(shells, shelling, shelled)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
The shell of a nut or egg is the hard covering which surrounds it.
They cracked the nuts and removed their shells...
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•
Shell is the substance that a shell is made of.
...beads made from ostrich egg shell.
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2.
The shell of an animal such as a tortoise, snail, or crab is the hard protective covering that it has around its body or on its back.
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3.
Shells are hard objects found on beaches. They are usually pink, white, or brown and are the coverings which used to surround small sea creatures.
I collect shells and interesting seaside items.
...sea shells.
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4.
If you shell nuts, peas, prawns, or other food, you remove their natural outer covering.
She shelled and ate a few nuts.
...shelled prawns.
VERB: V n, V-ed
5.
If someone comes out of their shell, they become more friendly and interested in other people and less quiet, shy, and reserved.
Her normally shy son had come out of his shell.
N-COUNT: usu poss N
6.
The shell of a building, boat, car, or other structure is the outside frame of it.
...the shells of burned buildings...
N-COUNT: usu with supp
7.
A shell is a weapon consisting of a metal container filled with explosives that can be fired from a large gun over long distances.
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8.
To shell a place means to fire explosive shells at it.
The rebels shelled the densely-populated suburbs near the port.
VERB: V n
• shelling (shellings)
Out on the streets, the shelling continued.
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