Meaning of bells and whistles | Babel Free

Definitions

Extra features added for show rather than function; fancy additions or features.

idiomatic, plural, plural-only

Equivalents

Examples

“His new car has all the bells and whistles, but it doesn't move through traffic jams any faster.”

“The bells and whistles do not impress me.”

“I need a new phone, but I don’t want all those fancy bells and whistles on it!”

“Charles’s coronation was a full-color spectacle, showing off the peacocked glory of British tradition and the bells and whistles of 21st-century TV. Britain brought out its finest garments, its finest relics, its finest rain.”

CEFR level