shell (ʃɛl
)
Definitions
noun
- the protective calcareous or membranous outer layer of an egg, esp a bird's egg
- the hard outer covering of many molluscs that is secreted by the mantle
- any other hard outer layer, such as the exoskeleton of many arthropods
- the hard outer layer of some fruits, esp of nuts
- any hard outer case
- a hollow artillery projectile filled with explosive primed to explode either during flight, on impact, or after penetration Compare ball1 (sense 7a)
- a small-arms cartridge comprising a hollow casing inside which is the primer, charge, and bullet
- a pyrotechnic cartridge designed to explode in the air
- rowing a very light narrow racing boat
- the external structure of a building, esp one that is unfinished or one that has been gutted by fire
- the basic structural case of something, such as a machine, vehicle, etc
- physics
- a class of electron orbits in an atom in which the electrons have the same principal quantum number and orbital angular momentum quantum number and differences in their energy are small compared with differences in energy between shells
- an analogous energy state of nucleons in certain theories (shell models) of the structure of the atomic nucleus
- the pastry case of a pie, flan, etc
- a thin slab of concrete or a skeletal framework made of wood or metal that forms a shell-like roof
- British (in some schools) a class or form
- See come out of one's shell
- See bring out of one's shell
verb
- to divest or be divested of a shell, husk, pod, etc
- to separate or be separated from an ear, husk, cob, etc
- (tr) to bombard with artillery shells
See also
shell outAlternative Forms
ˈshell-less adjective ˈshelly adjectiveWord Origin
Old English sciell; related to Old Norse skel shell, Gothic skalja tile, Middle Low German schelle shell; see scaleOld English related to Old Norse shell, Gothic tile, Middle Low German shell; see 1, , shaleSynonyms
View thesaurus entry=
shyness,
modesty,
lack of confidence
self-consciousness,
nervousness,
reticence,
timidity,
diffidence,
bashfulness,
timorousness,
mousiness,
timidness,
Translations
- British English:
shell
The shell of an egg or nut is its hard part.ʃɛl NOUN
- Spanish:
cáscara
nf
- French:
coquille
nf
- German:
Schale
nf
- Chinese: 壳 n
- Arabic: قِشْر n
- Portuguese: casca nf
- Russian: раковина nf
- Croatian: školjka nf
- Czech: skořápka nf
- Danish: skal nutr
- Dutch: geraamte nnt
- Finnish: kuori n
- Greek: όστρακο nnt
- Italian: conchiglia nf
- Japanese: 殻 n
- Korean: 껍질 n
- Norwegian: skjell nnt
- Polish: skorupka nf
- Brazilian Portuguese: casca nf
- European Spanish:
cáscara
nf
- Swedish: snäcka nutr
- Thai: เปลือก n
- Turkish: kabuk n
- Vietnamese: vỏ n
Usage examples
She felt as if she had turned into a crab, a hermit crab with long, useless legs and a hugely heavy shell.
, The Scar (1990)Country Buildings at Risk Once a splendid 19th-century Gothic castle, Gwrych has been reduced to a shell by squatters, vandals and arson.
Country Life (2004)The church bears the scars of the occasional Israeli tank shell.
Globe and Mail (2003)The sending-off ruined the match as a spectacle, with Arsenal retreating into a defensive shell.
Glasgow Herald (2002)Thousands of men had to be withdrawn from the horrific conditions of the front line with what was referred to then as shell shock.
, COUNTING SHEEP: The Science and Pleasures of Sleep and Dreams (2002)