bells

[ belz ]

/ bɛlz /

noun (used with a plural verb)

Informal. bell-bottom(def 2).

Origin of bells

1965–70; by shortening of the full phrase, as in shorts from short pants

Words nearby bells

bellow, bellows, bellows fish, bellperson, bellpull, bells, bells and whistles, bells of ireland, bellwether, bellwood, bellwort

Definition for bells (2 of 4)

bell ¹

[ bel ]

/ bɛl /

noun

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.

the stroke or sound of such an instrument: We rose at the bell.

anything in the form of a bell.

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.

Architecture. the underlying part of a foliated capital.

Nautical.

any of the half-hour units of nautical time rung on the bell of a ship.
each individual ring of the bell, counted with others to reckon the time: It is now four bells.
a signal on the telegraph of a large power vessel, made between the navigating officers and the engineer.

Zoology. umbrella(def 2).

Botany. the bell-shaped corolla of a flower.

Metallurgy. a conical lid that seals the top of a blast furnace and lowers to admit a charge.

verb (used with object)

to cause to swell or expand like a bell (often followed by out): Belling out the tubes will permit a freer passage of air.

to put a bell on.

verb (used without object)

to take or have the form of a bell.

Botany. to produce bells; be in bell (said of hops when the seed vessels are forming).

Origin of bell

before 1000; Middle English, Old English belle; cognate with Dutch bel; derivative of bell²

OTHER WORDS FROM bell

bell-less, adjective

Definition for bells (3 of 4)

bell ²

[ bel ]

/ bɛl /

verb (used with or without object)

to bellow like a stag in rutting time.

to bay, as a hunting dog.

noun

the cry of a rutting stag or hunting dog.

Origin of bell

1275–1325; 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; akin to Lithuanian bal̃sas voice, Sanskrit bhaṣ- bark, bhāṣ- speak. See bellow, belch

Definition for bells (4 of 4)

Bell

[ bel ]

/ bɛl /

noun

Ac·ton

[ak-tuh n] /ˈæk tən/, pen name of Anne Brontë.

Alexander Graham,1847–1922, U.S. scientist, born in Scotland: inventor of the telephone.

(Arthur) Clive (Howard),1881–1964, English critic of literature and art.

Cur·rer

[kur-er] /ˈkɜr ər/, pen name of Charlotte Brontë.

Ellis, pen name of Emily Brontë.

James ThomasCool Papa,1903–91, U.S. baseball player, a Negro Leagues outfielder noted for his speed.

John,1797–1869, U.S. political leader: Speaker of the House 1834–35.

a city in SW California, near Los Angeles.

Example sentences from the Web for bells

And the bells chimed for victory at 1211 Avenue of the Americas.

Why I’m for the War on Christmas |Asawin Suebsaeng |December 23, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
When the ship hit the rocks, the sound of bells ringing and alarms sounding echoed in the theater.

The Costa Concordia’s Randy Reckless Captain Takes the Stand |Barbie Latza Nadeau |December 2, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Buses, vans, and cars sounded their horns, gun salutes rang out, the bells of Westminster Abbey pealed, and everyone cheered.

Happy Birthday, Prince George! Will the Wee Royal Be the First King of the 22nd Century? |Emma Woolf |July 21, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Mountain sheep were everywhere, some sleeping by the road, some foraging, bells ringing from their necks as they moved.

Is This Hemingway’s Pamplona or a Lot of Bull? |Clive Irving |July 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

You could strip away the bells and whistles and it would still be a perfectly excellent Mozart biography.

Beguiling Books on Steroids Make Interactive Reading a Pleasure |Malcolm Jones |June 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
In their incantations they use rattles, and also drums and bells.

Musical Myths and Facts, Volume II (of 2) |Carl Engel
Meanwhile Jeliaboff had heard the solemn tolling of the bells in his prison cell.

The White Terror and The Red |Abraham Cahan
It had gone three bells in the first dog watch; we had just finished tea, and gone on deck to smoke our evening pipe.

Cats |W. Gordon Stables
A true cockney is supposed to be one born within hearing of these bells.

