Skull

/ˈskʌl/ · noun

Meaning

(anatomy) The main bones of the head considered as a unit; including the cranium, facial bones, and mandible..

Definitions by Sense

1. (anatomy) The main bones of the head considered as a unit; including the cranium, facial bones, and mandible.
2. These bones as a symbol for death; death's-head.
3. (figuratively) The mind or brain.
4. A crust formed on the ladle, etc. by the partial cooling of molten metal.
5. The crown of the headpiece in armour.
6. (Scotland) A shallow bow-handled basket.
7. (UK, obsolete, slang) The head or master of a college.
8. To hit in the head with a fist, a weapon, or a thrown object.

Example Sentences

All the time six or eight large Chinese gongs were being beaten by the vigorous arms of as many young men, producing such a deafening discord that I was glad to escape to the round house, where I slept very comfortably with half a dozen smoke-dried human skulls suspended over my head.

He was about to roar when, lying among the black sticks and straw under the cliff, he saw a whole skull—perhaps a cow's skull, a skull, perhaps, with the teeth in it. Sobbing, but absent-mindedly, he ran farther and farther away until he held the skull in his arms.

Thine are these orbs of light and shade; ⁠Thou madest Life in man and brute; ⁠Thou madest Death; and lo, thy foot Is on the skull which thou hast made.

My thoughts are flying around in my skull like fireflies in a jar, but all of a sudden I'm unbearably tired and can't stay awake.

Graduates […] will never forget that majestic stature, that massive brow, that commanding look, as its possessor paced the ante-chapel of his college, or took his seat of presidence among the skulls of Golgotha.

Monte swung so hard at the next ball that he skulled it straight right, into the pond: 8 in, 9 out.

She nearly skulled the next drink and, despite feeling a little woozy, she felt a lot better.

That was at Jessica Eyre's sixteenth, and while nothing terrible had happened (I had skulled four Lemon Ruskis and fallen asleep in the garden), it was agreed by all that I had embarrassed myself.

Synonyms for skull

Antonyms for skull

Related Words

Word Forms

• skulls
• scull
• skulling
• skulled

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

Practice and Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions