bell metal

American  

noun

1. an alloy of about 80 percent copper and 20 percent tin, sometimes with small amounts of lead and zinc, having low damping qualities and used especially for bells.

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bell metal British  

noun

1. an alloy of copper and tin, with some zinc and lead, used in casting bells

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Etymology

Origin of bell metal

First recorded in 1535–45

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bell metal

Varying proportions of copper and tin give gun metal, bell metal, babbitt metal and many another alloy, the greater the percentage of tin the harder being the resulting composition.

From Time Magazine Archive

The preserving pan should be made of bell metal, flat at the bottom, very large in diameter, but not deep.

From The Virginia Housewife by Mary Randolph

But he made them his own by smelting the rough ore into bell metal.

From Byron by John Nichol

It is employed pure for numerous purposes, and is also mixed with other metals to form bell metal, speculum metal, for optical purposes, and German silver.

From The Mines and its Wonders by William Henry Giles Kingston

Now I think of it, tell the Bishop of Clogher, he shall not cheat me of one inch of my bell metal.

From The Journal to Stella by Jonathan Swift