Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Having a shell, in any sense; as applied to animals, testaceous, conchiferous. ostracous, ostracodermatous, entomostracous, thoracostracous, coleopterous, loricate, thickskinned, etc. (see the specific words).

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective (Zoöl.) Having a shell.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb Simple past tense and past participle of shell.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective of animals or fruits that have a shell

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word shelled.

Examples

  • Kate and Anna slept at the Chateau Marmont hotel in Los Angeles between recording sessions with ace players as the label shelled out an astronomical-at-the-time $120,000 to launch them.

    Songs in the Key of Lacerating Windolf, Jim 2007

  • There were reports of Israeli forces being shelled from the sea, there was a boat out there that was a military boat, not an Israeli boat, so they shot it.

    The Roots of Our Discontent 2002

  • There were reports of Israeli forces being shelled from the sea, there was a boat out there that was a military boat, not an Israeli boat, so they shot it.

    The Roots of Our Discontent 2002

  • Seed corn was shelled from the cob with the thumb; we never threshed it with sticks.

    Buffalo Bird Woman's Garden 1917

  • Pounded green shelled corn was often boiled with green beans, shelled from the pod.

    Buffalo Bird Woman's Garden 1917

  • Green beans, shelled from the pod, were sometimes prepared thus boiled with buffalo fat or bone grease; but green beans did not have to be boiled quite as long as dried beans.

    Buffalo Bird Woman's Garden 1917

  • Fresh, green corn, shelled from the cob, was often put in a corn mortar and pounded; and then boiled without fats or meat.

    Buffalo Bird Woman's Garden 1917

  • While riders kept getting shelled, which is what happens when the 4's have $1,000 cash at the finish, Steve just kept on making the selection.

    Archive 2008-06-01 Darrin 2008

  • The Kroger Co., the parent company of Smith's Food and Drug, is recalling shelled pistachios sold at stores in 31 states, including New Mexico, because of

    KRQE TV 2009

  • The Kroger Co., the parent company of Smith's Food and Drug, is recalling shelled pistachios sold at stores in 31 states, including New Mexico, because of

    KRQE TV 2009

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • Quite interesting, the definitions give the meaning that sounds obvious to me (something with a shell) and the examples are all about the opposite meaning (something that had its shell removed).

    December 9, 2010

  • It's one of those words that means its own opposite. I know there's a list around here somewhere....

    *rummages*

    December 9, 2010

  • *assists with rummaging*

    I found several lists:

    Autoantonyms, by milosrdenstvi

    Autoantonyms by oroboros

    Words that mean the opposite of themselves by tez

    There's also this off-site list.

    December 9, 2010

  • Thanks, ptero! You're a far more effective rummager than I.

    December 9, 2010