pull bell

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A bell that you make ring by pulling a cord or handle, often used in old houses or hotels to call a servant.

   Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a pull bell' or 'two pull bells'.

   Patterns

   • ring a pull bell
   • pull the pull bell

   In the old hotel, each room had a pull bell to call the front desk.

   She tugged the pull bell beside the door, and a distant chime sounded.

   The museum displays a Victorian pull bell that once summoned servants.

2. 2nouncountable

   A cord or handle attached to a bell, used to ring it by pulling.

   Grammar: Countable: 'a pull bell' is the whole device, not just the cord.

   Patterns

   • pull the pull bell
   • a pull bell cord

   He pulled the pull bell, and the bell rang loudly in the hallway.

   The pull bell was made of brass and hung next to the fireplace.

   Children loved to pull the pull bell in the old schoolhouse.

Word forms

Common combinations

ring a pull bell

Visitors would ring a pull bell to announce their arrival.

pull the pull bell

He pulled the pull bell, and the butler appeared.

old pull bell

The old pull bell still works after all these years.

Synonyms and how they differ

bell pull

A bell pull is the cord or handle itself, while a pull bell is the whole device including the bell.

service bell

A service bell is a bell used to call for service, but it may be rung by pressing rather than pulling.

Word family

bell noun

A hollow metal object that makes a ringing sound when struck.

pull verb

To move something toward you using your hands.

Commonly confused: pull bell or bell pull?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “pull bell”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words