bell

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A hollow metal object, often cup-shaped, that rings when it is struck.

   The church bells rang out across the village.

2. 2
   noun

   The sound of a bell used as a signal.

   The boxer was saved by the bell at the end of the round.

3. 3
   verb

   To attach a bell to something.

   They belled the cows to keep track of them.

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰel-der. Proto-Germanic *bellǭ Proto-West Germanic *bellā Old English belle Middle English belle English bell From Middle English belle (“bell”), from Old English belle (“bell”), from Proto-West Germanic *bellā (“bell”), Proto-Germanic *bellǭ (“bell”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to sound”). Cognate with West Frisian belle, bel (“bell”), Dutch bel (“bell”), Low German Belle, Bel (“bell”), Danish bjælde (“bell”), Faroese bjølla (“bell”), Icelandic bjalla (“bell”), Norwegian bjelle (“bell”), Swedish bjällra (“bell”).

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