bell S2 W3 /bel/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: belle ]
1 . a piece of electrical equipment that makes a ringing sound, used as a signal or to get someone’s attention
ring/press the bell
He rang the bell and waited for someone to answer the door.
She walked up the path and rang the door bell.
a bell rings/goes
The bell went and everyone rushed out of the classroom.
2 .
a hollow metal object like a cup with a piece of metal hanging inside it, that makes a ringing noise when it moves or you shake it:
church bells
3 . give somebody a bell British English spoken to telephone someone:
I must give Vicky a bell later.
4 . something that is shaped like a bell:
the bell of a flower
⇨ alarm bells ring at ↑ alarm 1 (5), ⇨ as clear as a bell at ↑ clear 1 (10), ⇨ ↑ diving bell , ⇨ ring a bell at ↑ ring 2 (4)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ verbs
▪ a bell rings
I could hear the church bells ringing in the distance.
▪ ring a bell
He was ringing a big brass bell.
▪ a bell rings out (=it rings loudly)
The bells rang out to celebrate the end of the war.
▪ a bell sounds
Somewhere across the valley a bell sounded.
▪ a bell chimes (=it rings a certain number of times, in order to tell you the time of day)
The bells began to chime, calling people to church.
▪ a bell tolls (=it slowly rings with a long low sound, when someone has died)
The church bell was tolling mournfully as the carriage entered the cemetery gate.
▪ a bell tinkles (=a small bell rings with a gentle high sound)
We were sleeping under the stars, camel bells tinkling in a cool breeze.
■ NOUN + bell
▪ a church bell
She woke on Sunday morning to the sound of church bells.
▪ wedding bells (=rung when people marry in a church)
Mark and Bridget seem very happy and we expect to hear wedding bells soon.
■ phrases
▪ a peal of bells (=the sound of bells being rung several times)
From the temple he could hear the peal of bells.