8. pl. The husks of cacao seeds, a decoction of which is often used as
a substitute for chocolate, cocoa, etc.
9. (Naut.) 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, n., 3. -- Shell button. (a) A button
made of shell. (b) 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. (Bot.) Same as Turtlehead. -- Shell gland. (Zoöl.) (a) A
glandular organ in which the rudimentary shell is formed in embryonic
mollusks. (b) A glandular organ which secretes the eggshells of various
worms, crustacea, mollusks, etc. -- Shell gun, a cannon suitable for
throwing shells. -- Shell ibis (Zoöl.), the openbill of India. -- Shell
jacket, an undress military jacket. -- Shell lime, lime made by burning
the shells of shellfish. -- Shell marl (Min.), a kind of marl
characterized by an abundance of shells, or fragments of shells. --
Shell meat, food consisting of shellfish, or testaceous mollusks.
Fuller. -- Shell mound. See under 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.
Shell, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Shelled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Shelling.] 1.
To strip or break off the shell of; to take out of the shell, pod,
etc.; as, to shell nuts or pease; to shell oysters.
2. To separate the kernels of (an ear of Indian corn, wheat, oats,
etc.) from the cob, ear, or husk.
3. To throw shells or bombs upon or into; to bombard; as, to shell a
town.
To shell out, to distribute freely; to bring out or pay, as money.
[Colloq.]
Shell, v. i. 1. To fall off, as a shell, crust, etc.
2. To cast the shell, or exterior covering; to fall out of the pod or
husk; as, nuts shell in falling.
3. To be disengaged from the ear or husk; as, wheat or rye shells in
reaping.
{ Shell"-lac`, Shel"lac` } (?), n. [Shell + lac a resinous substance;
cf. D. shellak, G. schellack.] See the Note under 2d Lac.
Shell"ap`ple, n. (Zoöl.) See Sheldafle.
Shell"bark` (?), n. (Bot.) A species of hickory (Carya alba) whose
outer bark is loose and peeling; a shagbark; also, its nut.
Shelled (?), a. (Zoöl.) Having a shell.
Shell"er (?), n. One who, or that which, shells; as, an oyster sheller;
a corn sheller.
Shell"fish` (?), n. (Zoöl.) Any aquatic animal whose external covering
consists of a shell, either testaceous, as in oysters, clams, and other
mollusks, or crustaceous, as in lobsters and crabs.
Shell"ing, n. Groats; hulled oats. Simmonds.
Shell"-less, a. Having no shell. J. Burroughs.
Shell"proof` (?), a. Capable of resisting bombs or other shells;
bombproof.
Shell"work` (?), n. Work composed of shells, or adorned with them.
Cotgrave.
Shell"y (?), a. Abounding with shells; consisting of shells, or of a
shell. "The shelly shore." Prior.
Shrinks backward in his shelly cave.
Shak.
Shel"ter (?), n. [Cf. OE. scheltrun, shiltroun, schelltrome,
scheldtrome, a guard, squadron, AS. scildtruma a troop of men with
shields; scild shield + truma a band of men. See Shield, n.] 1. That
which covers or defends from injury or annoyance; a protection; a
screen.
The sick and weak the healing plant shall aid, From storms a
shelter, and from heat a shade.
Pope.