shell

//ʃɛl//
A2Frequency Level 8Neutral
Visual representation of shell

Noun

shellSingular
shellsPlural
1

The hard protective outer covering of an animal such as a mollusk, crustacean, or turtle.

The turtle retreated into its shell.

2

The hard outer covering of an egg, especially a bird's egg.

The chick broke through the shell.

3

The hard outer covering of a nut or seed.

Crack the shell to get the walnut inside.

4

An explosive projectile or bomb, especially one fired from a large gun.

The soldiers took cover as shells exploded around them.

5

The outer structure or framework of something, especially a building or vehicle.

Only the shell of the burned building remained.

6

A hollow case or outer form without substance or content.

After the fire, only the shell of the building remained.

7

A command-line interface or program that provides access to an operating system's services.

The Unix shell allows users to execute commands and run scripts.

Verb

1

To remove the shell or outer covering from something, such as nuts, peas, or shellfish.

She shelled the peas for dinner.

2

To bombard with artillery shells or explosive projectiles.

Enemy forces shelled the city throughout the night.