shelling
UK: ˈʃɛlɪŋ | US: ˈʃɛlɪŋ
n. the act of bombarding a target with explosive shells
n. the removal of the outer shell or husk from nuts, seeds, etc.
n. (metaphorical) a harsh verbal attack or criticism
The word "shelling" derives from the noun "shell," which traces back to Old English "scell" (a hard covering, such as of a nut or egg), related to Proto-Germanic *skaljō. The suffix "-ing" transforms it into a noun denoting the action or process (e.g., "bombarding with shells" or "removing shells"). The military sense emerged in the 18th century with the use of artillery shells, while the agricultural sense is older, tied to food preparation.
The village endured heavy shelling during the battle.
Shelling peanuts is a tedious but necessary step for making peanut butter.
The politician faced relentless shelling from the opposition in the debate.
After the storm, the beach was littered with shells from the intense wave action.
The factory specializes in shelling and packaging sunflower seeds.