The noun shell has 10 senses (first 3 from tagged texts)
1. (14) shell -- (ammunition consisting of a cylindrical metal casing containing an explosive charge and a projectile; fired from a large gun)
2. (3) shell -- (the material that forms the hard outer covering of many animals)
3. (2) carapace, shell, cuticle, shield -- (hard outer covering or case of certain organisms such as arthropods and turtles)
4. shell -- (the hard usually fibrous outer layer of some fruits especially nuts)
5. shell, eggshell -- (the exterior covering of a bird's egg)
6. shell -- (a rigid covering that envelops an object; "the satellite is covered with a smooth shell of ice")
7. shell, racing shell -- (a very light narrow racing boat)
8. shell, case, casing -- (the housing or outer covering of something; "the clock has a walnut case")
9. plate, scale, shell -- (a metal sheathing of uniform thickness (such as the shield attached to an artillery piece to protect the gunners))
10. shell -- (the hard largely calcareous covering of a mollusc)
Overview of verb shell
The verb shell has 7 senses (first 1 from tagged texts)
1. (1) blast, shell -- (use explosives on; "The enemy has been shelling us all day")
2. shell -- (fall out of the pod or husk; "The corn shelled")
3. shell -- (hit the pitches of hard and regularly; "He shelled the pitcher for eight runs in the first inning")
4. shell -- (look for and collect shells by the seashore)
5. beat, beat out, crush, shell, trounce, vanquish -- (come out better in a competition, race, or conflict; "Agassi beat Becker in the tennis championship"; "We beat the competition"; "Harvard defeated Yale in the last football game")
6. shell -- (remove from its shell or outer covering; "shell the legumes"; "shell mussels")
7. husk, shell -- (remove the husks from; "husk corn")