'Bell' definitions:

Definition of 'bell'

(from WordNet)
noun
A hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
noun
A push button at an outer door that gives a ringing or buzzing signal when pushed [syn: doorbell, bell, buzzer]
noun
The sound of a bell being struck; "saved by the bell"; "she heard the distant toll of church bells" [syn: bell, toll]
noun
(nautical) each of the eight half-hour units of nautical time signaled by strokes of a ship's bell; eight bells signals 4:00, 8:00, or 12:00 o'clock, either a.m. or p.m. [syn: bell, ship's bell]
noun
The shape of a bell [syn: bell, bell shape, campana]
noun
A phonetician and father of Alexander Graham Bell (1819-1905) [syn: Bell, Melville Bell, Alexander Melville Bell]
noun
English painter; sister of Virginia Woolf; prominent member of the Bloomsbury Group (1879-1961) [syn: Bell, Vanessa Bell, Vanessa Stephen]
noun
United States inventor (born in Scotland) of the telephone (1847-1922) [syn: Bell, Alexander Bell, Alexander Graham Bell]
noun
A percussion instrument consisting of a set of tuned bells that are struck with a hammer; used as an orchestral instrument [syn: chime, bell, gong]
noun
The flared opening of a tubular device
verb
Attach a bell to; "bell cows"

Definition of 'Bell'

From: GCIDE
  • Bell \Bell\, n. [AS. belle, fr. bellan to bellow. See Bellow.]
  • 1. A hollow metallic vessel, usually shaped somewhat like a cup with a flaring mouth, containing a clapper or tongue, and giving forth a ringing sound on being struck. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: Bells have been made of various metals, but the best have always been, as now, of an alloy of copper and tin. [1913 Webster]
  • The Liberty Bell, the famous bell of the Philadelphia State House, which rang when the Continental Congress declared the Independence of the United States, in 1776. It had been cast in 1753, and upon it were the words "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land, to all the inhabitants thereof." [1913 Webster]
  • 2. A hollow perforated sphere of metal containing a loose ball which causes it to sound when moved. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. Anything in the form of a bell, as the cup or corol of a flower. "In a cowslip's bell I lie." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. (Arch.) That part of the capital of a column included between the abacus and neck molding; also used for the naked core of nearly cylindrical shape, assumed to exist within the leafage of a capital. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. pl. (Naut.) The strikes of the bell which mark the time; or the time so designated. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: On shipboard, time is marked by a bell, which is struck eight times at 4, 8, and 12 o'clock. Half an hour after it has struck "eight bells" it is struck once, and at every succeeding half hour the number of strokes is increased by one, till at the end of the four hours, which constitute a watch, it is struck eight times. [1913 Webster]
  • To bear away the bell, to win the prize at a race where the prize was a bell; hence, to be superior in something. --Fuller.
  • To bear the bell, to be the first or leader; -- in allusion to the bellwether or a flock, or the leading animal of a team or drove, when wearing a bell.
  • To curse by bell, book, and candle, a solemn form of excommunication used in the Roman Catholic church, the bell being tolled, the book of offices for the purpose being used, and three candles being extinguished with certain ceremonies. --Nares.
  • To lose the bell, to be worsted in a contest. "In single fight he lost the bell." --Fairfax.
  • To shake the bells, to move, give notice, or alarm. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: Bell is much used adjectively or in combinations; as, bell clapper; bell foundry; bell hanger; bell-mouthed; bell tower, etc., which, for the most part, are self-explaining. [1913 Webster]
  • Bell arch (Arch.), an arch of unusual form, following the curve of an ogee.
  • Bell cage, or Bell carriage (Arch.), a timber frame constructed to carry one or more large bells.
  • Bell cot (Arch.), a small or subsidiary construction, frequently corbeled out from the walls of a structure, and used to contain and support one or more bells.
  • Bell deck (Arch.), the floor of a belfry made to serve as a roof to the rooms below.
  • Bell founder, one whose occupation it is to found or cast bells.
  • Bell foundry, or Bell foundery, a place where bells are founded or cast.
  • Bell gable (Arch.), a small gable-shaped construction, pierced with one or more openings, and used to contain bells.
  • Bell glass. See Bell jar.
  • Bell hanger, a man who hangs or puts up bells.
  • Bell pull, a cord, handle, or knob, connecting with a bell or bell wire, and which will ring the bell when pulled. --Aytoun.
  • Bell punch, a kind of conductor's punch which rings a bell when used.
  • Bell ringer, one who rings a bell or bells, esp. one whose business it is to ring a church bell or chime, or a set of musical bells for public entertainment.
  • Bell roof (Arch.), a roof shaped according to the general lines of a bell.
  • Bell rope, a rope by which a church or other bell is rung.
  • Bell tent, a circular conical-topped tent.
  • Bell trap, a kind of bell shaped stench trap. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Bell'

