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Meaning ofshellin English

shell

us//ʃɛl//uk//ʃɛl//

Pluralshells
Past Tenseshelled
Participle Verbshelling
Third Person Singularshells

Definitions

Noun
1. a hard outer layer (of animals); protective covering
2. external covering of mollusks and crustaceans
3. tortoise or turtle's carapace
  The tortoise retreated into its shell for protection.
4. hard egg covering
  The chicken cracked open the egg to reveal the shell inside.
5. seed covering; outer layer
  The peanut has a hard shell that's difficult to crack.
6. pod containing seeds (legumes, etc.)
  The bean pod is a type of shell that splits open when mature.
7. sleeveless garment (women's top)
  The woman wore a stylish shell to the party.
8. thin interior coffin; flimsy enclosure
  The funeral home provided a simple shell for the cremation.
9. a vehicle for transporting corpses
  The funeral director carefully placed the body in the shell for the cremation ceremony.
10. a copper roller for printing; engraving
  The printer used a shell to create the intricate design on the page.
11. a thin copper coating (on an electrotype)
  The electrotyper applied a thin shell to the metal surface for protection.
12. an extremely thin or emaciated person
  The patient had become a shell of her former self after the illness.
13. a person lacking substance; diminished
  The politician's opponent claimed he was just a shell of a leader, lacking real vision.
14. a barrier to social interaction (emotional, psychological)
  She felt like she was living in a shell, unable to connect with others emotionally.
15. a tool for shaping convex lenses (cast-iron, concave)
  The optician used a shell to shape the convex lens for the glasses.
16. an animal's hard outer covering
  The snail's shell protected it from predators.
17. a plant seed's hard outer layer
  The gardener carefully removed the shell from the walnut to reveal the edible seed inside.
18. a projectile with explosive contents; used in warfare
  The military launched a shell at the enemy's bunker.
19. a mollusk's protective outer covering
  The hermit crab emerged from its shell to search for food.
20. insect exoskeleton or wing cover
  The butterfly emerged from its shell, unfolding its delicate wings.
21. cacao seed husks used as cocoa substitute
  The researcher studied the properties of shell, a byproduct of cocoa production.
22. a hollow mineral structure (geode)
  The geologist carefully extracted the crystal from the shell.
23. a self-contained artillery projectile casing
  The military personnel handled the shell with caution to avoid accidental detonation.
24. an explosive projectile (spherical or cylindrical)
  The military launched a shell at the enemy's position.
25. a firearm cartridge; bullet or round
  The hunter loaded a shell into his rifle before heading out.
26. a hollow framework or exterior structure; incomplete
  The architect designed a shell of a building that would be completed in phases.
27. a string instrument with a shell-like chamber
  The musician played a beautiful melody on her shell-shaped harp.
28. a drum's acoustic chamber or body
  The drum's shell was made of a high-quality wood that produced a rich sound.
29. a vessel's watertight outer hull covering
  The ship's shell was damaged in the storm and needed to be repaired.
30. nautical block's outer frame
  The sailor checked the shell of the nautical block for any signs of wear.
31. light boat with thin wood cover; racing vessel
  The sailor expertly navigated the shell across the calm lake.
32. atomic orbitals with same quantum number
  The physicist studied the shell of electrons surrounding the atomic nucleus.
33. outward form; independent of inner content
  The company's new policy is just a shell, lacking any real substance.
34. an empty outward form; a hollow appearance
  The old mansion was just a shell of its former self after years of neglect.
35. a software interface; launching programs and controlling interactions
  The company's shell allowed users to easily launch and manage their applications.
36. a non-operational legal entity
  The investors created a shell to hold the assets of the bankrupt company.
37. a type of gouge bit (engineering tool)
  The engineer used a shell to remove excess material from the metal surface.
38. syllable parts (onset, coda)
  The linguist analyzed the shell of the syllable, including the onset and coda.
39. a person's ear (informal)
  Can you shell out some cash for the tickets?
Verb
1. to remove outer covering or layers
  The farmer had to shell the peas to remove the outer pods before cooking.
2. to bombard with projectiles; attack
  The army was ordered to shell the enemy's position with artillery.
3. to form shallow cracks (in coatings)
  The old paint on the wall began to shell and flake off.
4. to pay or disburse money
  The DJ whispered a secret in her shell, making her blush.
5. to fall off (a covering)
  The old tree started to shell its bark as the weather changed.
6. to cast or shed an outer layer; fall out
  The snake began to shell its skin as it outgrew it.
7. to switch to a command line interface
  To switch to a command line interface, press the shell button.
8. to form a outer covering or boundary
  The earth's surface began to form a shell of ice as the temperature dropped.

Compounds / Phrases