Swell v. i. [imp. Swelled p. p. Swelled or Swollen p. pr. & vb. n. Swelling.]
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!”
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.
Swoll·en, a. Enlarged by swelling; immoderately increased; as, swollen eyes; swollen streams.
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swell
adj : very good; "he did a bully job"; "a neat sports car"; "had a
great time at the party"; "you look simply smashing"
[syn: bang-up, bully, corking, cracking, dandy,
great, groovy, keen, neat, nifty, not
bad(p), peachy, slap-up, smashing]
n 1: the undulating movement of the surface of the open sea [syn:
crestless wave]
2: a rounded elevation (especially one on an ocean floor)
3: a crescendo followed by a decrescendo
4: a man who is much concerned with his dress and appearance
[syn: dandy, dude, fop, gallant, sheik, beau,
fashion plate, clotheshorse]
v 1: increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity; "The
music swelled to a crescendo"
2: become filled with pride, arrogance, or anger; "The mother
was swelling with importance when she spoke of her son"
[syn: puff up]
3: expand abnormally; "The bellies of the starving children are
swelling" [syn: swell up, intumesce, tumefy, tumesce]
4: as of feelings and thoughts, or other ephemeral things;
"Strong emotions welled up"; "Smoke swelled from it" [syn:
well up]
5: come up; "Tears well in her eyes" [syn: well]
6: cause to become swollen; "The water swells the wood"
[also: swollen]
swollen
adj 1: abnormally distended especially by fluids or gas; "hungry
children with bloated stomachs"; "he had a grossly
distended stomach"; "eyes with puffed (or puffy)
lids"; "swollen hands"; "tumescent tissue"; "puffy
tumid flesh" [syn: bloated, distended, puffed, puffy,
tumescent, tumid, turgid]
2: abnormally expanded or increased in size; (`swollen' is
sometimes used in combination); "distended wineskins";
"the need to clean out swollen inventories"; "the raisins
were plump and soft and swollen from being soaked"; "huge
blood-swollen mosquitoes" [syn: distended]
3: characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense
of self-importance; "a conceited fool"; "an attitude of
self-conceited arrogance"; "an egotistical disregard of
others"; "so swollen by victory that he was unfit for
normal duty"; "growing ever more swollen-headed and
arbitrary"; "vain about her clothes" [syn: conceited, egotistic,
egotistical, self-conceited, swollen-headed, vain]
4: overfull with water; "swollen rivers and creeks" [syn: flooding,
in flood(p), overflowing]