bell

The word “bell” means a hollow metal instrument, often shaped like a cup, that rings when struck. In plain terms, a hollow object that rings when struck, or to give something a bell-like shape.

“Bell” is pronounced behl (/bɛl/ in IPA).

Here is “bell” used in a sentence: “The church bell rang out across the valley at noon.”

Depending on how it is used, “bell” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “bell” comes from Old English. From Old English belle, related to Germanic words for "bell" across Dutch, German, and the Scandinavian languages.

“Bell” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Bell” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a hollow metal instrument, often shaped like a cup, that rings when struck.

When a bell is struck — by a swinging clapper inside, a hammer, or a hand — the metal vibrates rapidly. Those vibrations push against the surrounding air and travel to our ears as sound. A bell's cup shape lets it resonate, which is why the note rings on and fades slowly.

Bells come in many forms: large church and tower bells rung for services, small handbells, doorbells, school bells, sleigh bells and cowbells. Some are struck by an internal clapper, others by an outside hammer or an electric mechanism, but all share the same job of producing a clear, ringing sound.

Most traditional bells are cast from bell metal, a form of bronze that is an alloy of roughly four parts copper to one part tin. This mix is prized because it is hard, durable and resonates well, giving a rich, long-lasting tone. Smaller or modern bells may use brass, steel or other metals.