noun
bell
behl
noun
1
A hollow metal instrument, often shaped like a cup, that rings when struck.
"The church bell rang out across the valley at noon."
verb
1
To attach a bell to something.
"Someone suggested they bell the cat so it couldn't sneak up on the birds."
2
To flare out or take on a bell-like shape.
"The skirt belled out as she spun around."
How to Use Bell
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA hollow object that rings when struck, or to give something a bell-like shape.
Common pairings
ring a bell
bell curve
bell the cat
Word Forms
belled past tense, belled past tense, bells plural, Bells plural, Bells plural, bells singular, bells singular
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The church _____ rang out across the valley at noon.
Etymology
From Old English belle, related to Germanic words for "bell" across Dutch, German, and the Scandinavian languages.