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  1. etymology - What is the origin of "rings a bell"? - English Language ...

    Mar 14, 2012 · For example, he struck a bell when the dogs were fed. If the bell was sounded in close association with their meal, the dogs learnt to associate the sound of the bell with food. After a while, …

  2. idioms - For whom the bell tolls - origin of "ask not" instead of ...

    Jun 15, 2016 · "Ask not for whom the bell tolls" is a popular cliche. My understanding is that it comes from John Donne's Meditation XVII (1623). But in Donne's poem, the line is any man's death …

  3. Interjection for the sound of a bell - English Language & Usage Stack ...

    Apr 13, 2017 · That is an interesting question in its own right - what part of speech is "boom!"? If a human would exclaim it, I believe it would be an interjection. If a bell produces the sound, is it still an …

  4. nouns - Why is the word "pepper" used for both capsicum (e.g. bell ...

    Oct 30, 2013 · The Online Etymology Dictionary states that Latin piper is the source of the English word (as well as “German Pfeffer, Italian pepe, French poivre, Old Church Slavonic pipru, Lithuanian …

  5. What do you call the sound of a bell? - English Language & Usage …

    Sep 11, 2011 · If you wanted to describe the sound of a small brass bell that you can hold in your hand (this is an example image of what I mean - what word would you use? Brrring? Bling?

  6. What is the origin of the idiom "with all the bells and whistles"?

    Oct 19, 2015 · The Phrase Finder has an interesting assumption: Another possibility is that the expression derived from the work of the English cartoonist and sculptor Rowland Emett. He created …

  7. What does "hell's bells" refer to? - English Language & Usage Stack ...

    Aug 24, 2020 · The expression "hell's bells" conveys anger, irritation, or surprise, according to CED, MW etc, but they do not explain the origin. Were there bells in hell? What is this in reference …

  8. single word requests - Is there a term for the sound of a bicycle bell ...

    Sep 5, 2013 · A bicycle bell is a percussive signaling instrument mounted on a bicycle for warning pedestrians and other cyclists. Wikipedia says that a bicycle bell produces a "ding-ding" sound, and …

  9. meaning - What is ‘a bell-covered hat’? - English Language & Usage ...

    The text says it is a bell-covered hat, but does not mention that it is in the shape of a jester, or has horns to it, so I would take that it meant a strange hat, which is encrusted with bells.

  10. etymology - What caused bell peppers to be called capsicums in some ...

    Aug 24, 2016 · A person working in an Indian supermarket was shocked when I told her it's called Bell Pepper in the US, UK, Canada and Ireland. I had to pull out Wikipedia to convince her it was true. …