Join FunTrivia for Free: Hourly trivia games, quizzes, community, and more!
Fun Trivia
Ask FunTrivia: Questions and Answers
Answers to 100,000 Fascinating Questions
Welcome to FunTrivia's Question & Answer forum!

Search All Questions


Please cite any factual claims with citation links or references from authoritative sources. Editors continuously recheck submissions and claims.

Archived Questions

Goto Qn #


Where did the saying 'Clear as a Bell' come from, what does it mean?

Question #26553. Asked by JJohnston.

sequoianoir
Answer has 15 votes
Currently Best Answer
sequoianoir
21 year member
2091 replies

Answer has 15 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
It means 'clearly understood'
'You don't have to repeat yourself. Your message is clear as a bell.'

Origin: Bells such as the type used in churches are large and loud. Their sound can be heard from a great distance. Bells sound a single, clear note so their sound is distinctive and not easily confused.
Before electric sirens and amplification systems, bells were a valuable means of signaling people and alerting of important events - like an impending attack. The bell and the message intended could be heard clearly over a large area.

Back in the 1910's, many companies were trying to get into the manufacturing and selling one the hottest items around, the phonograph.
One of those companies was the Sonora Chime Company.
This company started the Sonora Phonograph Company and used 'Clear as a Bell' as their slogan, touting the fidelity of their machine's sound reproduction.

Jan 16 2003, 8:18 PM
sequoianoir
Answer has 3 votes
sequoianoir
21 year member
2091 replies

Answer has 3 votes.
Sometimes the phrase is 'As SOUND as a bell'

Shakespeare used this in 'Much Ado About Nothing' (III,ii)

'He hath a heart as sound as a bell, and his tongue is the {clapper;} for what his heart thinks, his tongue speaks.'

Jan 16 2003, 8:26 PM
free email trivia FREE! Get a new mixed Fun Trivia quiz each day in your email. It's a fun way to start your day!


arrow Your Email Address:

Sign in or Create Free User ID to participate in the discussion