Shell

9 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Shell \Shell\, n. [OE. shelle, schelle, AS. scell, scyll; akin
     to D. shel, Icel. skel, Goth. skalja a tile, and E. skill.
     Cf. {Scale} of fishes, {Shale}, {Skill}.]
     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.
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  Think him as a serpent's egg, . . .
                  And kill him in the shell.        --Shak.
            [1913 Webster]
        (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.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     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}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. The case which holds the powder, or charge of powder and
        shot, used with breechloading small arms.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. Any slight hollow structure; a framework, or exterior
        structure, regarded as not complete or filled in; as, the
        shell of a house.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. A coarse kind of coffin; also, a thin interior coffin
        inclosed in a more substantial one. --Knight.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     6. An instrument of music, as a lyre, -- the first lyre
        having been made, it is said, by drawing strings over a
        tortoise shell.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              When Jubal struck the chorded shell.  --Dryden.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     7. An engraved copper roller used in print works.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     8. pl. The husks of cacao seeds, a decoction of which is
        often used as a substitute for chocolate, cocoa, etc.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     9. (Naut.) The outer frame or case of a block within which
        the sheaves revolve.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     10. A light boat the frame of which is covered with thin wood
         or with paper; as, a racing shell.
         [1913 Webster]
  
     11. Something similar in form or action to an ordnance shell;
         specif.:
         (a) (Fireworks) A case or cartridge containing a charge
             of explosive material, which bursts after having been
             thrown high into the air. It is often elevated
             through the agency of a larger firework in which it
             is contained.
         (b) (Oil Wells) A torpedo.
             [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     12. A concave rough cast-iron tool in which a convex lens is
         ground to shape.
         [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     13. A gouge bit or shell bit.
         [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     {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 {Bit}, n., 3.
  
     {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.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Shell \Shell\, v. 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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To separate the kernels of (an ear of Indian corn, wheat,
        oats, etc.) from the cob, ear, or husk.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. To throw shells or bombs upon or into; to bombard; as, to
        shell a town.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {To shell out}, to distribute freely; to bring out or pay, as
        money. [Colloq.]
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Shell \Shell\, v. i.
     1. To fall off, as a shell, crust, etc.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To cast the shell, or exterior covering; to fall out of
        the pod or husk; as, nuts shell in falling.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. To be disengaged from the ear or husk; as, wheat or rye
        shells in reaping.
        [1913 Webster] Shellac

