half shell
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of half shell
An Americanism dating back to 1855–60
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When I asked where the oysters on the half shell are from, a waiter blurted out “Connecticut.”
From Washington Post ● Jan. 21, 2022
Try roasted oysters in chipotle bourbon butter with toasted baguette, raw oyster on the half shell, or borrow the farm’s shucking equipment for a DIY lunch with a dozen oysters.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 10, 2021
To me, that’s life on a half shell.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2020
Things got underway with oysters on the half shell and crisp crackers, followed by clear broth with sherry and thin toast.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 24, 2018
Petra said, and guzzled from the half shell of fresh rainwater.
From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
