- shell
- [[t]ʃɛl[/t]]n.1) zool. a hard outer covering of an animal, as of a clam, snail, lobster, or turtle2) zool. the material constituting any of various coverings of this kind3) zool. the hard exterior of an egg4) bot the usu. hard outer covering of a seed, fruit, or the like5) something resembling the shell of an animal, as in shape or hollowness6) a hard, protecting or enclosing case or cover7) a reserved attitude or manner8) a hollow projectile, as for a cannon, filled with an explosive charge9) mil a metallic cartridge used in small arms10) mil a metal or paper cartridge for use in a shotgun11) mil a cartridgelike pyrotechnic device that explodes in the air12) coo an unfilled pastry crust, as for a pie13) naut. navig. a light, long, narrow racing boat for rowing by one or more persons14) the framework or external structure of a building15) clo the outer part of a finished garment that has an often detachable lining16) clo a woman's sleeveless blouse or sweater17) naut. navig. the plating or planking forming the exterior hull of a ship18) cmp a computer program providing a menu-driven or graphical user interface designed to simplify use of the operating system, as in loading application programs19) phsa) any of the electron orbits in an atom having the same principal quantum number and about the same energyb) a group of nucleons of approximately the same energy20) tortoiseshell 1)21) civ the curved solid forming a domed or arched roof22) bui the metal, pressure-resistant outer casing of a fire-tube boiler23) to remove the shell of24) to separate (corn, grain, etc.) from the ear, cob, or husk25) mil to fire shells or explosive projectiles into, upon, or among; bombard26) to fall or come out of the shell, husk, or pod27) to come away or fall off, as a shell or outer coat28) cvb to gather seashells29) phv shell out, Informal. to pay (money)•Etymology: bef. 900; (n.) OE scell (Anglian), sciell, c. MD schelle pod, rind, ON skel seashell, Go skalja tile shell′-less, adj.
From formal English to slang. 2014.