swell

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   expand abnormally

   The bellies of the starving children are swelling

2. 2
   verb

   cause to become swollen

   The water swells the wood

3. 3
   verb

   increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity

   The music swelled to a crescendo

4. 4
   verb

   become filled with pride, arrogance, or anger

   The applause of the audience made my heart swell with feeling.

5. 5
   verb

   come up, as of feelings and thoughts, or other ephemeral things

   The song on the radio made memories of my ex swell.

6. 6
   verb

   To become bigger, especially due to being engorged.

   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!

7. 7
   verb

   To cause to become bigger.

   Rains and dissolving snow swell the rivers in spring.

8. 8
   verb

   To grow gradually in force or loudness.

   The organ music swelled.

Etymology

From Middle English swellen, from Old English swellan (“to swell”), from Proto-West Germanic *swellan, from Proto-Germanic *swellaną (“to swell”), of unknown origin. Cognate with Saterland Frisian swälle (“to swell”), West Frisian swolle (“to swell”), Dutch zwellen (“to swell”), Low German swellen (“to swell”), German schwellen (“to swell”), Swedish svälla (“to swell”), Icelandic svella. The adjective may derive from the noun.