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Bell Sound Bel Church Ringing Peal Bell Shaped End

Word bell
WordType (noun)
Phonetic BrE / bel / NAmE / bel /
Example
  • a peal of church bells rang out in the distance.
  • a bicycle bell
  • his voice came down the line as clear as a bell.
  • the bell of a trumpet (= the bell-shaped part at the end of it)
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Content

bell

(noun)BrE / bel / NAmE / bel /
  1. a hollow metal object, often shaped like a cup, that makes a ringing sound when hit by a small piece of metal inside it; the sound that it makes
    • A peal of church bells rang out in the distance.
    • a bicycle bell
    • His voice came down the line as clear as a bell.
    • the bell of a trumpet (= the bell-shaped part at the end of it)
    • a bell tower
    • a bell-shaped flower
    • wedding bells
    • The dancers wore bells on their ankles.
  2. an electrical device which makes a ringing sound when a button on it is pushed; the sound that it makes, used as a signal or a warning
    • Ring the bell to see if they're in.
    • The bell's ringing!
    • The bell went for the end of the lesson.
    • An alarm bell went off.
    • Warning bells started ringing in her head as she sensed that something was wrong.
  3. if you say that alarm bells are ringing, you mean that people are starting to feel worried and suspicious
    • The government’s proposal has set alarm bells ringing for people on low incomes.
  4. to call somebody by telephone
    • See related entries: Making calls
      https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/topic/making_calls/bell_2
  5. used to show that you do not believe what somebody has just said
  6. to sound familiar to you, as though you have heard it before
    • His name rings a bell but I can't think where we met.
  7. in perfect condition
    • The doctor said I was as sound as a bell.

    Extra Examples

    • Saved by the bell! I thought I’d have to sit here listening to you two argue forever.
    • She heard a peal of church bells.
    • The bells on the harness tinkled softly.
    • The church bells tolled for Evensong.
    • The laptop has all the latest bells and whistles.
    • The school bell goes at three every afternoon.
    • The sound of bells echoed across the valley.
    • The two of them went everywhere together and their friends could already hear wedding bells.
    • Their friends could already hear wedding bells= were sure they would get married.
    • the faint chime of bells

    Word Origin

    • Old English belle, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bel.
Copyright This card's content is collected from the following dictionaries: Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Tags: b

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