bell

A2 · Elementary Countable noun

n. the sound of a bell used as a signal, like at school or at the end of a boxing round.

n. the sounding of a bell or electronic chime as a signal to indicate a specific time or event.

日本語:ベル※

“The students ran into the classroom as soon as the school bell rang.”

“The boxer was saved by the bell just as his opponent was preparing a final knockout blow.”

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun British English · Informal

n. a telephone call.

n. a telephone call; common in idiomatic expressions like 'give someone a bell'.

“I'll give you a bell tomorrow when I get home from work.”

“If you find yourself with some spare time this weekend, give me a bell and we can discuss the project details.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Music Technical

n. the wide, open end of a musical instrument like a trumpet.

n. the flared or expanding end of a hollow object, such as a brass instrument or a pipe.

“The trumpet player polished the bell of his instrument until it shone.”

“The acoustic properties of the trombone are heavily influenced by the diameter and curvature of its bell.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Nautical Technical

n. a sound made every half hour on a ship to tell the time.

n. a series of strokes on a ship's bell struck every half hour to mark the passage of a four-hour watch.

“The sailor struck eight bells, signaling the end of the midnight watch.”

“Life aboard the vessel was strictly regulated by the sounding of the bells, which dictated the rotation of the crew's duties.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun British English · Slang · Vulgar

n. a very rude word for a person you think is stupid.

n. a highly derogatory term for a person perceived as stupid or contemptible; a clipping of a more vulgar anatomical term.

“Don't listen to him; he's being a total bell.”

“The argument escalated quickly when one driver called the other a bell after a minor traffic disagreement.”

B1 · Intermediate British English · Informal

v. to call someone on the telephone.

v. to contact a person via telephone.

“Can you bell me later this evening to confirm the plans?”

“He promised to bell the office as soon as the contract was signed, but we haven't heard from him yet.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to put a bell on something, like a cat's collar.

v. to provide or equip an animal or object with a bell.

“We decided to bell the cat so the birds would hear him coming.”

“The farmer chose to bell the lead cow to make the herd easier to locate in the thick morning mist.”