bellnoun [ C ]
uk/bel/us/bel/B1 also doorbell an electrical device that makes a ringing sound when you press a button:
I stood at the front door and rang the bell several times.
B2 a hollow metal object shaped like a cup that makes a ringing sound when hit by something hard, especially a clapper:
The church bells rang out to welcome in the New Year.
More examples
- The children arrived at school just as the bell was ringing.
- At the sound of the alarm bell, the customers all ran wildly for the doors.
- I rang the bell but nobody came to the door.
- In the square the church bells chimed.
- After their wedding the bells pealed out from the tower.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Musical instruments
- accordion
- alphorn
- alto
- alto recorder
- bagpipes
- English horn
- euphonium
- fingerboard
- flugelhorn
- flute
- pitched
- plectrum
- reed
- reed instrument
- sax
- viola
- violin
- violoncello
- vuvuzela
- wind chimes
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Idiom(s)
give sb a bell
warning/alarm bells start to ring/sound
with bells on