Swell

[swel] or [swɛl]

Definition

(noun.) a crescendo followed by a decrescendo.

(noun.) the undulating movement of the surface of the open sea.

(noun.) a rounded elevation (especially one on an ocean floor).

(verb.) expand abnormally; 'The bellies of the starving children are swelling'.

(verb.) cause to become swollen; 'The water swells the wood'.

(verb.) increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity; 'The music swelled to a crescendo'.

(verb.) become filled with pride, arrogance, or anger; 'The mother was swelling with importance when she spoke of her son'.

Edited by Ingram--From WordNet

Definition

(v. i.) 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.

(v. i.) 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.

(v. i.) To rise or be driven into waves or billows; to heave; as, in tempest, the ocean swells into waves.

(v. i.) To be puffed up or bloated; as, to swell with pride.

(v. i.) To be inflated; to belly; as, the sails swell.

(v. i.) To be turgid, bombastic, or extravagant; as, swelling words; a swelling style.

(v. i.) To protuberate; to bulge out; as, a cask swells in the middle.

(v. i.) To be elated; to rise arrogantly.

(v. i.) To grow upon the view; to become larger; to expand.

(v. i.) To become larger in amount; as, many little debts added, swell to a great amount.

(v. i.) To act in a pompous, ostentatious, or arrogant manner; to strut; to look big.

(v. t.) 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.

(v. t.) To aggravate; to heighten.

(v. t.) To raise to arrogance; to puff up; to inflate; as, to be swelled with pride or haughtiness.

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

(n.) The act of swelling.

(n.) Gradual increase.

(n.) Increase or augmentation in bulk; protuberance.

(n.) Increase in height; elevation; rise.

(n.) Increase of force, intensity, or volume of sound.

(n.) Increase of power in style, or of rhetorical force.

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

(n.) 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.

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

(n.) A showy, dashing person; a dandy.

(a.) Having the characteristics of a person of rank and importance; showy; dandified; distinguished; as, a swell person; a swell neighborhood.

Edited by Barrett

Synonyms and Synonymous

v. n. [1]. Dilate, expand, intumesce, grow larger or bigger (by expansion).[2]. Increase (by outward addition), augment, enlarge.[3]. Rise (as waves), heave, surge.[4]. Belly, be inflated.[5]. Strut, look big, put on airs, be puffed up.[6]. Be turgid or bombastic.[7]. Bulge, protuberate, swell out.

v. a. [1]. Dilate, expand, inflate.[2]. Enhance, heighten, aggravate.[3]. Puff up, make arrogant.

n. [1]. Swelling.[2]. Waves, billows.[3]. [Colloquial.] Fop, coxcomb, dandy, beau, exquisite, jackanapes, popinjay, man-milliner, man of dress, vain fellow.

Inputed by Jon

Synonyms and Antonyms

SYN:Dilate, extend, enlarges, heighten, heave, enhance, rise, expand, increase,augment, protuberate, aggravate, amplify, distend

ANT:Contract, curtail, shrivel, diminish, lessen, retrench, reduce, collapse, fold,narrow, condense, concentrate

Typed by Garrett

Definition

v.i. to grow larger: to expand: to rise into waves: to heave: to be inflated: to bulge out: to grow louder: to be bombastic to strut: to become elated arrogant or angry: to grow upon the view: to grow more violent: to grow louder as a note.—v.t. to increase the size of: to aggravate: to increase the sound of: to raise to arrogance: to augment the sound of:—pa.p. swelled or swollen (swōln).—n. act of swelling: a bulge or protuberance: increase in size: an increase and a succeeding decrease in the volume of a tone: a gradual rise of ground: a wave or billow or succession of them in one direction as after a storm: a distinct set of pipes in an organ enclosed in a case furnished with movable shutters which being more or less opened by means of a pedal produce a swell of sound: (geol.) an upward protrusion of strata from whose central region the beds dip quaquaversally at a low angle: a strutting foppish fellow a dandy.—adj. fashionable.—n. Swell′dom the fashionable world generally.—adj. Swell′ing (B.) inflated proud haughty.—n. protuberance: a tumour: a rising as of passion: (B.) inflation by pride.—adj. Swell′ish foppish dandified.—ns. Swell′-mob well-dressed pickpockets collectively; Swell′-mobs′man a well-dressed pickpocket.

Inputed by Claude