bell

noun

1 hollow metal object that rings

ADJECTIVE

▪ church, temple

▪ wedding (often figurative)

▪

Their friends could already hear wedding bells (= were sure they would get married).

▪ cow (usually cowbell)

▪ sleigh

▪ distant

▪ brass, silver

VERB + BELL

▪ ring

▪ hear

BELL + VERB

▪ chime, clang, jangle (esp. AmE), jingle (esp. AmE), peal, ring, ring out, sound, tinkle, toll

▪

The bells on the harness tinkled softly.

▪

The church bells tolled for the funeral.

BELL + NOUN

▪ tower

▪ pull, rope

▪ ringer, ringing (usually bell-ringer, etc.)

PHRASES

▪ a chime of bells

▪

the faint chime of bells

▪ a peal of bells

▪

She heard a peal of church bells.

▪ a sound of bells

▪

The sound of bells echoed across the valley.

2 other object that rings

ADJECTIVE

▪ bicycle, door (usually doorbell)

▪ dinner, lunch, school

▪ second-period, third-period, etc. (AmE)

▪ electric

▪ alarm, warning (both often figurative)

▪

Alarm bells were ringing inside Stuart's head.

▪ closing, opening

▪ final

▪ dismissal (AmE)

▪ late, tardy (= to indicate that classes are about to start) (both AmE)

▪ loud, shrill

VERB + BELL

▪ press, ring, sound

▪ answer

▪

She hurried to answer the doorbell.

BELL + VERB

▪ go, ring, sound

▪

The school bell goes at three every afternoon.

▪ signal sth

▪ interrupt sb/sth

BELL + NOUN

▪ pull, push (BrE)

PHRASES

▪ saved by the bell

▪

Saved by the bell! I thought I'd have to sit here listening to you two argue forever.

▪ bells and whistles

▪

The laptop has all the latest bells and whistles (= attractive extra features).