bell

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈbel

Synonyms of bell next

: a hollow metallic device that gives off a reverberating sound when struck

: doorbell

: the sounding of a bell as a signal

: a stroke of a bell (as on shipboard) to indicate the time

also : the time so indicated

: a half hour period of a watch on shipboard indicated by the strokes of a bell see Ship's Bells Table

: something having the form of a bell: such as

: the corolla of a flower

: a bell-shaped organ or part (such as the dewlap of a moose)

especially : the bell- or saucer-shaped, largely gelatinous structure that forms the main part of the body of most jellyfish : umbrella entry 1 sense 3

: the part of the capital of a column between the abacus and neck molding

: the flared end of a wind instrument

: the open mouth of a nozzle (such as of the exhaust of a jet engine)

The heating was so intense … that the gas went rushing out the tail of the engine at 30,000 feet per second, or twice the speed at which exhaust leaves the bell of a conventional engine.—

Jeffrey Kluger

: a percussion instrument consisting of metal bars or tubes that when struck give out tones resembling bells

—usually used in plural

: glockenspiel

bell

2 of 4

verb (1)

belled; belling; bells

transitive verb

: to provide with a bell

: to flare the end of (something, such as a tube) into the shape of a bell

intransitive verb

: to take the form of a bell : flare

bell

3 of 4

verb (2)

belled; belling; bells

intransitive verb

: to make a resonant bellowing or baying sound

the wild buck bells from ferny brake—

Sir Walter Scott

bell

4 of 4

noun (2)

: bellow, roar

Phrases

get/have one's bell rung

US and Canada, sports, informal

: to be hit on the head : to suffer a concussion

He had his bell rung on a blitz, and a short time later he was taken to Divine Providence Hospital.—

Ralph Wiley

give (someone) a bell

British, informal

: to make a telephone call to

Maybe Cowell can give him a bell towards the end of his marathon broadcast—that would certainly wake him up.—

Mark Jefferies

bell the cat

: to do a daring or risky deed

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

In addition to advocating for human rights, Rodriguez is also eco-conscious, ringing the alarm bells about protecting forests and farmers via her partnership with the Rainforest Alliance. —

Angelique Jackson, Variety, 4 Apr. 2023 But who among them is willing to bell the cat? —

Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 5 Oct. 2020

Noun

Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa of Jordan tied the knot before changing outfits for an evening banquet Royal wedding bells are ringing in Jordan! —

Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 1 June 2023 What is clear now is that the alarm bells are ringing for crypto’s future in the U.S. Other countries have seized this opportunity as America clamps down, with potential long-term consequences industry across the globe. —

Kristin Smith, Fortune Crypto, 25 May 2023 The servers could walk right up to the door and ring the bell. —

Shawn Tully, Fortune, 17 May 2023 Stunning crochet detailing down the front and around the edges of this dress looks delicate and timeless, and wide bell sleeves and a deep V-neck cut add to the bohemian vibe of the cover-up. —

Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 14 May 2023 These developments, however, are not the core of the problem, no matter that the alarm bells are ringing, because big companies no longer wish to list in London and at the tail end of the exchange’s offering, Alternative Investment Market (AIM) companies are dropping off like flies. —

Clem Chambers, Forbes, 4 May 2023 For more info: American Heritage Museum, Hudson, Mass. National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio Campane Marinelli, in southern Italy, is one of the oldest bell foundries in the world. —

David Morgan, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2023 In their first-quarter earnings calls after the bell yesterday (April 25), Alphabet, Google’s parent company, and Microsoft both anchored their conversation around AI and, as a result, the future of search. —

Ananya Bhattacharya, Quartz, 26 Apr. 2023 Her essay explores sounds, how sound remembered can never be exact, how the bells of Notre Dame can never sound the same again, how her father’s voice can’t be identical to that recording, or her memory of the recording. —

Claire Hodgdon, Longreads, 25 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bell.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.