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belling

SayBEL-ing/ˈbɛlɪŋ/

Noun pluralbellings (some meanings)

3 meanings of belling

Practice

  1. 1
    verb
    Present participle of bell. Use this form for an action happening right now or as a thing the verb names.

    The farmer is belling the cows so he can hear them in the fog.

    Belling the goats helped the shepherd keep track of them.

    Note
  2. 2
    noununcountable
    The deep, loud call a male deer makes during mating season.

    Like the loud roar an animal makes to call others to it.

    The belling of the stags echoed through the forest all night.

    Hikers in autumn often hear the deep belling coming from the hills.

    Similarbellowing, roaring

  3. 3
    noundialectalPennsylvaniaUSWesterncountable
    A loud nighttime party where people bang pots outside a newly married couple's home.

    Like a surprise party, but loud and noisy right outside the house.

    The whole street showed up for a belling the night after the wedding.

    We banged pans at the belling until the couple finally invited us in.

    Similarshivaree

    Note

belling is a form of bell

bell, verb: To put a bell on something, such as an animal. Full entry

Forms
bellbells he/she/itbelling -ing formbelled past tense, past participle
Spelling
bell → belling: add -ing

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 2–3

From Middle English bellynge, made from "bell" plus "-ing".

Meaning 1

From "bell" plus "-ing".