Nell is often used as a woman's name. It is short and easy to say. People may call a woman named Eleanor or Helen as Nell for short.
Nell is my best friend.
I wrote a letter to Nell today.
Nell is a rare old form of the verb 'knell.' It means to ring a bell slowly and sadly, often at funerals. People used it in the past, but it is not common now.
The bell nellled at dawn.
They nellled the church bell softly.
In some British slang, 'nell' can mean a weak or tired person. It is used to describe someone who is not strong. It is informal and not very common.
Don’t be a nell, join us!
He is a nell today, very tired.
'Nell' was used long ago in some English regions to mean a small hill or mound. This meaning is very old and rare today. It describes small natural rises in the land.
The sheep rested on the nell.
We walked up the little nell in the field.
In some traditional fishing, a 'nell' is a small net used by fishermen. It helps catch fish near the water surface. This use is regional and less common today.
The fisherman used a nell today.
A nell caught many small fish.
In informal speech, 'to nell' can mean to complain softly or whine. It often describes someone acting weak when upset. This usage is rare and mostly slang.
She nellled about her homework again.
Don’t nell; just do the work.
