n.
Pronunciation: ' bel
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English belle, from Old English; perhaps akin to Old English bellan to roar ― more at BELLOW
Date: before 12th century
1 a : a hollow metallic device that gives off a reverberating sound when struck b : DOORBELL
2 a : the sounding of a bell as a signal b : a stroke of a bell (as on shipboard) to indicate the time also : the time so indicated c : a half hour period of a watch on shipboard indicated by the strokes of a bell ― see SHIP'S BELLS table below
3 : something having the form of a bell: as a : the corolla of a flower b : a bell-shaped organ or part (as the umbrella of a jellyfish or the dewlap of a moose) c : the part of the capital of a column between the abacus and neck molding d : the flared end of a wind instrument
4 a : a percussion instrument consisting of metal bars or tubes that when struck give out tones resembling bells ― usually used in plural b : GLOCKENSPIEL
see table...