shell

noun

• 1the hard protective outer case of a mollusc or crustacean:cowrie shells [mass noun]:the technique of carving shell
• the thin outer covering of an animal’s egg, which is hard and fragile in that of a bird but leathery in that of a reptile.
• the outer case of a nut kernel or seed: peanuts roasted in their shells
• the carapace of a tortoise, turtle, or terrapin.
• the wing cases of a beetle.
• the integument of an insect pupa or chrysalis.
• (one's shell) used with reference to a state of shyness or introversion:she’ll soon come out of her shell with the right encouragement

• 2an explosive artillery projectile or bomb:the sound of the shell passing over, followed by the explosion [as modifier]:shell holes
• a hollow metal or paper case used as a container for fireworks, explosives, or cartridges.
• North American a cartridge.

• 3something resembling or likened to a shell because of its shape or its function as an outer case:pasta shells baked pastry shells filled with cheese
• the walls of an unfinished or gutted building or other structure:the hotel was a shell, the roof having collapsed completely
• an outer form without substance:he was a shell of the man he had been previously

• 4the metal framework of a vehicle body.
• a light racing boat.
• an inner or roughly made coffin.
• the hand guard of a sword.

• 5 Physics each of a set of orbitals around the nucleus of an atom, occupied or able to be occupied by electrons of similar energies: in a multi-electron atom, the lowest energy shells fill up first an electron descending from one shell to a lower one emits an X-ray

• 6 Computingshort for shell program.

verb

• 1bombard with shells:several villages north of the security zone were shelled
• Baseball score heavily against (an opposing pitcher or team): Williams got shelled in the next inning

• 2remove the shell or pod from (a nut or seed):they were shelling peas (as adjective shelled)shelled Brazil nuts