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shellback

[ shel-bak ]

/ ˈʃɛlˌbæk /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR shellback ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an old sailor.

a person who has crossed the equator by boat.

Origin of shellback

First recorded in 1880–85; shell + back¹

Words nearby shellback

shell suit, shell-like, shell-shocked, shellac, shellacking, shellback, shellbark, shellcracker, shelled, sheller, shelley

Example sentences from the Web for shellback

Swedish producers Max Martin (“I Kissed a Girl”) and Shellback collaborate on some of her feistiest tunes.

Taylor Swift Dishes on Her New Album ‘Red,’ Dating, Heartbreak, and ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ |Ramin Setoodeh |October 22, 2012 |DAILY BEAST
And there are barrels of it in this town, Mr. Shellback Holmes, waiting to be converted into song.

Anderson Crow, Detective |George Barr McCutcheon
Skinner, you don't suppose Matt's like every other shellback of a skipper?

Cappy Ricks Retires |Peter B. Kyne
The word was no sooner spoken than our shellback again excelled himself.

A Labrador Doctor |Wilfred Thomason Grenfell

"There's never a flat foot nor a shellback but will tell you same thing, messmate," agreed Ferral heartily.

Motor Matt's Hard Luck |Stanley R. Matthews
I s'pose she thought mebbe Parsonsbridge butter would churn easier than Shellback; I dono.

Mrs. Tree |Laura E. Richards

British Dictionary definitions for shellback

shellback

/ (ˈʃɛlˌbæk) /

noun

informal a sailor who has crossed the equator Compare polliwog (def. 2)

an experienced or old sailor