shell

/ʃɛl/
adjective
  1. Relating to or resembling a shell, especially in being hollow or having a hard outer layer.
    • She wore a shell necklace made of small white beads.
    • The shell structure of the building was designed to withstand earthquakes.
    • The pasta had a shell shape that held the sauce well.
verb
  1. To remove the outer covering from something, such as a nut, egg, or seafood.
    • She shelled the peanuts and put them in a bowl.
    • We spent the afternoon shelling shrimp for dinner.
    • He shelled the hard-boiled eggs for the salad.
  2. To fire shells at something from a large gun or cannon.
    • Artillery units shelled the forest to flush out the rebels.
    • The army shelled the enemy positions all night.
    • The warship shelled the coastal town during the battle.
  3. To pay or hand over money, often reluctantly.
    • I had to shell out fifty dollars for the concert ticket.
    • They shelled out a fortune to fix the roof.
    • He hates shelling out money for parking fees.
Antonyms
noun
  1. The hard outer covering of an animal, such as a turtle, snail, or crab, or of an egg or nut.
    • We collected colorful seashells on the beach.
    • She cracked the eggshell and poured the yolk into the bowl.
    • The turtle pulled its head inside its shell for protection.
  2. A metal case filled with explosive material, fired from a large gun or cannon.
    • During the war, a shell exploded near the village.
    • The soldiers loaded the artillery shell into the cannon.
    • The museum displayed an old cannonball and a shell from the 1800s.
  3. A light, rowboat used for racing, especially in crew competitions.
    • The eight-person shell glided smoothly across the lake.
    • He bought a used shell to compete in local regattas.
    • The rowing team practiced in their racing shell every morning.
  4. A structure or framework that forms the outer part of something, such as a building or vehicle.
    • The new house was just a concrete shell with no interior walls.
    • The car's shell was made of lightweight aluminum.
    • After the fire, only the shell of the building remained.
  5. A shy or reserved manner that hides a person's true feelings.
    • He came out of his shell after making friends at school.
    • It took months for the shy student to break out of her shell.
    • She hides her kindness behind a tough shell.
Antonyms
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