Milton's England |Lucia Ames Mead
The bells of Venice were rejoicing with him, in this his blessed hour.

Prisoners |Mary Cholmondeley

British Dictionary definitions for bells (1 of 3)

bell ¹

/ (bɛl) /

noun

a hollow, usually metal, cup-shaped instrument that emits a musical ringing sound when struck, often by a clapper hanging inside it

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

an electrical device that rings or buzzes as a signal

the bowl-shaped termination of the tube of certain musical wind instruments, such as the trumpet or oboe

any musical percussion instrument emitting a ringing tone, such as a glockenspiel, one of a set of hand bells, etc Compare chime 1 (def. 3)

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

See diving bell

biology a structure resembling a bell in shape, such as the corolla of certain flowers or the body of a jellyfish

British slang a telephone call (esp in the phrase give someone a bell)

beat seven bells out of or knock seven bells out of British informal to give a severe beating to

bell, book, and candle

instruments used formerly in excommunications and other ecclesiastical acts
informal the solemn ritual ratification of such acts

ring a bell to sound familiar; recall to the mind something previously experienced, esp indistinctly

sound as a bell in perfect condition

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

to be or cause to be shaped like a bell

(tr) to attach a bell or bells to

bell the cat to undertake a dangerous mission

Word Origin for bell

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

British Dictionary definitions for bells (2 of 3)

bell ²

/ (bɛl) /

noun

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

verb

to utter (such a cry)

Word Origin for bell

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

British Dictionary definitions for bells (3 of 3)

Bell

/ (bɛl) /

noun

Acton, Currer (ˈkʌrə), and Ellis . pen names of the sisters Anne, Charlotte, and Emily Brontë See Brontë

Alexander Graham . 1847–1922, US scientist, born in Scotland, who invented the telephone (1876)

Sir Francis Henry Dillon . 1851–1936, New Zealand statesman; prime minister of New Zealand (1925)

Gertrude (Margaret Lowthian). 1868–1926, British traveller, writer, and diplomat; secretary to the British High Commissioner in Baghdad (1917–26)

Joshua. born 1967, US violinist

Dame (Susan) Jocelyn, married name Jocelyn Burnell, born 1943, British radio astronomer, who discovered the first pulsar

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)

Medical definitions for bells

Bell

[ bĕl ]

Sir Charles 1774-1842

British anatomist and surgeon who published detailed anatomies of the nervous system and the brain. He was the first to distinguish between sensory and motor nerves. Bell's Law and Bell's palsy are named for him.

Scientific definitions for bells

Bell

[ bĕl ]

Alexander Graham 1847-1922

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.

Idioms and Phrases with bells

bell

In addition to the idiom beginning with bell

bell the cat, who will

also see:

clear as a bell
ring a bell
saved by the bell
sound as a bell
with bells on

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

bells

noun (used with a plural verb)

Origin of bells

Words nearby bells

Definition for bells (2 of 4)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of bell

OTHER WORDS FROM bell

Definition for bells (3 of 4)

verb (used with or without object)

noun

Origin of bell

Definition for bells (4 of 4)

noun

Example sentences from the Web for bells

British Dictionary definitions for bells (1 of 3)

noun

verb

Word Origin for bell

British Dictionary definitions for bells (2 of 3)

noun

verb

Word Origin for bell

British Dictionary definitions for bells (3 of 3)

noun

Medical definitions for bells

Scientific definitions for bells

Idioms and Phrases with bells

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

bells

noun (used with a plural verb)

Origin of bells

Words nearby bells

Definition for bells (2 of 4)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of bell

OTHER WORDS FROM bell

Definition for bells (3 of 4)

verb (used with or without object)

noun

Origin of bell

Definition for bells (4 of 4)

noun

Words related to bells

Example sentences from the Web for bells

British Dictionary definitions for bells (1 of 3)

noun

verb

Word Origin for bell

British Dictionary definitions for bells (2 of 3)

noun

verb

Word Origin for bell

British Dictionary definitions for bells (3 of 3)

noun

Medical definitions for bells

Scientific definitions for bells

Idioms and Phrases with bells