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swell - 9 dictionary results
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swell

  [swel] verb, swelled, swol⋅len or swelled, swell⋅ing, noun, adjective
Use swell in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to grow in bulk, as by the absorption of moisture or the processes of growth.
2. Pathology. to increase abnormally in size, as by inflation, distention, accumulation of fluids, or the like: Her ankles swelled from standing.
3. to rise in waves, as the sea.
4. to well up, as a spring or as tears.
5. to bulge out, as a sail or the middle of a cask.
6. to grow in amount, degree, force, etc.
7. to increase gradually in volume or intensity, as sound: The music swelled.
8. to arise and grow within one, as a feeling or emotion.
9. to become puffed up with pride.
–verb (used with object)
10. to cause to grow in bulk.
11. to cause to increase gradually in loudness: to swell a musical tone.
12. to cause (a thing) to bulge out or be protuberant.
13. to increase in amount, degree, force, etc.
14. to affect with a strong, expansive emotion.
15. to puff up with pride.
–noun
16. the act of swelling or the condition of being swollen.
17. inflation or distention.
18. a protuberant part.
19. a wave, esp. when long and unbroken, or a series of such waves.
20. a gradually rising elevation of the land.
21. an increase in amount, degree, force, etc.
22. a gradual increase in loudness of sound.
23. Music.
a. a gradual increase (crescendo) followed by a gradual decrease (diminuendo) in loudness or force of musical sound.
b. the sign (< >) for indicating this.
c. a device, as in an organ, by which the loudness of tones may be varied.
24. a swelling of emotion within one.
25. Slang.
a. a fashionably dressed person; dandy.
b. a socially prominent person.
–adjective Informal.
26. (of things) stylish; elegant: a swell hotel.
27. (of persons) fashionably dressed or socially prominent.
28. first-rate; fine: a swell party.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME swellen (v.), OE swellan; c. D zwellen, G schwellen, ON svella; akin to Goth ufswalleins pride

Synonyms:
1. distend, expand. 5. protrude. 10. inflate, expand. 17. swelling. 18. bulge. 19. billow. 27, 28. grand.

Antonyms:
1. contract. 13. decrease, diminish.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To swell
swell   (swěl)   
v.   swelled, swelled or swol·len (swō'lən), swell·ing, swells

v.   intr.
  1. To increase in size or volume as a result of internal pressure; expand.
    1. To increase in force, size, number, or degree: Membership in the club swelled.
    2. To grow in loudness or intensity: "The din in front swelled to a tremendous chorus" (Stephen Crane).
    3. To rise or extend above the surrounding level, as clouds.
    4. To rise in swells, as the sea.
    5. To be or become filled or puffed up, as with pride, arrogance, or anger.
    6. To rise from within: Rage swelled within me.
  3. To bulge out, as a sail.
    1. To rise or extend above the surrounding level, as clouds.
    2. To rise in swells, as the sea.
    3. To be or become filled or puffed up, as with pride, arrogance, or anger.
    4. To rise from within: Rage swelled within me.
    1. To be or become filled or puffed up, as with pride, arrogance, or anger.
    2. To rise from within: Rage swelled within me.
v.   tr.
  1. To cause to increase in volume, size, number, degree, or intensity: The governor's full public disclosure only swelled the chorus of protests.
  2. To fill with emotion.
n.  
    1. The act or process of swelling.
    2. The condition of being swollen.
    3. A crescendo followed by a gradual diminuendo.
    4. The sign indicating such a crescendo.
    5. A device on an instrument, such as an organ or harpsichord, for regulating volume.
  2. A swollen part; a bulge or protuberance.
  3. A long wave on water that moves continuously without breaking.
  4. A rise in the land; a rounded elevation.
  5. Informal One who is fashionably dressed or socially prominent: society swells.
  6. Music
    1. A crescendo followed by a gradual diminuendo.
    2. The sign indicating such a crescendo.
    3. A device on an instrument, such as an organ or harpsichord, for regulating volume.
adj.   swell·er, swell·est Informal
  1. Fashionably elegant; stylish.
  2. Excellent; wonderful: had a swell time.

[Middle English swellen, from Old English swellan.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Swell

Swell\, v. i. [imp. Swelled; p. p. Swelled or Swollen; p. pr. & vb. n. Swelling.] [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. sv["a]lla.]

