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Dell Common

Dell has 4 different meanings across 2 categories:

Noun · Proper Noun

Definitions
Noun
1

a small wooded hollow

"The hikers found a perfect spot for lunch in the cool shade of the dell at the foot of the hill."

2

A valley, especially in the form of a natural hollow, small and deep.

"The old sailor laughed and called her a delinquent, though he secretly admired how spirited the dell was in her defiance."

3

A young woman; a wench.

In plain English: A dell is a small, sheltered hollow or valley surrounded by hills or trees.

"We spent our picnic in the shady dell between the two hills."

Usage: The term "dell" has been archaic and offensive since the 16th century to mean a young woman or wench and should not be used in modern English. In contemporary usage, it exclusively refers to a small hollow or valley between hills.

Proper Noun
1

A surname​.

"My neighbor, Mr. Dell, waved at me as I walked past his house yesterday."

Example Sentences
"We spent our picnic in the shady dell between the two hills." noun
"The hikers rested in the small dell surrounded by towering pine trees." noun
"She sat quietly in the green dell beneath the ancient oak." noun
"After the storm flooded the low-lying dell, the water took days to recede." noun
Related Terms
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
hollow

Origin

The word dell comes from the Old English term for a small dale. It traveled into modern English with this same meaning of a narrow valley or hollow between hills.

Rhyming Words
ell well fell jell pell zell yell nell mell rell cell sell hell kell tell odell adell dwell quell clell
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