ring someone's bell
Appearance
English
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]Audio (General Australian): (file)
Verb
[edit]ring someone's bell (third-person singular simple present rings someone's bell, present participle ringing someone's bell, simple past rang someone's bell, past participle rung someone's bell)
- (idiomatic) To physically traumatize someone with a strong blow, especially a concussive blow to the head.
- 1981 May 5, “Heads Up in the Outfield”, in St. Petersburg Evening Independent, retrieved 19 Jan. 2010, page 4C:
- Braves outfielder Eddie Miller was struck in the head with an object thrown from the left field seats. . . . Braves manager Bobby Cox said Miller was more dazed than hurt. "It stung him pretty good, it rang his bell," Cox said.
- 2003 October 11, Tom Singer, “Redman delivers quality start”, in MLB.com, retrieved 19 Jan. 2010:
- Redman took Kenny Lofton's left shoulder on his jaw and saw every color of the rainbow but teal. "That sent me down. I was kinda dizzy," Redman said . . . "You take a shot like that, it's going to ring your bell a bit."
- (idiomatic) To please; to satisfy greatly.
- 2012, Melvin Ricks, To Die Before You Die::
- My normal lack of confidence with women is quickly forgotten when I meet one who rings my bell.
- 2013 -, Savannah Rain, Shattered Family:
- Edna's frequent exact words were, “He rings my bell,” along with other similar crude statements.
- 2014, Mary Jane Sterling, Trigonometry For Dummies, page 3:
- What's in a book on trigonometry that'll ring your bell or strike your fancy or just make you pretty happy?
Synonyms
[edit]- (traumatize): knock out, stagger, stun
- (please): tickle someone's fancy