Definition

1. Noun:
   • Something that exactly succeeds in achieving its goal: A person, event, or thing that is a perfect success or a perfect fit for a purpose.
   • Someone who plays musical handbells: A musician who performs with a set of tuned handbells.
   • A person who rings church bells: An individual, often a volunteer, who rings the large bells in a church tower, typically by pulling ropes.

Usage Examples

• Noun (A Success):
  • Her closing argument was a real bell ringer and convinced the jury.
  • That joke you told was a bell ringer; everyone laughed.
• Noun (A Musician):
  • She has been a bell ringer in the community handbell choir for ten years.
• Noun (A Church Bell Operator):
  • The bell ringer climbed the tower to ring the bells for the evening service.

Advanced Usage

• The metaphorical use meaning "a great success" is informal and often used in American English. It suggests something that resonates powerfully and effectively, like the clear, striking sound of a bell.

Variants and Related Words

• Bell-ringing (noun): The activity or art of ringing bells.
  • He took up bell-ringing as a hobby.
• Campanology (noun): The study of bells or the art of bell-ringing. This is a more formal, technical term.
• Campanologist (noun): A person who studies or is skilled in bell-ringing.

Synonyms

• For "a success": bull's eye, hit, home run, smash hit, triumph, winner.
• For the person: ringer, toller (specifically for ringing a bell slowly, as for a funeral).

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Ring a bell: To sound familiar or remind someone of something.
  • Does the name "Dr. Evans" ring a bell?
• Saved by the bell: Rescued from a difficult situation by a last-minute interruption.
  • I didn't know the answer, but I was saved by the bell when the fire alarm went off.

Noun

1. something that exactly succeeds in achieving its goal
   • the new advertising campaign was a bell ringer
   • scored a bull's eye
   • hit the mark
   • the president's speech was a home run
2. someone who plays musical handbells
3. a person who rings church bells (as for summoning the congregation)