Ship's Bell (Noun)
Meaning
(nautical) each of the eight half-hour units of nautical time signaled by strokes of a ship's bell; eight bells signals 4:00, 8:00, or 12:00 o'clock, either a.m. or p.m..
Classification
Nouns denoting time and temporal relations.
Examples
- The captain ordered the crew to drop anchor at the next ship's bell, which would be in 30 minutes.
- The first mate checked the time and noted that it was four bells, which meant it was 10:00 am.
- The crew gathered on deck at eight bells to mark the start of the new watch.
- The bosun marked the time on the log sheet as six bells, indicating it was 2:00 pm.
- The officer of the deck ordered the crew to take a short break at two bells, which was 6:00 am.