shelling, vbl. n.
(ˈʃɛlɪŋ)
[f. shell v. + -ing1.]
1. The action of shell v.; removal of the shell of peas, nuts, etc. Cf. sheeling 1.
| 1725 P. Blair Pharmaco-Bot. iii. 129 The Pains of husking or shelling of it [sc. Naked Oats] (as 'tis usually call'd) in a Water Mill. 1892 Athenæum 12 Mar. 338/2 A clandestine shelling of peas. |
2. concr. Cf. sheeling 2.
a. Husks or chaff.
| 1598 Florio, Mondiglia, cleansings, purifyings, sweepings, parings, shellings. 1629 Orkney Witch Trial in County Folk-Lore (1903) III. 78 Thair was sevin thrave and ane halff quhairoff he got nothing bot shellings. 1722 P. Blair Pharmaco-Bot. iii. 131 They winnow or fan off the Husk [of oats], call'd in some Places the Shellings. 1812 Chron. in Ann. Reg. 151 A quantity of wet shellings of oats had been put on the fire. 1830 Kyle Farm Rep. 43 in Libr. Usef. Knowl., Husb. III, No oats are sold; they are converted into meal for the sake of getting the dust and shelling. 1851 J. F. W. Johnston Notes N. Amer. II. 128 The shellings or outer husk of this grain are sent down the stream by the millers. |
b. Grain, etc. from which the husk has been removed.
| 1705 [see shell v. 2]. 1763 Chron. in Ann. Reg. 107 Kemp..brought a peck of shelling to the mill to have it ground. 1815 Pocklington Canal Act 52 Flour, shelling, and pearl barley. 1858 Simmonds Dict. Trade, Shelling, a commercial name for groats, the grain of oats when the shudes are removed. |
3. a. Manuring with shells.
b. (See
quot. 1796.)
c. (See
quot. 1881.)
| 1780 A. Young Tour Irel. I. 122 Parts by shelling advanced, from 5s. to 25s. an acre. 1796 ― Ann. Agric. XXVII. 189 (E.D.S.) The snow lodging among the tops of the wool, and freezing like an incrustation around [the sheep is called] shelling. 1881 Ingersoll Oyster-Industr. 248 Shelling, the spreading of shells upon the bottom to catch spawn. |
4. The firing of shells, bombardment with shells.
| 1860 W. H. Russell Diary in India II. 288 We should knock down a few of these fellows' forts, and give them a good shelling. 1870 Daily News 29 Aug. 5 After some two hours' shelling the French fire grew slacker. |
5. The collecting of sea-shells.
| 1861 C. P. Hodgson Resid. Japan 35 Captain Page..lent me his gig and crew of seven men for a day's shelling. 1876 Moresby (title) New Guinea and Polynesia. Discoveries..in New Guinea,..a Cruise in Polynesia and Visits to the Pearl-Shelling Stations in Torres Straits. |
6. (See
quot.)
| 1897 Encycl. Sport I. 341/2 Kicking, the old term for the custom of guards to ask travellers for a tip or special fee. Also called Shelling. |
7. attrib., as (
= for use in shelling grain)
shelling machine,
shelling mill; (
= pertaining to shell-collecting)
shelling craft,
shelling ground,
shelling industry; (
= consisting of shelled grain, etc.,
cf. sheeling)
shelling beans,
shelling seeds.
| 1795 Phillips Hist. Inland Nav. Addenda 47 Wheat, rye, *shelling beans, pease. |
| 1887 H. W. Daly Digging & Squatting 349 Some of the *shelling craft were raising as much as a ton a month. |
| 1896 Strand Mag. XII. 356/2 *Shelling ground is usually of coral structure. |
| 1889 H. H. Romilly Verandah in N. Guinea x. 225 The *shelling industry has very considerably increased. |
| 1803 M. Cutler in Life, etc. (1888) II. 137 Patent for *shelling machine. |
| 1807 Vancouver Agric. Devon (1813) 179 There being few *shelling-mills, and little or no oatmeal manufactured in the country. |
| 1842 J. Aiton Dom. Econ. (1857) 241 Cover all with six or eight inches of the *shelling-seeds. |