bell the cat (redirected from Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus)

Bell  (bl)

A city of southern California, a suburb of Los Angeles. Population: 37,300.

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Bell, Alexander Graham 1847-1922. Scottish-born American inventor of the telephone. The first demonstration of electrical transmission of speech by his apparatus took place in 1876. Bell also invented the audiometer, an early hearing aid, and improved the phonograph.

Alexander Graham Bell

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Bell, (Arthur) Clive (Howard) 1881-1964.

British critic who proposed his aesthetic theory of significant form in Art (1914).

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Bell, James Thomas Known as "Cool Papa." 1903-1991.

American baseball player who spent his entire career in the Negro Leagues (1922-1950). Considered by many to be the fastest base runner ever, he reportedly stole 175 bases in 200 games in 1933.

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bell ¹  (bl)

n.

1. A hollow metal musical instrument, usually cup-shaped with a flared opening, that emits a metallic tone when struck.

2. Something resembling such an instrument in shape or sound, as:

a. The round, flared opening of a wind instrument at the opposite end from the mouthpiece.

b. bells A percussion instrument consisting of metal tubes or bars that emit tones when struck.

c. A hollow, usually inverted vessel, such as one used for diving deep below the surface of a body of water.

d. The corolla of a flower: "In a cowslip's bell I lie" (Shakespeare).

3. Nautical

a. A stroke on a hollow metal instrument to mark the hour.

b. The time indicated by the striking of this instrument, divided into half hours.

v. belled, bell·ing, bells

v.tr.

1. To put a bell on.

2. To cause to flare like a bell.

v.intr.

To assume the form of a bell; flare.

Idiom:

bell the cat

To perform a daring act.

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[Middle English belle, from Old English.]

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bell ²  (bl)

n.

The bellowing or baying cry of certain animals, such as a deer in rut or a beagle on the hunt.

intr.v. belled, bell·ing, bells

To utter long, deep, resonant sounds; bellow.

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[From Middle English bellen, to bellow, from Old English bellan.]

Thesaurus

Verb

1.

bell the cat - take a risk; perform a daring act; "Who is going to bell the cat?" lay on the line, put on the line, risk - expose to a chance of loss or damage; "We risked losing a lot of money in this venture"; "Why risk your life?"; "She laid her job on the line when she told the boss that he was wrong"