es klingelt or läutet; was that the bell? → hat es gerade geklingelt or geläutet?; the teacher came in on the bell → der Lehrer kam mit dem Klingeln or Läuten herein; he’s coming up to the bell → er geht nun in die letzte Runde; it was 3.02 at the bell → zu Beginn der letzten Runde hatte er eine Zeit von 3.02; to give somebody a bell (Brit inf) → jdn anrufen
vt → eine Glocke/ein Glöckchen umhängen (+dat); to bell the cat (fig) → der Katze die Schelle umhängen
bell
2n (of stag) → Röhren nt
vi → röhren
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
bell
[bɛl] n (small, on door, electric) → campanello; (church bell) → campana; (on cats, harness) → sonaglio; (on cow) → campanaccio; (of telephone) → soneriathat rings a bell (fig) → mi ricorda qualcosa
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
bell
(bel) noun1. a hollow object, usually of metal, which gives a ringing sound when struck by the clapper inside. church bells.
2. any other mechanism for giving a ringing sound. Our doorbell is broken.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
bell
→ جَرَس zvon klokke Klingel καμπάνα campana, timbre soittokello cloche zvono campana 鐘 종 bel bjelle dzwonek sino звонок klocka ระฆัง zil chuông 铃Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009