handbell
handbell — noun
- handbellsingular
- handbellsplural
1. a bell that you hold by a short handle, played to produce musical notes — handbe
a bell that you hold by a short handle, played to produce musical notes — handbells are often used in tuned sets where each person rings one or two notes to make a melody
Ravindra rehearsed with the handbell choir every Thursday evening before dinner.
collocation: handbell choir
Linh held her handbell steady, waiting for the conductor to point at her.
The children took turns ringing the shiny brass handbells during the school concert.
Jiwoo flicked her wrist and the handbell rang out at just the right moment.
Eitan polished each handbell carefully before the performance began.
- bell
a much broader term; a bell may be fixed, struck automatically, or used for signalling, not necessarily for music
- chime
usually a set of tuned bells or tubes hung together; played by striking rather than held in the hand
- sleigh bell
a small closed bell attached to a strap; jingles when shaken rather than producing a single tuned note
用法筆記
Often used in the plural (handbells) when referring to a set or the activity. A handbell choir typically assigns one or two notes to each player, who rings at the exact moment the conductor signals.
2. a bell that you hold by a handle and ring to signal that you need help or servic
a bell that you hold by a handle and ring to signal that you need help or service, like the kind you see on a hotel counter or a shop desk
Adisa tapped the handbell on the hotel counter and waited for the clerk.
typical location: handbell on a service counter
The librarian rang a small handbell to let everyone know the reading room was closing.
Jenna kept a brass handbell on her desk for calling assistants into her office.
Shirin heard the handbell ring and hurried back to the reception desk.
A single handbell sat on the shop counter under a small sign reading 'Ring for help.'
- call bell
broader term; can refer to electronic buzzers or wireless paging devices, not just handheld bells
- counter bell
specifically one placed on a counter for customers to summon staff
- desk bell
specifically one kept on a desk or reception surface
用法筆記
Subject is often an inanimate location (the counter, the desk) where the bell sits waiting to be rung. Common in service settings: hotels, shops, offices, and reception areas.