What does swell mean?
Definitions for swell
swɛlswell
Here are all the possible meanings and translations of the word swell.
Princeton's WordNet
swell, crestless wavenoun
the undulating movement of the surface of the open sea
swellnoun
a rounded elevation (especially one on an ocean floor)
swellnoun
a crescendo followed by a decrescendo
dandy, dude, fop, gallant, sheik, beau, swell, fashion plate, clotheshorseadjective
a man who is much concerned with his dress and appearance
bang-up, bully, corking, cracking, dandy, great, groovy, keen, neat, nifty, not bad(p), peachy, slap-up, swell, smashingverb
very good
"he did a bully job"; "a neat sports car"; "had a great time at the party"; "you look simply smashing"
swellverb
increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity
"The music swelled to a crescendo"
swell, puff upverb
become filled with pride, arrogance, or anger
"The mother was swelling with importance when she spoke of her son"
swell, swell up, intumesce, tumefy, tumesceverb
expand abnormally
"The bellies of the starving children are swelling"
well up, swellverb
come up (as of feelings and thoughts, or other ephemeral things)
"Strong emotions welled up"; "Smoke swelled from it"
well, swellverb
come up, as of a liquid
"Tears well in her eyes"; "the currents well up"
swellverb
cause to become swollen
"The water swells the wood"
Wiktionary
swellnoun
A long series of ocean waves, generally produced by wind, and lasting after the wind has ceased.
Etymology: From swellen, from swellan, from swellanan, of unknown origin. Cognate with zwellen, schwellen, svälla.
swellnoun
A gradual crescendo followed by diminuendo.
Etymology: From swellen, from swellan, from swellanan, of unknown origin. Cognate with zwellen, schwellen, svälla.
swellnoun
A device for controlling the volume of a pipe organ.
Etymology: From swellen, from swellan, from swellanan, of unknown origin. Cognate with zwellen, schwellen, svälla.
swellnoun
A division in a pipe organ, usually the largest enclosed division.
Etymology: From swellen, from swellan, from swellanan, of unknown origin. Cognate with zwellen, schwellen, svälla.
swellnoun
A hillock or similar raised area of terrain.
Etymology: From swellen, from swellan, from swellanan, of unknown origin. Cognate with zwellen, schwellen, svälla.
swellnoun
A person who is dressed in a fancy or elegant manner.
Etymology: From swellen, from swellan, from swellanan, of unknown origin. Cognate with zwellen, schwellen, svälla.
swellnoun
A person of high social standing; an important person.
Etymology: From swellen, from swellan, from swellanan, of unknown origin. Cognate with zwellen, schwellen, svälla.
swellverb
To become bigger, especially due to being engorged.
Etymology: From swellen, from swellan, from swellanan, of unknown origin. Cognate with zwellen, schwellen, svälla.
swellverb
To cause to become bigger.
Etymology: From swellen, from swellan, from swellanan, of unknown origin. Cognate with zwellen, schwellen, svälla.
swelladjective
Excellent.
Etymology: From swellen, from swellan, from swellanan, of unknown origin. Cognate with zwellen, schwellen, svälla.
Webster Dictionary
Swellverb
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
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellverb
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
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellverb
to rise or be driven into waves or billows; to heave; as, in tempest, the ocean swells into waves
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellverb
to be puffed up or bloated; as, to swell with pride
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellverb
to be inflated; to belly; as, the sails swell
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellverb
to be turgid, bombastic, or extravagant; as, swelling words; a swelling style
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellverb
to protuberate; to bulge out; as, a cask swells in the middle
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellverb
to be elated; to rise arrogantly
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellverb
to grow upon the view; to become larger; to expand
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellverb
to become larger in amount; as, many little debts added, swell to a great amount
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellverb
to act in a pompous, ostentatious, or arrogant manner; to strut; to look big
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellverb
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
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellverb
to aggravate; to heighten
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellverb
to raise to arrogance; to puff up; to inflate; as, to be swelled with pride or haughtiness
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellverb
to augment gradually in force or loudness, as the sound of a note
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellnoun
the act of swelling
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellnoun
gradual increase
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellnoun
increase or augmentation in bulk; protuberance
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellnoun
increase in height; elevation; rise
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellnoun
increase of force, intensity, or volume of sound
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellnoun
increase of power in style, or of rhetorical force
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellnoun
a gradual ascent, or rounded elevation, of land; as, an extensive plain abounding with little swells
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellnoun
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
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellnoun
a gradual increase and decrease of the volume of sound; the crescendo and diminuendo combined; -- generally indicated by the sign
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swellnoun
a showy, dashing person; a dandy
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Swelladjective
having the characteristics of a person of rank and importance; showy; dandified; distinguished; as, a swell person; a swell neighborhood
Etymology: [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svlla.]
