hull

The "hull" of something is its outer shell or main body. We often use it for the watertight body of a boat or ship, and also for the outer covering of some seeds, grains, or fruits. If a storm damages the hull of a vessel, the ship may start taking in water. In plants, the hull is the layer around the part we want to eat or use.

The word can also be a verb. To "hull" something means to remove that outer covering, as when you hull strawberries before making dessert.

Originally, "hull" referred to the main body of a ship or boat: the watertight outer structure that lets it float and move through the water. From a small fishing boat to a large cargo ship, the hull is the central body of the vessel. You might hear it in a sentence like: "The captain ordered an immediate inspection of the hull after the ship struck floating ice."

The word is also used in farming and cooking for the outer covering of certain seeds, grains, nuts, and fruits. Rice, oats, and sunflower seeds all have hulls. A walnut also has an outer hull around the shell. In this sense, the hull is the layer that surrounds and protects what is inside.

"Hull" also works as a verb. To "hull" something means to take off its outer covering or top. You might hull strawberries before baking a pie, or hull grains as part of food processing.

Whether you are talking about ships or plant products, "hull" usually points to the outer part that surrounds and protects the inside. The exact meaning depends on the context, but the core idea stays the same: an outside layer or main outer body.