bellows

The bellows for a church organ

Meanings

Noun

  • A device for delivering pressurized air in a controlled quantity to a controlled location. At its most simple terms a bellows is a container which is deformable in such a way as to alter its volume which has an outlet or outlets where one wishes to blow air.
  • Any flexible container or enclosure, as one used to cover a moving joint.
  • The lungs.
  • Flexible, light-tight enclosures connecting the lensboard and the camera back.
  • That which fans the fire of hatred, jealousy, etc.
  • Plural of bellow

Verb

  • To operate a bellows; to direct air at (something) using a bellows.
  • To expand and contract like a bellows.
  • To fold up like a bellows; to accordion.
  • Third-person singular simple present indicative form of bellow

Origin

  • From Middle English belwes, plural of belu, belwe, a northern form of beli, from Old English belg, cf. bælġ, from Proto-Germanic *balgiz. Compare German Balg. See also belly.
  • See bellow

Modern English dictionary

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