/ bel; NAmE / noun
1.
a hollow metal object, often shaped like a cup, that makes a ringing sound when hit by a small piece of metal inside it; the sound that it makes :
A peal of church bells rang out in the distance.
a bicycle bell
His voice came down the line as clear as a bell .
the bell of a trumpet (= the bell-shaped part at the end of it)
a bell-shaped flower
—picture at goat , trombone
2.
an electrical device which makes a ringing sound when a button on it is pushed; the sound that it makes, used as a signal or a warning :
Ring the bell to see if they're in.
The bell's ringing !
The bell went for the end of the lesson.
An alarm bell went off.
Warning bells started ringing in her head as she sensed that something was wrong.
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IDIOMS
- give sb a bell
—more at alarm noun , pull verb , ring verb , sound adjective
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English belle , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bel .