1. the hard outer covering of an animal such as a snail, crab, or turtle
2. the hard outer covering of an egg, nut, or seed
3. the hard outer structure of something

1. to remove the shell or outer covering from something
2. to fire explosive shells at a target
Usage: military

Examples

• The hermit crab found a new shell to live in.
• She cracked the egg shell carefully.
• The building was just a concrete shell after the fire.
• Artillery shells exploded in the distance.
• He learned to shell peanuts quickly.
• The army began to shell the enemy positions.
• The turtle retreated into its shell.
• Only the shell of the old factory remains.