bag of shells

noun

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see bag, shell.

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Meanings

nounbag of shells (plural bags of shells)

plural bags of shells

  1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see bag, shell.
  2. A trifle.

    For an ordinary intellect, yes, but for me a mere bagatelle, or bag-of-shells, as the ancients have it.

    1914, Matthew M. Colton, Frank Armstrong at college, page 39

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
bagatelledrop in the bucketdrop in the oceandrop in the ponddrop in the seanothingburgersmall beerspit in the oceanticky-tacktrifletrinkettrivialitywhite chip

Origin

Misconstruction of bagatelle (“trifle”).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

bag of shells. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bag%20of%20shells

MLA

“bag of shells.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bag%20of%20shells. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bag of shells,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bag%20of%20shells.

Source: bag of shells on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.