Topic: BIOLOGY
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| Language: | Old English |
| Origin: | sciell |
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shell1 W3
[countable]
[countable]1
a) the hard outer part that covers and protects an egg, nut, or seed : 
Never buy eggs with cracked shells.peanuts roasted in their shells
Never buy eggs with cracked shells.peanuts roasted in their shellsb) the hard protective covering of an animal such as a snail, mussel, or crab : a snail shell The children were collecting shells on the beach.
➔ seashella snail shellThe children were collecting shells on the beach.2PMW a metal container, like a large bullet, which is full of an explosive substance and is fired from a large gun : We ran for cover as shells dropped all around us.
We ran for cover as shells dropped all around us.3 especially American EnglishPMW a metal tube containing a bullet and an explosive substance [= cartridge]
4 the outside structure of something, especially the part of a building that remains when the rest of it has been destroyed
