1570s, "having a shell;" past-participle adjective from shell (v.). Attested from 1670s in the sense of "deprived of a shell." Military use for "bombarded by shells" is from 1850s.
updated on August 21, 2022
英语词源词典收录了45867条英语词源词条，基本涵盖了全部常用英语词汇的起源、历史，是研究英语词汇或通过词源学英语的必备工具。