conch

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For the glum silence of a conch is a hard thing for any outsider to break down.

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Definitions (18)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (3)

  1. noun Any of various tropical marine gastropod mollusks, especially of the genera Strombus and Cassis, having large, often brightly colored spiral shells and edible flesh.
  2. noun The shell of one of these gastropod mollusks, used as an ornament, in making cameos, or as a horn.
  3. noun Anatomy See concha.

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Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

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Examples (50)

  • From time to time she would lift the delicate shell of a frenchhorn-conch, inspect it for flaws, and drop it back into the silty water I've been well-trained," I replied Yes, I'm sure you've been well-trained," agreed Siri. —  Prayers to Broken Stones
  • A dome-shaped, sugar-coated pastry filled with a sparse layer of cherry filling was too dry for me, as was a yeasty pink pastry called a conch. —  TNT Diner
  • He could hear the hideous drums and gongs and conch-shells of the temple to which Radhabullub had been removed. —  Life of William Carey
  • Serena nearly broke her neck, climbing an almost inaccessible crag, and Gatty tore her frock every five minutes By this time the conch-shell sounded for dinner, in doing which Jenny blew her cheeks into the colour of a peony, we were all hot and tired and not in a very good humour The more we shewed this, the more gracious and cheerful Madame became, the little girls had been quite happy, the boys had wonders to relate as to the strange creatures that came peeping up at them from the deep as they were fishing. —  Yr Ynys Unyg The Lonely Island
  • In endeavouring to avoid the injured one her foot slipped, over she rolled just as Sybil reached her, and down they both went into the brook, rolling over and over several times Having watched the whole business from our resting place, we were down at the spot, ere they had recovered themselves, and risen from the water The conch-shell sounded for tea, at the same moment, and in a high state of excitement, every body talking their loudest we all adjourned. —  Yr Ynys Unyg The Lonely Island
 

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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English conche, from Old French, from Latin concha, mussel, from Greek konkhē.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. = French conque = Provencal Spanish Portuguese concha = Italian conca, from Latin concha, from Greek κόγχη, a mussel, cockle, shell, also a shell-like thing or cavity, as the hollow of the ear, a niche, a canopy over an altar, an apse, the knee-pan, etc., also κόγχος, in like senses (see conchus), = Sanskrit çankha (later chank, q. v.), a shell: see cock, cockle, and coach.
 

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/kɑŋk/
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