| shell | 1. A hard outside covering, as of a fruit or an animal. Specifically: The covering, or outside part, of a nut; as, a hazelnut shell. A pod. The hard covering of an egg. "Think him as a serpent's egg, . . . And kill him in the shell. <mathematics> " (Shak) Hence, by extension, any mollusks having such a covering. 2. A hollow projectile, of various shapes, adapted for a mortar or a cannon, and containing an explosive substance, ignited with a fuse or by percussion, by means of which the projectile is burst and its fragments scattered. See Bomb. 3. The case which holds the powder, or charge of powder and shot, used with breechloading small arms. 4. Any slight hollow structure; a framework, or exterior structure, regarded as not complete or filled in; as, the shell of a house. 5. A coarse kind of coffin; also, a thin interior coffin inclosed in a more substantial one. 6. An instrument of music, as a lyre, the first lyre having been made, it is said, by drawing strings over a tortoise shell. "When Jubal struck the chorded shell." (Dryden) 7. An engraved copper roller used in print works. 8. The husks of cacao seeds, a decoction of which is often used as a substitute for chocolate, cocoa, etc. 9. The outer frame or case of a block within which the sheaves revolve. 10. A light boat the frame of which is covered with thin wood or with paper; as, a racing shell. Message shell, a bombshell inside of which papers may be put, in order to convey messages. Shell bit, a tool shaped like a gouge, used with a brace in boring wood. See Bit. Shell button. A button made of shell. A hollow button made of two pieces, as of metal, one for the front and the other for the back, often covered with cloth, silk, etc. Shell cameo, a cameo cut in shell instead of stone. Shell flower. <botany> A kind of marl characterised by an abundance of shells, or fragments of shells. Shell meat, food consisting of shellfish, or testaceous mollusks. Shell mound. See Mound. Shell of a boiler, the exterior of a steam boiler, forming a case to contain the water and steam, often inclosing also flues and the furnace; the barrel of a cylindrical, or locomotive, boiler. Shell road, a road of which the surface or bed is made of shells, as oyster shells. Shell sand, minute fragments of shells constituting a considerable part of the seabeach in some places. Origin: OE. Shelle, schelle, AS. Scell, scyll; akin to D. Shel, Icel. Skel, Goth. Skalja a tile, and E. Skill. Cf. Scale of fishes, Shale, Skill. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| shell nail | Bronchiectasis with excessive longitudinal curvature of the nail plate and atrophy of the nail bed and underlying bone. (05 Mar 2000) |
| shell shock | The World War I name for what is known today as posttraumatic stress, this is a psychological disorder that develops in some individuals who have had major traumatic experiences (and, for example, have been in a serious accident or through a war). The person is typically numb at first but later has symptoms including depression, excessive irritability, guilt (for having survived while others died), recurrent nightmares, flashbacks to the traumatic scene, and overreactions to sudden noises. Posttraumatic stress became known as such in the 70s due to the adjustment problems of some vietnam veterans. (12 Dec 1998) |
| shock, shell | The World War I name for what is known today as posttraumatic stress, this is a psychological disorder that develops in some individuals who have had major traumatic experiences (and, for example, have been in a serious accident or through a war). The person is typically numb at first but later has symptoms including depression, excessive irritability, guilt (for having survived while others died), recurrent nightmares, flashbacks to the traumatic scene, and overreactions to sudden noises. Posttraumatic stress became known as such in the 70s due to the adjustment problems of some vietnam veterans.shots, allergy: known medically as allergy desensitization or allergy immunotherapy, the injections are designed to stimulate the immune system with gradually increasing doses of the substances to which a person is allergic, the aim being to modify or stop the allergy war (by reducing the strength of the IgE and its effect on the mast cells). This form of treatment is very effective for allergies to pollen, mites, cats, and especially stinging insects (e.g., bees, hornets, yellowjackets, wasps, velvet ants, fire ants). Allergy immunotherapy usually takes 6 months to a year to become effective and injections are usually required for 3-5 years. (12 Dec 1998) |
| slit-shell | <zoology> Any species of Pleurotomaria, a genus of beautiful, pearly, spiral gastropod shells having a deep slit in the outer lip. Many fossil species are known, and a few living ones are found in deep water in tropical seas. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| spur-shell | <zoology> Any one of several species of handsome gastropod shells of the genus Trochus, or Imperator. The shell is conical, with the margin toothed somewhat like the rowel of a spur. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| ioqua shell | <zoology> The shell of a large Dentalium (D. Pretiosum), formerly used as shell money, and for ornaments, by the Indians of the west coast of North America. Origin: From the native name. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| ear-shell | <zoology> A flattened marine univalve shell of the genus Haliotis. Synonym: sea-ear. See Abalone. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| egg shell nail | Thinning of nails resulting in bending and breaking of the free edge, with longitudinal fissures. Synonym: egg shell nail. Origin: hapalo-+ G. Onyx (onych-), nail (05 Mar 2000) |
| top-shell | <zoology> Any one of numerous species of marine top_shaped shells of the genus Thochus, or family Trochidae. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| trough-shell | <zoology> Any bivalve shell of the genus Mactra. See Mactra. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| tube-shell | <zoology> Any bivalve mollusk which secretes a shelly tube around its siphon, as the watering-shell. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| tulip-shell | <zoology> A large, handsomely coloured, marine univalve shell (Fasciolaria tulipa) native of the Southern United States. The name is sometimes applied also to other species of Fasciolaria. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| turban-shell | <zoology> A sea urchin when deprived of its spines; popularly so called from a fancied resemblance to a turban. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| turnip-shell | <zoology> Any one of several large, thick, spiral marine shells belonging to Rapa and allied genera, somewhat turnip-shaped. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |