shell

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English sciell; akin to Old English scealu shell, Old Norse skel, Lithuanian skelti to split, Greek skallein to hoe Date: before 12th century 1. a. a hard rigid usually largely calcareous covering or support of an animal b. the hard or tough often thin outer covering of an egg (as of a bird or reptile) — see egg illustration 2. the covering or outside part of a fruit or seed especially when hard or fibrous 3. shell material (as of mollusks or turtles) or their substance 4. something that resembles a shell: as a. a framework or exterior structure; especially a building with an unfinished interior b. (1) an external case or outside covering <

the shell of a ship

> (2) a thin usually spherical layer or surface enclosing a space or surrounding an object <

an expanding shell of gas around a neutron star

> c. a casing without substance <

mere effigies and shells of men — Thomas Carlyle

> d. an edible crust for holding a filling <

a pastry shell

> <

a taco salad in a tortilla shell

> e. band shell f. a small beer glass g. an unlined article of outerwear 5. a shell-bearing mollusk 6. an impersonal attitude or manner that conceals the presence or absence of feeling <

he retreated into his shell

> 7. a narrow light racing boat propelled by one or more persons pulling oars or sculls 8. any of the regions occupied by the orbits of a group of electrons of approximately equal energy surrounding the nucleus of an atom 9. a. a projectile for cannon containing an explosive bursting charge b. a metal or paper case which holds the charge of powder and shot or bullet used with breech-loading small arms 10. a plain usually sleeveless blouse or sweater 11. a company or corporation that exists without assets or independent operations as a legal entity through which another company or corporation can conduct various dealings • shell adjective II. verb Date: 1562 transitive verb 1. a. to take out of a natural enclosing cover (as a shell, husk, pod, or capsule) <

shell peanuts

> b. to separate the kernels of (as an ear of Indian corn, wheat, or oats) from the cob, ear, or husk 2. to throw shells at, upon, or into ; bombard 3. to score heavily against (as an opposing pitcher in baseball) intransitive verb 1. to fall or scale off in thin pieces 2. to cast the shell or exterior covering ; fall out of the pod or husk <

nuts which shell in falling

> 3. to gather shells (as from a beach) ; collect shells