doorbell

American  

[dawr-bel, dohr-] / ˈdɔrˌbɛl, ˈdoʊr- /

noun

1. a bell chime, or the like, at a door or connected with a door, rung by persons outside wanting someone inside to open the door.

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verb (used without object)

1. to canvass or solicit from door to door, especially for votes or contributions.

Etymology

Origin of doorbell

First recorded in 1805–15; door + bell ¹

Example Sentences

The doorbell footage showed the delivery driver, who was wearing a high-vis jacket, ringing the doorbell while holding a parcel.

From BBC

They rang the doorbell and recorded themselves on their phones apparently trying to deliver a Bible and a letter.

From BBC

When he put the bags down to get to the doorbell, one of them clanked ominously.

From Literature

Then powered by a glazed doughnut and extra-large energy drink, he zips around driveways in northern New Jersey and nearby New York, ringing doorbells, photographing doorsteps and hauling away the physical aftermath of holiday optimism.

From The Wall Street Journal

AI videos run the gamut from the absurd - a cartoon of a cat working at McDonald's - to the hyper-realistic, like fake doorbell camera footage.

From BBC

Related Words

• buzzer