From: GCIDE
  • Bell \Bell\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Belled; p. pr. & vb. n. Belling.] To put a bell upon; as, to bell the cat. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To make bell-mouthed; as, to bell a tube. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Bell'

From: GCIDE
  • Bell \Bell\, v. i. To develop bells or corollas; to take the form of a bell; to blossom; as, hops bell. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Bell'

From: GCIDE
  • Bell \Bell\, v. t. [AS. bellan. See Bellow.] To utter by bellowing. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Bell'

From: GCIDE
  • Bell \Bell\, v. i. To call or bellow, as the deer in rutting time; to make a bellowing sound; to roar. [1913 Webster]
  • As loud as belleth wind in hell. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
  • The wild buck bells from ferny brake. --Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'bell'

From: Easton
  • Bell The bells first mentioned in Scripture are the small golden bells attached to the hem of the high priest's ephod (Ex. 28:33, 34, 35). The "bells of the horses" mentioned by Zechariah (14:20) were attached to the bridles or belts round the necks of horses trained for war, so as to accustom them to noise and tumult.

Synonyms of 'bell'

From: Moby Thesaurus

Bell, CA -- U.S. city in California

From: Gazetteer 2000
Name :
Bell, CA -- U.S. city in California
Population (2000) :
36664
Housing Units (2000) :
9215
Land area (2000) :
2.476872 sq. miles (6.415068 sq. km)
Water area (2000) :
0.165612 sq. miles (0.428932 sq. km)
Total area (2000) :
2.642484 sq. miles (6.844000 sq. km)
FIPS code :
04870
Located within :
California (CA), FIPS 06
Location :
33.978414 N, 118.182908 W
Note :
some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.

Bell, FL -- U.S. town in Florida

From: Gazetteer 2000
Name :
Bell, FL -- U.S. town in Florida
Population (2000) :
349
Housing Units (2000) :
149
Land area (2000) :
1.634454 sq. miles (4.233216 sq. km)
Water area (2000) :
0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000) :
1.634454 sq. miles (4.233216 sq. km)
FIPS code :
04975
Located within :
Florida (FL), FIPS 12
Location :
29.754443 N, 82.861712 W
ZIP Codes (1990) :
32619
Note :
some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.

Bell, OK -- U.S. Census Designated Place in Oklahoma

From: Gazetteer 2000
Name :
Bell, OK -- U.S. Census Designated Place in Oklahoma
Population (2000) :
602
Housing Units (2000) :
189
Land area (2000) :
22.195926 sq. miles (57.487182 sq. km)
Water area (2000) :
0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000) :
22.195926 sq. miles (57.487182 sq. km)
FIPS code :
05090
Located within :
Oklahoma (OK), FIPS 40
Location :
35.737087 N, 94.521859 W
Note :
some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.

Bell -- U.S. County in Kentucky

From: Gazetteer 2000
Name :
Bell -- U.S. County in Kentucky
Population (2000) :
30060
Housing Units (2000) :
13341
Land area (2000) :
360.767946 sq. miles (934.384652 sq. km)
Water area (2000) :
0.583243 sq. miles (1.510593 sq. km)
Total area (2000) :
361.351189 sq. miles (935.895245 sq. km)
Located within :
Kentucky (KY), FIPS 21
Location :
36.691388 N, 83.702245 W

Bell -- U.S. County in Texas

From: Gazetteer 2000
Name :
Bell -- U.S. County in Texas
Population (2000) :
237974
Housing Units (2000) :
92782
Land area (2000) :
1059.718825 sq. miles (2744.659040 sq. km)
Water area (2000) :
28.208223 sq. miles (73.058960 sq. km)
Total area (2000) :
1087.927048 sq. miles (2817.718000 sq. km)
Located within :
Texas (TX), FIPS 48
Location :
31.075540 N, 97.520327 W

Words containing 'Bell'