1 [C,U] a hard covering that protects eggs, nuts and some animals (蛋、坚果及某些动物的)壳:
Some children were collecting shells on the beach.一些孩子在海滩上捡贝壳。a piece of eggshell一个蛋壳Tortoises have a hard shell.乌龟长有硬壳。☞pictures at mollusc, nut and shellfish 见mollusc、nut及shellfish插图
2 [C] the walls or hard outer structure of sth (某物的)壁,坚硬的外部结构:
The body shell of the car is made in another factory.这种汽车的框架在另一个工厂制造。
3 [C] a metal container that explodes when it is fired from a large gun 炮弹
come out of your shell to become less shy and more confident when talking to other people 不再羞怯;变得比较自信
go, retreat, etc into your shell to suddenly become shy and stop talking 变得羞怯;不愿与人接触
shell1/ʃɛl; ʃel/n [C]1 a) the hard outside part of a nut, egg, or seed〔坚果﹑蛋或种子的〕壳 b) the hard outside part that covers some animals, for example SNAILS and CRABS 〔蜗牛﹑螃蟹之类动物的〕壳﹔甲﹔贝2 a metal container filled with an explosive substance, which is fired from a large gun [→ cartridge] 炮弹3 the outside structure of something such as a building or vehicle〔建筑物或车辆的〕框架﹐骨架: the concrete shell of the building 这幢建筑物的混凝土框架4 come out of/go into your shell to become less shy or become shyer 不再羞怯/变得羞怯起来
shell2v [T] 1 to fire at something with shells from a gun 炮轰2 to remove the shell from something 剥去…的壳shell out (sth)phr v informal to pay a lot of money for something 【非正式】花大笔钱