cowbell

[ kou-bel ]

/ ˈkaʊˌbɛl /

a bell hung around a cow's neck to indicate its whereabouts.

the bladder campion.

Origin of cowbell

First recorded in 1805–15; cow¹ + bell¹

coward, cowardice, cowardly, cowash, cowbane, cowbell, cowberry, cowbind, cowbird, cowboy, cowboy boot

Not even the breachiest of breachy young heifers could be expected to tinkle a cowbell with such briskness.

The Escape of Mr. Trimm |Irvin S. Cobb
There is the tinkling of a cowbell,—a noise how peevishly discordant were it close at hand, but even musical now.

The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 18, No. 109, November, 1866 |Various
Here his Honor took up the morning's Cowbell and ran his eye up and down a column I knew was mine.

Moon-Face and Other Stories |Jack London
Some distance away, they could hear the dinging of a cowbell.

Dan Carter and the Cub Honor |Mildred A. Wirt

Then a cowbell tinkled, causing Mrs. Weems to shake and tremble.

Clue of the Silken Ladder |Mildred A. Wirt

cowbell

/ (ˈkaʊˌbɛl) /

a bell hung around a cow's neck so that the cow can be easily located

a metal percussion instrument usually mounted on the bass drum or hand-held and struck with a drumstick

US another name for bladder campion