I. ˈshel noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English sciell; akin to Old English scealu shell, Old Norse skel, Lithuanian skelti to split, Greek skallein to hoe
Date: before 12th century
1.
a. : a hard rigid usually largely calcareous covering or support of an animal
b. : the hard or tough often thin outer covering of an egg (as of a bird or reptile) — see egg illustration
2. : the covering or outside part of a fruit or seed especially when hard or fibrous
3. : shell material (as of mollusks or turtles) or their substance
4. : something that resembles a shell: as
a. : a framework or exterior structure ; especially : a building with an unfinished interior
b.
(1) : an external case or outside covering
the shell of a ship
(2) : a thin usually spherical layer or surface enclosing a space or surrounding an object
an expanding shell of gas around a neutron star
c. : a casing without substance
mere effigies and shell s of men — Thomas Carlyle
d. : an edible crust for holding a filling
a pastry shell
a taco salad in a tortilla shell
e. : band shell
f. : a small beer glass
g. : an unlined article of outerwear
5. : a shell-bearing mollusk
6. : an impersonal attitude or manner that conceals the presence or absence of feeling
he retreated into his shell
7. : a narrow light racing boat propelled by one or more persons pulling oars or sculls
8. : any of the regions occupied by the orbits of a group of electrons of approximately equal energy surrounding the nucleus of an atom
9.
a. : a projectile for cannon containing an explosive bursting charge
b. : a metal or paper case which holds the charge of powder and shot or bullet used with breech-loading small arms
10. : a plain usually sleeveless blouse or sweater
11. : a company or corporation that exists without assets or independent operations as a legal entity through which another company or corporation can conduct various dealings
• shell adjective
II. verb
Date: 1562
transitive verb
1.
a. : to take out of a natural enclosing cover (as a shell, husk, pod, or capsule)
shell peanuts
b. : to separate the kernels of (as an ear of Indian corn, wheat, or oats) from the cob, ear, or husk
2. : to throw shells at, upon, or into : bombard
3. : to score heavily against (as an opposing pitcher in baseball)
intransitive verb
1. : to fall or scale off in thin pieces
2. : to cast the shell or exterior covering : fall out of the pod or husk
nuts which shell in falling
3. : to gather shells (as from a beach) : collect shells