bell buoy

American  

noun

Nautical.

1. a buoy having a bell that is rung by the motion of the buoy.

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bell buoy British  

noun

1. a navigational buoy fitted with a bell, the clapper of which strikes when the waves move the buoy

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Etymology

Origin of bell buoy

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

The island is silent year-round except for the clanging of a bell buoy and the far-off drone of lobster boats.

From New York Times • Sep. 3, 2020

Then, evoking a passage into a quiet bay, little waves lapped with a feathery sound on a soft beach, and a bell buoy clanked mournfully.

From Time Magazine Archive

Hart stayed with Bucky past Boca Grande�s second bell buoy.

From Time Magazine Archive

"When he finds me gone, he will never think of the bell buoy," Maida told herself.

From Lord John in New York by Williamson, A. M. (Alice Muriel)

The dogged booming of a gun from a shore battery sounded lonely and remote as a bell buoy.

From The Long Roll by Johnston, Mary