shell
(ʃɛl)
n. 1. a hard outer covering of an animal, as of a clam, snail, lobster, or turtle.
2. the material constituting any of various coverings of this kind.
3. the hard exterior of an egg.
4. the usu. hard outer covering of a seed, fruit, or the like.
5. something resembling the shell of an animal, as in shape or hollowness.
6. a hard, protecting or enclosing case or cover.
7. a reserved attitude or manner.
8. a hollow projectile, as for a cannon, filled with an explosive charge.
9. a metallic cartridge used in small arms.
10. a metal or paper cartridge for use in a shotgun.
11. a cartridgelike pyrotechnic device that explodes in the air.
12. an unfilled pastry crust, as for a pie.
13. a light, long, narrow racing boat for rowing by one or more persons.
14. the framework or external structure of a building.
15. the outer part of a finished garment that has an often detachable lining.
16. a woman's sleeveless blouse or sweater.
17. the plating or planking forming the exterior hull of a ship.
18. a computer program providing a menu-driven or graphical user interface designed to simplify use of the operating system, as in loading application programs.
19. a. any of the electron orbits in an atom having the same principal quantum number and about the same energy.
b. a group of nucleons of approximately the same energy.
21. the curved solid forming a domed or arched roof.
22. the metal, pressure-resistant outer casing of a fire-tube boiler.
v.t. 23. to remove the shell of.
24. to separate (corn, grain, etc.) from the ear, cob, or husk.
25. to fire shells or explosive projectiles into, upon, or among; bombard.
v.i. 26. to fall or come out of the shell, husk, or pod.
27. to come away or fall off, as a shell or outer coat.
28. to gather seashells.
29. shell out, Informal. to pay (money).
[before 900; (n.) Old English scell (Anglian), sciell, c. Middle Dutch schelle pod, rind, Old Norse skel seashell, Gothic skalja tile]
shell′-less, adj.
she'll
(ʃil; unstressed ʃɪl) contraction of she will.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.