Definition of BELLOWS

bellows

Meanings

Plural: bellows

Noun

  • a mechanical device that blows a strong current of air; used to make a fire burn more fiercely or to sound a musical instrument
  • a very loud utterance (like the sound of an animal)
  • United States author (born in Canada) whose novels influenced American literature after World War II (1915-2005)
  • A device for delivering pressurized air in a controlled quantity to a controlled location. At its most simple terms a bellows is a container which is deformable in such a way as to alter its volume which has an outlet or outlets where one wishes to blow air.
  • Any flexible container or enclosure, as one used to cover a moving joint.
  • The lungs.
  • Flexible, light-tight enclosures connecting the lensboard and the camera back.
  • That which fans the fire of hatred, jealousy, etc.
  • plural of bellow

Verb

  • shout loudly and without restraint
  • make a loud noise, as of animal
  • To operate a bellows; to direct air at (something) using a bellows.
  • To expand and contract like a bellows.
  • To fold up like a bellows; to accordion.
  • third-person singular simple present indicative of bellow

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English belwes, plural of belu, belwe, a northern form of beli, from Old English bæliġ, northern form of bielġ, from Proto-Germanic *balgiz. Compare German Balg. See also belly.
For the pronunciation /ˈbɛl.əs/, compare bodice, gallows.

Synonyms

bawl, bellow, Bellow, bellowing, holla, holler, hollering, hollo, holloa, roar, roaring, Saul Bellow, Solomon Bellow, yowl

Scrabble Score: 12

bellows is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
bellows is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
bellows is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 15

bellows is a valid Words With Friends word