English Reference

Word

shells

US/ˈʃɛɫz/

UK/ʃˈɛlz/

Definitions

01sea/animal coverings

A2

n. the hard outer parts that protect sea animals, eggs, or nuts.

n. the hard, protective outer cases of marine molluscs, eggs, nuts, or certain seeds.

“The children spent the afternoon collecting beautiful shells on the beach.”

“The shoreline was littered with broken shells and smooth pebbles after the winter storm had receded.”

02pasta shape

B1 · Cooking

n. a type of pasta shaped like small sea shells.

n. a variety of pasta, formally known as conchiglie, shaped to resemble the shells of marine molluscs.

“We had pasta shells with a creamy cheese sauce for dinner.”

“The chef recommended using medium-sized shells for the recipe, as their hollow shape is ideal for capturing thick vegetable sauces.”

Synonyms

conchiglie

03explosive projectiles

B2

n. metal cases filled with explosives that are fired from large guns.

n. artillery projectiles containing an explosive charge designed to burst upon impact or at a timed interval.

“The old fort still had several heavy iron shells in its storage room.”

“The museum display featured various decommissioned shells, illustrating the evolution of ballistic technology during the nineteenth century.”

This entry

Level
A2 · Elementary
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference