Definition of swell - WordReference.com Dictionary

WordReference.com English Dictionary

swell:

in Spanish | in French | in Italian
in context | images

Listen:

US - UK

For the verb: "to swell"

Simple Past:	swelled
Past Participle:	swollen, swelled

swell
A	noun
	1	swell
			a crescendo followed by a decrescendo
		Category Tree: abstraction ╚attribute ╚property ╚sound property ╚volume; loudness; intensity ╚crescendo ╚swell
	2	swell, crestless wave
			the undulating movement of the surface of the open sea
		Category Tree: event ╚happening; occurrence; natural event ╚movement; motion ╚wave; moving ridge ╚swell, crestless wave ╚ground swell; heavy swell
	3	swell
			a rounded elevation (especially one on an ocean floor)
		Category Tree: entity ╚object; physical object ╚natural object ╚geological formation; formation ╚natural elevation; elevation ╚swell
	4	dandy, dude, fop, gallant, sheik, beau, swell, fashion plate, clotheshorse
			a man who is much concerned with his dress and appearance
		Category Tree: entity ╚object; physical object ╚living thing; animate thing ╚organism; being ╚person; individual; someone; somebody; mortal; human; soul ╚male; male person ╚man; adult male ╚dandy, dude, fop, gallant, sheik, beau, swell, fashion plate, clotheshorse ╚Brummell; George Bryan Brummell; Beau Brummell ╚macaroni ╚coxcomb; cockscomb
B	verb
	1	swell, swell up, intumesce, tumefy, tumesce
			expand abnormally; "The bellies of the starving children are swelling"
		Category Tree: change ╚change magnitude ╚increase ╚grow ╚expand ╚swell, swell up, intumesce, tumefy, tumesce ╚blister; vesicate ╚bloat ╚puff; puff up; blow up; puff out ╚belly; belly out ╚distend
	2	swell
			cause to become swollen; "The water swells the wood"
		Category Tree: change; alter; modify ╚develop; make grow ╚grow ╚swell ╚bloat ╚tumefy ╚bulge; bulk
	3	swell
			increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity; "The music swelled to a crescendo"
		Category Tree: change ╚change magnitude ╚increase ╚swell
	4	well, swell
			come up; "Tears well in her eyes"
		Category Tree: travel; go; move; locomote ╚ascend; go up ╚surface; come up; rise up; rise ╚well, swell
	5	swell, puff up
			become filled with pride, arrogance, or anger; "The mother was swelling with importance when she spoke of her son"
		Category Tree: act; behave; do ╚swell, puff up
	6	well up, swell
			as of feelings and thoughts, or other ephemeral things; "Strong emotions welled up"; "Smoke swelled from it"
		Category Tree: become ╚originate; arise; rise; develop; uprise; spring up; grow ╚well up, swell
C	adjective
	1	bang-up, bully, corking, cracking, dandy, great, groovy, keen, neat, nifty, not bad(p), peachy, slap-up, swell, smashing
			very good; "he did a bully job"; "a neat sports car"; "had a great time at the party"; "you look simply smashing"

Look up "swell" at Merriam-Webster
Look up "swell" at dictionary.com

Forum discussions with the word(s) 'swell' in the title:

swell the ranks???
Tears of wonder swell up in your eyes ...
One beer a day, doesn't make your belly swell. TWO DOES!
to have had a fine piano on his third manual by the Venetian shutter-swell?
Leg will swell
swell to vs. increase to
swallow/swell
swell head
For any questions about this word or definition:

Ask in the forums yourself.
Visit the English Only Forum.