(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
The ~ of a nut or egg is the hard covering which surrounds it.
They cracked the nuts and removed their ~s...
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Shell is the substance that a ~ is made of.
...beads made from ostrich egg ~.
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2.
The ~ of an animal such as a tortoise, snail, or crab is the hard protective covering that it has around its body or on its back.
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3.
Shells are hard objects found on beaches. They are usually pink, white, or brown and are the coverings which used to surround small sea creatures.
I collect ~s and interesting seaside items.
...sea ~s.
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4.
If you ~ nuts, peas, prawns, or other food, you remove their natural outer covering.
She ~ed and ate a few nuts.
...~ed prawns.
VERB: V n, V-ed
5.
If someone comes out of their ~, they become more friendly and interested in other people and less quiet, shy, and reserved.
Her normally shy son had come out of his ~.
N-COUNT: usu poss N
6.
The ~ of a building, boat, car, or other structure is the outside frame of it.
...the ~s of burned buildings...
N-COUNT: usu with supp
7.
A ~ is a weapon consisting of a metal container filled with explosives that can be fired from a large gun over long distances.
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8.
To ~ a place means to fire explosive ~s at it.
The rebels ~ed the densely-populated suburbs near the port.
VERB: V n
~ing (~ings)
Out on the streets, the ~ing continued.
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