Definition

Noun: 1. A bell rung to signal that a meal (especially dinner) is ready to be eaten: A device, typically a hand-held bell or a fixed bell, that is sounded to announce to people that it is time to come to the table for a meal.

Usage

The term "dinner bell" specifically refers to the object (the bell) and its primary function of signaling mealtime. It is often associated with formal households, institutions, or historical settings where a communal meal is announced audibly. - It is a compound noun formed from "dinner" and "bell". - The sound of the dinner bell serves as a call to gather.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• Metaphorical Use: The phrase can be used metaphorically to describe any signal that initiates a period of feeding or intense activity.
  • The whistle from the food truck was a dinner bell for all the construction workers on site.

Variants and Related Words

• Ding-dong: (onomatopoeia) The sound often associated with a bell, sometimes used informally.
• Call to dinner: A phrase describing the action, rather than the object.
• Meal bell: A more general, though less common, term.

Synonyms

• Gong: A larger, deeper-sounding metal percussion instrument used for similar signaling purposes.
• Chime: A set of melodious bells, or the act of ringing.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Ring the bell: To signal or announce something successfully. While not exclusive to dinner, it describes the action.
  • The idea of a beach vacation really rang the bell with the children.

Noun

1. a bell rung to announce that dinner has been served