Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Shell
Shell
,Noun.
1.
A hard outside covering, as of a fruit or an animal.
Specifically: (a)
The covering, or outside part, of a nut;
as, a hazelnut
. shell
(b)
A pod.
(c)
The hard covering of an egg.
Think him as a serpent’s egg, . . .
And kill him in the
And kill him in the
shell
. Shakespeare
(d)
(Zool.)
The hard calcareous or chitinous external covering of mollusks, crustaceans, and some other invertebrates. In some mollusks, as the cuttlefishes, it is internal, or concealed by the mantle. Also, the hard covering of some vertebrates, as the armadillo, the tortoise, and the like.
(e)
(Zool.)
Hence, by extension, any mollusks having such a covering.
2.
(Mil.)
A hollow projectile, of various shapes, adapted for a mortar or a cannon, and containing an explosive substance, ignited with a fuse or by percussion, by means of which the projectile is burst and its fragments scattered. See
Bomb
. 3.
The case which holds the powder, or charge of powder and shot, used with breechloading small arms.
4.
Any slight hollow structure; a framework, or exterior structure, regarded as not complete or filled in;
as, the
. shell
of a house5.
A coarse kind of coffin; also, a thin interior coffin inclosed in a more substantial one.
Knight.
6.
An instrument of music, as a lyre, – the first lyre having been made, it is said, by drawing strings over a tortoise shell.
When Jubal struck the chorded
shell
. Dryden.
7.
An engraved copper roller used in print works.
8.
pl.
The husks of cacao seeds, a decoction of which is often used as a substitute for chocolate, cocoa, etc.
9.
(Naut.)
The outer frame or case of a block within which the sheaves revolve.
10.
A light boat the frame of which is covered with thin wood or with paper;
as, a racing
. shell
Message shell
, a bombshell inside of which papers may be put, in order to convey messages.
– Shell bit
, a tool shaped like a gouge, used with a brace in boring wood. See , 3.
– Bit
, Noun.
Shell button
. (a)
A button made of shell
. (b)
A hollow button made of two pieces, as of metal, one for the front and the other for the back, – often covered with cloth, silk, etc.
– Shell cameo
, a cameo cut in shell instead of stone.
– Shell flower
. (Bot.)
Same as
– Turtlehead
. Shell gland
. (Zool.)
(a)
A glandular organ in which the rudimentary shell is formed in embryonic mollusks
. (b)
A glandular organ which secretes the eggshells of various worms, crustacea, mollusks, etc.
– Shell gun
, a cannon suitable for throwing shells.
– Shell ibis
(Zool.)
, the openbill of India.
– Shell jacket
, an undress military jacket.
– Shell lime
, lime made by burning the shells of shellfish.
– Shell marl
(Min.)
, a kind of marl characterized by an abundance of shells, or fragments of shells.
– Shell meat
, food consisting of shellfish, or testaceous mollusks.
Fuller.
– Shell mound
. See under
– Mound
. Shell of a boiler
, the exterior of a steam boiler, forming a case to contain the water and steam, often inclosing also flues and the furnace; the barrel of a cylindrical, or locomotive, boiler.
– Shell road
, a road of which the surface or bed is made of shells, as oyster shells.
– Shell sand
, minute fragments of shells constituting a considerable part of the seabeach in some places.
Shell
,Verb.
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.2.
To separate the kernels of (an ear of Indian corn, wheat, oats, etc.) from the cob, ear, or husk.
3.
To throw shells or bombs upon or into; to bombard;
as, to
. shell
a townTo shell out
, to distribute freely; to bring out or pay, as money.
[Colloq.]
Shell
,Verb.
I.
1.
To fall off, as a shell, crust, etc.
2.
To cast the shell, or exterior covering; to fall out of the pod or husk;
as, nuts
. shell
in falling3.
To be disengaged from the ear or husk;
as, wheat or rye
. shells
in reapingWebster 1828 Edition
Shell
SHELL
,Noun.
1. The hard and stony covering of certain fruits and of certain animals; as the shell of a nut; the shell of an oyster or lobster. the shells of animals are crustaceous or testaceous; crustaceous as that of the lobster, and testaceous as that of the oyster and clam.
2. The outer coat of an egg.
3. The outer part of a house unfinished. We say of a building that wants the interior timbers or finishing, that it is a mere shell.
4. An instrument of music, like testudo in Latin; the first lyre being make, it is said, by drawing strings over a tortoise shell.
5. Oute ror superficial part; as the shell of religion.
6. A bomb.