Swell

Quick meaning: Swell is a verb meaning (intransitive) To become bigger, especially due to being engorged.

Meaning

(intransitive) To become bigger, especially due to being engorged.

More Meanings

1. (transitive) To cause to become bigger.
2. (intransitive) To grow gradually in force or loudness.
3. (transitive) To cause to grow gradually in force or loudness.
4. (transitive) To raise to arrogance; to puff up; to inflate.
5. (intransitive) To be raised to arrogance.
6. To be elated; to rise arrogantly.
7. To be turgid, bombastic, or extravagant.

Example Sentences

Rains and dissolving snow swell the rivers in spring.

’Tis low ebb sure with his Accuser, when such Peccadillos as these are put in to swell the Charge.

O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend The brightest heaven of invention, A kingdom for a stage, princes to act And monarchs to behold the swelling scene!

Mildly it [the wind] kist our sailes, and, fresh, and sweet, As, to a stomack sterv’d, whose insides meete, Meate comes, it came; and swole our sailes, when wee So joyd, as Sara’ her swelling joy’d to see.

Word Forms

• swells
• swelling
• swelled
• sweller
• swellest

Synonyms for swell

Depending on context, synonyms include dandy, dude, toff, barbermonger, blade, blood.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include distend, cool, smashing, keen, great, bully.

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