sleigh bell

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A bell, commonly consisting of a hollow ball of metal having a slit or oblong hole in the exterior, and containing a solid pellet of metal which causes a ringing sound when the ball is agitated. Compare grelot and hawk-bell. Such bells are used especially to give notice of the approach of a sleigh, being attached usually to the harness of the horse.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. a small bell attached either to a horse when drawing a slegh, or to the sleigh itself; especially a globular bell with a loose ball which plays inside instead of a clapper.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a bell attached to a sleigh, or to the harness of a horse that is pulling a sleigh