shell
shells; shelled
A hard surface that covers an animal is its shell. Sea urchins, turtles, and lobsters all have protective shells. The largest turtle shell is nearly 10 feet wide!
Most shells are made of calcium carbonate, and they grow along with the animal. Bird embryos are nestled inside shells, and nuts have shells too. Other uses for shell come from the biological meaning. A rifle shell has a shell-like metal casing. An empty structure, with only walls, is the shell of a building. And to "come out of your shell," means to emerge, like a turtle, from your shyness.
Definitions of shell
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the material that forms the hard outer covering of many animals
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types:
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mother-of-pearl, nacre
the iridescent internal layer of a mollusk shell
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type of:
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animal material
material derived from animals
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mother-of-pearl, nacre
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the hard largely calcareous covering of a mollusk or a brachiopod
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types:
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valve
one of the paired hinged shells of certain molluscs and of brachiopods
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valve
the entire one-piece shell of a snail and certain other molluscs
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scallop shell
a shell of a scallop
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oyster shell
a shell of an oyster
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phragmacone, phragmocone
the thin conical chambered internal shell (either straight or curved) of a belemnite
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seashell
the shell of a marine organism
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clamshell
the shell of a clam
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type of:
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cover, covering, natural covering
a natural object that covers or envelops
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hard outer covering or case of certain organisms such as arthropods and turtles
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look for and collect shells by the seashore
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type of:
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gather
look for (food) in nature
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gather
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remove from its shell or outer covering
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a rigid covering that envelops an object“the satellite is covered with a smooth shell of ice”
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type of:
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cover, covering, natural covering
a natural object that covers or envelops
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cover, covering, natural covering
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the hard usually fibrous outer layer of some fruits especially nuts
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the exterior covering of a bird's egg
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synonyms:
eggshell
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type of:
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cover, covering, natural covering
a natural object that covers or envelops
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cover, covering, natural covering
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a very light narrow racing boat
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synonyms:
racing shell
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types:
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racing skiff, single shell
a shell for a single oarsman
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scull
a racing shell that is propelled by sculls
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type of:
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racing boat
a boat propelled by oarsmen and designed for racing
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racing skiff, single shell
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ammunition consisting of a cylindrical metal casing containing an explosive charge and a projectile; fired from a large gun
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types:
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artillery shell
a shell fired by artillery
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shotgun shell
a shell containing lead shot; used in shotguns
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shrapnel
shell containing lead pellets that explodes in flight
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tank shell
a shell fired by the cannon on a tank
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whizbang, whizbang shell, whizzbang
a small high-velocity shell; it makes a whizzing sound followed by a bang when it hits
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type of:
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ammo, ammunition
projectiles to be fired from a gun
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create by using explosives
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use explosives on
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the housing or outer covering of something
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types:
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boot
protective casing for something that resembles a leg
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gear box, gear case, gearbox
the shell (metal casing) in which a train of gears is sealed
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jacket
the tough metal shell casing for certain kinds of ammunition
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type of:
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housing
a protective cover designed to contain or support a mechanical component
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boot
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a metal sheathing of uniform thickness (such as the shield attached to an artillery piece to protect the gunners)
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types:
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armor plate, armor plating, armour plate, plate armor, plate armour
specially hardened steel plate used to protect fortifications or vehicles from enemy fire
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horseshoe, shoe
U-shaped plate nailed to underside of horse's hoof
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shell plating
the plates covering the frame of a steel ship and corresponding to the planking of a wooden ship
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backplate
plate armor protecting the back; worn as part of a cuirass
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beaver
a movable piece of armor on a medieval helmet used to protect the lower face
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brassard
armor plate that protects the arm
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aegis, breastplate, egis
armor plate that protects the chest; the front part of a cuirass
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cannon
(Middle Ages) a cylindrical piece of armor plate to protect the arm
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chamfron, chanfron, front-stall, frontstall, testiere
medieval plate armor to protect a horse's head
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cubitiere
body armor that protects the elbow
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cuisse
armor plate that protects the thigh
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epauliere
armor plate that protects the shoulder
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fauld
a piece of armor plate below the breastplate
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gorget
armor plate that protects the neck
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greave, jambeau
armor plate that protects legs below the knee
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helmet
armor plate that protects the head
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knee piece
armor plate that protects the knee
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nosepiece
armor plate that protects the nose
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palette, pallette
one of the rounded armor plates at the armpits of a suit of armor
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roundel
round piece of armor plate that protects the armpit
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skirt of tasses
armor plate that protects the body below the waist
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sabaton, solleret
armor plate that protects the foot; consists of mail with a solid toe and heel
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tasse, tasset
one of two pieces of armor plate hanging from the fauld to protect the upper thighs
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tuille
armor plate that protects the hip and thigh
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visor, vizor
a piece of armor plate (with eye slits) fixed or hinged to a medieval helmet to protect the face
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type of:
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shield
a protective covering or structure
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fall out of the pod or husk“The corn shelled”
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type of:
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emerge
come out into view, as from concealment
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emerge
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remove the husks from
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come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
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types:
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outpoint, outscore
score more points than one's opponents
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walk over
beat easily
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eliminate
remove from a contest or race
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mop up, pip, rack up, whip, worst
defeat thoroughly
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whomp
beat overwhelmingly
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get the best, have the best, overcome
overcome, usually through no fault or weakness of the person that is overcome
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rout, spread-eagle, spreadeagle
defeat disastrously
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get the jump
be there first
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cheat, chicane, chouse, jockey, screw, shaft
defeat someone through trickery or deceit
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exceed, outdo, outgo, outmatch, outperform, outstrip, surmount, surpass
be or do something to a greater degree
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conquer, get over, master, overcome, subdue, surmount
get on top of; deal with successfully
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best, outdo, outflank, scoop, trump
get the better of
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outfight
to fight better than; get the better of
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overmaster, overpower, overwhelm
overcome by superior force
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checkmate, mate
place an opponent's king under an attack from which it cannot escape and thus ending the game
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immobilise, immobilize
make defenseless
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outplay
excel or defeat in a game
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annihilate, bat, clobber, cream, drub, lick, thrash
beat thoroughly and conclusively in a competition or fight
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beat, circumvent, outfox, outsmart, outwit, overreach
beat through cleverness and wit
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outgrow
grow faster than
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outcry, outshout
shout louder than
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outroar
roar louder than
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outsail
sail faster or better than
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outdraw
draw a gun faster, or best someone in a gunfight
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outsell
sell more than others
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outsell
be sold more often than other, similar products
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outpace
surpass in speed
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better, break
surpass in excellence
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outshine
attract more attention and praise than others
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outrange
have a greater range than (another gun)
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outweigh
be heavier than
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outbrave
be braver than
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out-herod
surpass someone in cruelty or evil
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outfox
outdo someone in trickery
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shame
surpass or beat by a wide margin
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bulldog
throw a steer by seizing the horns and twisting the neck, as in a rodeo
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outmaneuver, outmanoeuvre, outsmart
defeat by more skillful maneuvering
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steamroll, steamroller
overwhelm by using great force
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outmarch
march longer distances and for a longer time than
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outwear
last longer than others
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type of:
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defeat, get the better of, overcome
win a victory over
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hit the pitches of hard and regularly“He shelled the pitcher for eight runs in the first inning”
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type of:
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hit
cause to move by striking
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hit
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘shell'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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