dumbbell

An exercising weight consisting of a handle with an oblate sphere at each end. The halteres of the Romans and Greeks were weights used for exercising and leaping. One was grasped in each hand, and they were swayed to increase the momentum of the body when vaulting. Dumb - bell nebula , Dumb - bell cluster of stars. Astron.: A nebula, called also the Hour-gla n bula, situated in the Constellation Vulpecula. dumb-bidding, s. A form of bidding at auctions where the exposer puts a reserve bid under a candlestick or other covering, and no bid is received which does not come up to that.