1 C1 informal
To telephone someone.
"Bell me up when you've finished work and we'll meet for a pint."
separable
bell up
C1 informal separable transitive
British informal: to telephone someone.
In plain English
To call someone on the phone.
What does "bell up" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To ring the bell (telephone) of someone.
Actually means
To call someone on the phone.
Usage tip
British English slang. 'Bell' is used as a verb in British informal English to mean 'phone' (e.g., 'Give me a bell' = 'Call me'). 'Bell up' is a rarer variant. Most speakers would say 'ring up' or 'call up' instead.
Words that pair with "bell up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
me him her them someone later
How to conjugate "bell up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
bell up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
bells up
he/she/it
Past simple
belled up
yesterday
Past participle
belled up
have + pp
-ing form
belling up
continuous
Hear "bell up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "bell up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.