1. To grow larger; to dilate or extend the exterior surface or dimensions, by matter added within, or by expansion of the inclosed substance; as, the legs swell in dropsy; a bruised part swells; a bladder swells by inflation.

2. To increase in size or extent by any addition; to increase in volume or force; as, a river swells, and overflows its banks; sounds swell or diminish.

3. To rise or be driven into waves or billows; to heave; as, in tempest, the ocean swells into waves.

4. To be puffed up or bloated; as, to swell with pride.

You swell at the tartan, as the bull is said to do at scarlet. --Sir W. Scott.

5. To be inflated; to belly; as, the sails swell.

6. To be turgid, bombastic, or extravagant; as, swelling words; a swelling style.

7. To protuberate; to bulge out; as, a cask swells in the middle.

8. To be elated; to rise arrogantly.

Your equal mind yet swells not into state. --Dryden.

9. To grow upon the view; to become larger; to expand. "Monarchs to behold the swelling scene!" --Shak.

10. To become larger in amount; as, many little debts added, swell to a great amount.

11. To act in a pompous, ostentatious, or arrogant manner; to strut; to look big.

Here he comes, swelling like a turkey cock. --Shak.

Swell

Swell\, v. t. 1. To increase the size, bulk, or dimensions of; to cause to rise, dilate, or increase; as, rains and dissolving snow swell the rivers in spring; immigration swells the population.

[The Church] swells her high, heart-cheering tone. --Keble.

2. To aggravate; to heighten.

It is low ebb with his accuser when such peccadilloes are put to swell the charge. --Atterbury.

3. To raise to arrogance; to puff up; to inflate; as, to be swelled with pride or haughtiness.

4. (Mus.) To augment gradually in force or loudness, as the sound of a note.

Swell

Swell\, n. 1. The act of swelling.

2. Gradual increase. Specifically: (a) Increase or augmentation in bulk; protuberance. (b) Increase in height; elevation; rise.

Little River affords navigation during a swell to within three miles of the Miami. --Jefferson. (c) Increase of force, intensity, or volume of sound.

Music arose with its voluptuous swell. --Byron. (d) Increase of power in style, or of rhetorical force.

The swell and subsidence of his periods. --Landor.

3. A gradual ascent, or rounded elevation, of land; as, an extensive plain abounding with little swells.

4. A wave, or billow; especially, a succession of large waves; the roll of the sea after a storm; as, a heavy swell sets into the harbor.

The swell Of the long waves that roll in yonder bay. --Tennyson.

The gigantic swells and billows of the snow. --Hawthorne.

5. (Mus.) A gradual increase and decrease of the volume of sound; the crescendo and diminuendo combined; -- generally indicated by the sign.

6. A showy, dashing person; a dandy. [Slang]

Ground swell. See under Ground.

Organ swell (Mus.), a certain number of pipes inclosed in a box, the uncovering of which by means of a pedal produces increased sound.

Swell shark (Zo["o]l.), a small shark (Scyllium ventricosum) of the west coast of North America, which takes in air when caught, and swells up like a swellfish.

Swell

Swell\, a. Having the characteristics of a person of rank and importance; showy; dandified; distinguished; as, a swell person; a swell neighborhood. [Slang]

Swell mob. See under Mob. [Slang]
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : swell
Spanish: hinchar(se), inflar(se),
German: (an)schwellen (lassen),
Japanese: ふくれる
More Translations »

swell  (v.)
O.E. swellan "grow or make bigger" (past tense sweall, pp. swollen), from P.Gmc. *swelnanan (cf. O.S. swellan, O.N. svella, O.Fris. swella, M.Du. swellen, Du. zwellen, O.H.G. swellan, Ger. schwellen), of unknown origin.

swell  (n.)
c.1225, "a morbid swelling," from swell (v.). In ref. to a rise of the sea, it is attested from 1606. The meaning "wealthy, elegant person" is first recorded 1786; hence the adj. meaning "fashionably dressed or equipped" (1810), both from the notion of "puffed-up, pompous" behavior. The sense of "good, excellent" first occurs 1897, and as a stand-alone expression of satisfaction it is recorded from 1930 in Amer.Eng.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: swell
Pronunciation: 'swel
Function: intransitive verb
Inflected Forms: swelled; swelled or swol·len /'swO-l&n/; swell·ing
: to become distended or puffed up swelled>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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