shell

shell
I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English sciell; akin to Old English scealu shell, Old Norse skel, Lithuanian skelti to split, Greek skallein to hoe Date: before 12th century 1. a. a hard rigid usually largely calcareous covering or support of an animal b. the hard or tough often thin outer covering of an egg (as of a bird or reptile) — see egg illustration 2. the covering or outside part of a fruit or seed especially when hard or fibrous 3. shell material (as of mollusks or turtles) or their substance 4. something that resembles a shell: as a. a framework or exterior structure; especially a building with an unfinished interior b. (1) an external case or outside covering <
the shell of a ship
>
(2) a thin usually spherical layer or surface enclosing a space or surrounding an object <
an expanding shell of gas around a neutron star
>
c. a casing without substance <
mere effigies and shells of men — Thomas Carlyle
>
d. an edible crust for holding a filling <
a pastry shell
>
<
a taco salad in a tortilla shell
>
e. band shell f. a small beer glass g. an unlined article of outerwear 5. a shell-bearing mollusk 6. an impersonal attitude or manner that conceals the presence or absence of feeling <
he retreated into his shell
>
7. a narrow light racing boat propelled by one or more persons pulling oars or sculls 8. any of the regions occupied by the orbits of a group of electrons of approximately equal energy surrounding the nucleus of an atom 9. a. a projectile for cannon containing an explosive bursting charge b. a metal or paper case which holds the charge of powder and shot or bullet used with breech-loading small arms 10. a plain usually sleeveless blouse or sweater 11. a company or corporation that exists without assets or independent operations as a legal entity through which another company or corporation can conduct various dealings • shell adjective II. verb Date: 1562 transitive verb 1. a. to take out of a natural enclosing cover (as a shell, husk, pod, or capsule) <
shell peanuts
>
b. to separate the kernels of (as an ear of Indian corn, wheat, or oats) from the cob, ear, or husk 2. to throw shells at, upon, or into ; bombard 3. to score heavily against (as an opposing pitcher in baseball) intransitive verb 1. to fall or scale off in thin pieces 2. to cast the shell or exterior covering ; fall out of the pod or husk <
nuts which shell in falling
>
3. to gather shells (as from a beach) ; collect shells

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Shell — Shell, n. [OE. shelle, schelle, AS. scell, scyll; akin to D. shel, Icel. skel, Goth. skalja a tile, and E. skill. Cf. {Scale} of fishes, {Shale}, {Skill}.] 1. A hard outside covering, as of a fruit or an animal. Specifically: (a) The covering, or …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Shell — may refer to * Animal shell, or exoskeleton, including those of molluscs, turtles, insects and crustaceans * Seashell, the shells of various marine animals, especially marine mollusks * Eggshell, the outer covering of a hard shelled eggAny more… …   Wikipedia

  • shell — less, adj. shell like, adj. /shel/, n. 1. a hard outer covering of an animal, as the hard case of a mollusk, or either half of the case of a bivalve mollusk. 2. any of various objects resembling such a covering, as in shape or in being more or… …   Universalium

  • shell — [ʆel] verb shell out something phrasal verb [intransitive, transitive] informal to spend a lot of money on something, often when you do not really want to; =FORK OUT: shell out something for/​on • The insurance company refused to shell out for… …   Financial and business terms

  • shell — [shel] n. [ME schelle < OE sciel, akin to MDu schelle < IE base * (s)kel : see SHELF] 1. a hard outer covering, as of a turtle, mollusk, insect, egg, fruit, seed, etc. 2. something like or suggestive of a shell in being hollow, empty, or… …   English World dictionary

  • shell — ► NOUN 1) the hard protective outer case of an animal such as a snail, shellfish, or turtle. 2) the outer covering of an egg, nut kernel, or seed. 3) an explosive artillery projectile or bomb. 4) a hollow metal or paper case used as a container… …   English terms dictionary

  • Shell — Shell, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Shelled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Shelling}.] 1. To strip or break off the shell of; to take out of the shell, pod, etc.; as, to shell nuts or pease; to shell oysters. [1913 Webster] 2. To separate the kernels of (an ear of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Shell — Shell, v. i. 1. To fall off, as a shell, crust, etc. [1913 Webster] 2. To cast the shell, or exterior covering; to fall out of the pod or husk; as, nuts shell in falling. [1913 Webster] 3. To be disengaged from the ear or husk; as, wheat or rye… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • shell|y — «SHEHL ee», adjective, shell|i|er, shell|i|est. 1. abounding in shells. 2. consisting of a shell or shells. 3. shell like …   Useful english dictionary

  • Shell — У этого термина существуют и другие значения, см. Шелл. Shell: Shell  интерпретатор команд операционной системы. Royal Dutch Shell  британско нидерландская компания …   Википедия

  • Shell — [ʃɛl] die; , s <aus gleichbed. engl. shell, eigtl. »Schale, Hülle«>: 1. Benutzeroberfläche eines Betriebssystems (von Computern; EDV). 2. ↑Expertensystem, das noch nicht od. nicht mehr mit Fakten od. Regeln eines bestimmten Gebiets gefüllt… …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

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