- nounshell (noun) · shells (plural noun) · one's shell (noun) · one's shells (plural noun)
- the hard protective outer case of a mollusk or crustacean:"cowrie shells" · "the technique of carving shell"
- the thin outer covering of an animal's egg, which is hard and fragile in that of a bird but leathery in that of a reptile.
- the outer case of a nut kernel or seed:"peanuts roasted in their shells"
- the carapace of a tortoise, turtle, or terrapin.
- the wing cases of a beetle.
- the integument of an insect pupa or chrysalis.
- (one's shell)used with reference to a state of shyness or introversion:"she'll soon come out of her shell with the right encouragement"
- something resembling or likened to a shell because of its shape or its function as an outer case:"pasta shells" · "baked pastry shells filled with cheese"
- the walls of an unfinished or gutted building or other structure:"the hotel was a shell, the roof having collapsed completely"
- an outer form without substance:"he was a shell of the man he had been previously"
- a light racing boat used in the sport of crew.
- an inner or roughly made coffin.
- the hand guard of a sword.
- physicseach of a set of orbitals around the nucleus of an atom, occupied or able to be occupied by electrons of similar energies:"in a multi-electron atom, the lowest energy shells fill up first" · "an electron descending from one shell to a lower one emits an X-ray"
- computingshort for shell program
verbshell (verb) · shells (third person present) · shelled (past tense) · shelled (past participle) · shelling (present participle)- gather seashells:"there was nothing to do except swim or go shelling on the beaches"
OriginOld English scell (noun), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch schel ‘scale, shell’, also to scale. The verb dates from the mid 16th century in shell. - People also ask
Shell Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
Learn the various meanings and uses of the word shell, from a hard covering of an animal or an egg to a projectile for cannon or a light boat. See synonyms, examples, etymology, and …
SHELL | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
Learn the meanings and usage of the word shell in different contexts, such as covering, explosive, boat, company, and verb. Find related words, phrases, and idioms for shell in …
Shell - definition of shell by The Free Dictionary
18 rows · Shell is a word that can refer to various kinds of hard outer coverings of …
See all 18 rows on www.thefreedictionary.comNOUN 1. 2. shell - the material that forms the hard ... 3. shell - hard outer covering or case of ... 4. shell - the hard usually fibrous outer ... 5. shell - the exterior covering of a bird's ...
SHELL | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary
Learn the meaning of shell as a noun and a verb in English, with different contexts and domains. Find out how to use shell in phrases, idioms and business terms.
SHELL Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com
Shell is a noun that can refer to the hard outer covering of an animal, a plant, or a projectile, or a program that simplifies computer use. It can also be a verb that means to remove the …
SHELL definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary
Learn the various meanings and uses of the word shell, from the hard covering of an animal or a nut to a weapon or a boat. See examples, synonyms, pronunciation, and grammar tips.
Shell - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms - Vocabulary.com
noun. hard outer covering or case of certain organisms such as arthropods and turtles. synonyms: carapace, cuticle, shield. see more. verb. look for and collect shells by the …
Shell Definition & Meaning - YourDictionary
Learn the various meanings and uses of the word shell, from a hard outer covering of an animal or plant to a verb meaning to remove or separate something. Find synonyms, antonyms, …
shell noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes ...
Learn the meaning of shell as a noun in English, with pictures, pronunciation and usage notes. Find out the different types of shells, such as animal shells, explosive shells, and personality …
shell | meaning of shell in Longman Dictionary of …
Shell can be a noun or a verb with different meanings related to weapons, biology, cooking, and more. Learn how to use shell in sentences with examples from the corpus and the thesaurus.