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  shell
       n 1: ammunition consisting of a cylindrical metal casing
            containing an explosive charge and a projectile; fired
            from a large gun
       2: the material that forms the hard outer covering of many
          animals
       3: hard outer covering or case of certain organisms such as
          arthropods and turtles [syn: {carapace}, {cuticle}]
       4: the hard usually fibrous outer layer of some fruits
          especially nuts
       5: the exterior covering of a bird's egg [syn: {eggshell}]
       6: a rigid covering that envelops an object; "the satellite is
          covered with a smooth shell of ice"
       7: a very light narrow racing boat [syn: {racing shell}]
       8: the housing or outer covering of something; "the clock has a
          walnut case" [syn: {case}, {casing}]
       9: a metal sheathing of uniform thickness (such as the shield
          attached to an artillery piece to protect the gunners)
          [syn: {plate}, {scale}]
       10: the hard largely calcareous covering of a mollusc
       v 1: use explosives on; "The enemy has been shelling us all day"
            [syn: {blast}]
       2: fall out of the pod or husk; "The corn shelled"
       3: hit the pitches of hard and regularly; "He shelled the
          pitcher for eight runs in the first inning"
       4: look for and collect shells by the seashore
       5: come out better in a competition, race, or conflict; "Agassi
          beat Becker in the tennis championship"; "We beat the
          competition"; "Harvard defeated Yale in the last football
          game" [syn: {beat}, {beat out}, {crush}, {trounce}, {vanquish}]
       6: remove from its shell or outer covering; "shell the
          legumes"; "shell mussels"
       7: remove the husks from; "husk corn" [syn: {husk}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  304 Moby Thesaurus words for "shell":
     Eustachian tube, L, R, acting area, aim at, alveolation, alveolus,
     ante up, antrum, anvil, apron, apron stage, armadillo shell,
     armature, armor, armor plate, armpit, atom, atomic model, attack,
     auditory apparatus, auditory canal, auditory meatus,
     auditory nerve, auditory ossicles, auditory tube, auricle,
     backstage, ball, ball cartridge, band shell, bandstand, bar shot,
     bark, barrage, basilar membrane, basin, bird shot, blank cartridge,
     blast, blitz, board, body armor, bomb, bombard, bony labyrinth,
     border, bowl, bran, bridge, buckler, buckshot, bullet,
     bulletproof vest, cadre, cannon, cannon shot, cannonade,
     cannonball, capsule, cartouche, cartridge, case, case shot,
     casement, casing, cauliflower ear, cavity, chaff, chain armor,
     chain mail, chassis, chitin, chiton, circumference, clam shell,
     coat of mail, cochlea, cockleshell, cocoa shell, commence firing,
     concave, concavity, conch, concha, corn shuck, cornhusk, cortex,
     coulisse, covering, cowrie, crater, crossbar shot, crust, crypt,
     cup, decorticate, depression, dip, disburse, dish out, dock,
     doorframe, dressing room, drumhead, duck shot, dumdum bullet, ear,
     ear lobe, eardrum, eggshell, elytron, endolymph, enfilade,
     envelope, epidermis, episperm, eschar, excorticate,
     expanding bullet, expend, exterior, external, external ear,
     externals, fabric, facade, face, facet, fire a volley, fire at,
     fire upon, flies, fly floor, fly gallery, fold, follicle,
     forestage, fork out, frame, framework, framing, fringe, front,
     funnel chest, fusillade, give out, grape, grapeshot, greenroom,
     grid, gridiron, habergeon, hammer, hand out, hand over, harness,
     hauberk, hole, hollow, hollow shell, hull, husk, incrustation,
     incus, inner ear, integument, ion, jacket, lacuna, langrel shot,
     lattice, latticework, lay out, lightboard, limpet, lineaments,
     lobe, lobule, lorica, lorication, lug, mail, malleus,
     manstopping bullet, mastoid process, middle ear, mortar, needles,
     nuclear atom, nuclide, nutshell, open fire, open up on, orchestra,
     orchestra pit, organ of Corti, outer ear, outer face, outer layer,
     outer side, outer skin, outline, outside, oval window,
     oyster shell, palea, panoply, pastry shell, pay out, peel, pellet,
     pepper, performing area, pericarp, perilymph, periphery,
     periwinkle, picture frame, piecrust, pinna, pit, planetary shell,
     plate, plate armor, pocket, pod, pop at, projectile, proscenium,
     proscenium stage, protective covering, punch bowl, rake,
     rifle ball, rind, round shot, round window, sash, scab, scale,
     scallop, scoop, scute, scutum, sea shell, secondary eardrum,
     semicircular canals, shell out, shield, shoot, shoot at, shot,
     shrapnel, shuck, sink, sinus, skeleton, skin, slough, slug, snipe,
     snipe at, socket, spend, spines, split shot, stage, stage left,
     stage right, stalactite, stalagmite, stapes, stirrup, strafe,
     subshell, suit of armor, superficies, superstratum, surface,
     switchboard, tagged atom, take aim at, test, testa, the boards,
     thick skin, top, torpedo, tracer, tracer atom, trough,
     tympanic cavity, tympanic membrane, tympanum, valence shell,
     vestibule, vug, whelk, window case, window frame, wings, winkle,
     zero in on
  
  

From Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001) [jargon]:

  shell n. [orig. {{Multics}} techspeak, widely propagated via Unix] 1.
     [techspeak] The command interpreter used to pass commands to an
     operating system; so called because it is the part of the operating
     system that interfaces with the outside world. 2. More generally, any
     interface program that mediates access to a special resource or {server}
     for convenience, efficiency, or security reasons; for this meaning, the
     usage is usually `a shell around' whatever. This sort of program is also
     called a `wrapper'. 3. A skeleton program, created by hand or by another
     program (like, say, a parser generator), which provides the necessary
     {incantation}s to set up some task and the control flow to drive it (the
     term {driver} is sometimes used synonymously). The user is meant to fill
     in whatever code is needed to get real work done. This usage is common
     in the AI and Microsoft Windows worlds, and confuses Unix hackers.
  
     Historical note: Apparently, the original Multics shell (sense 1) was
     so called because it was a shell (sense 3); it ran user programs not by
     starting up separate processes, but by dynamically linking the programs
     into its own code, calling them as subroutines, and then dynamically
     de-linking them on return. The VMS command interpreter still does
     something very like this.
  
  

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  SHELL
       
           An early system on the {Datatron 200} series.
       
          [Listed in CACM 2(5):16 (May 1959)].
       
          [{Jargon File}]
       
          (1995-05-11)
       
       

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  shell
       
          1.  (Originally from {Multics}, widely
          propagated via {Unix}) The {command interpreter} used to pass
          commands to an {operating system}; so called because it is the
          part of the operating system that interfaces with the outside
          world.
       
          The commonest Unix shells are the c shell ({csh}) and the
          Bourne shell ({sh}).
       
          2. (Or "wrapper") Any interface program that mediates access
          to a special resource or {server} for convenience, efficiency,
          or security reasons; for this meaning, the usage is usually "a
          shell around" whatever.
       
          [{Jargon File}]
       
          (1995-05-11)
       
       

From U.S. Gazetteer (1990) [gazetteer]:

  Shell, WY
    Zip code(s): 82441