Freebase
Swell
Swell is an indie rock band formed in San Francisco in 1989 when David Freel and Sean Kirkpatrick decided to record an album.
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Swell
swel, 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. [A.S. swellan; Ger. schwellen.]
Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms
swell
Ocean waves that have traveled out of their fetch. Swell characteristically exhibits a more regular and longer period and has flatter crests than waves within their fetch.
Dictionary of Nautical Terms
swell
A rolling wave which seldom breaks unless it meets resistance, generally denoting a continuous heaving, which remains for some time after the wind which caused it has subsided. Also, the gradual thickening of the muzzle of a gun, hounds of a mast, &c.
Suggested Resources
swell
Song lyrics by swell -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by swell on the Lyrics.com website.
Etymology and Origins
Swell
Slang for one of the upper classes, no doubt suggested by the phrase: “The bloated aristocracy.” Also applied to an overdressed person puffed out with the idea of his own importance.
British National Corpus
Verbs Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'swell' in Verbs Frequency: #1088
Anagrams for swell »
wells, Wells
Wells
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of swell in Chaldean Numerology is: 2
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of swell in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8
Examples of swell in a Sentence
One kernel is felt in a hogshead; one drop of water helps to swell the ocean; a spark of fire help to give light to the world. None are too small, too feeble, too poor to be of service. Think of this and act.
For me chemistry represented an indefinite cloud of future potentialities which enveloped my life to come in black volutes torn by fiery flashes, like those which had hidden Mount Sinai. Like Moses, from that cloud I expected my law, the principle of order in me, around me, and in the world. I would watch the buds swell in spring, the mica glint in the granite, my own hands, and I would say to myself: I will understand this, too, I will understand everything.
The expected lower demand for oil inputs into (U.S.) refineries typically sees U.S. crude inventories swell, all of which could pose a significant downside risk for prompt oil prices.
He started vomiting, his eyes were starting to swell and he couldn't speak properly.
The great British Library --an immense collection of volumes of all ages and languages, many of which are now forgotten, and most of which are seldom read: one of these sequestered pools of obsolete literature to which modern authors repair, and draw buckets full of classic lore, or pure English, undefiled wherewith to swell their own scanty rills of thought.
Popularity rank by frequency of use
Translations for swell
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- انتفخArabic
- ফোলাBengali
- rebotir, inflar-se, unflar-se, excel·lentCatalan, Valencian
- opuchnout, otéct, zduřet, napuchnout, naběhnout, otéciCzech
- chwyddoWelsh
- svulme, erigere, dønningDanish
- Schwell, schwellen, Dünung, klasseGerman
- ρεστία, αποθαλασσίαGreek
- hincharse, mar de fondo, inflarse, excelenteSpanish
- maininki, turvota, paisua, turvottaa, erinomainen, mahtavaFinnish
- svølla upp, túsna upp, bólgna, svølpast, hovna, trútna, gerast hovin og trútin, týsna uppFaroese
- houle, enfler, gonfler, sensass, chouetteFrench
- sèidScottish Gaelic
- inflarse, incharseGalician
- mooadeeManx
- אבבHebrew
- dagad, duzzadHungarian
- ուռչել, ուռելArmenian
- (mem)[[bengkak]]Indonesian
- intumecarIdo
- mare di fondo, mareggiare, ingrossarsi, far gonfiare, rigonfiamento, flutti, onda lunga, gonfiarsiItalian
- 膨れる, 隆起する, 腫れる, うねり, 起伏, 素晴らしいJapanese
- 부풀다, 붓다, 팽창하다, 부어오르다Korean
- tumor, intumēscō, tumeō, adaestuōLatin
- tūkt, bangasLatvian
- huene, āmai, tōuwha, amotai, whakaahu, tārawa, tai whakarākau, huaroaMāori
- svulme, svelleNorwegian
- opzwellen, aanzwellen, deining, zwellen, mieters, geweldigDutch
- svelle, svulmeNorwegian Nynorsk
- dønningNorwegian
- falowanie, puchnąć, powiększać, pęczniećPolish
- inchar, swell, excelente, ótimoPortuguese
- punkiyQuechua
- unflarRomansh
- val, valuri, se umfla, minunat, super, senzaționalRomanian
- раздува́ться, набуха́ть, увели́чиваться, отличный, превосходный, зыбьRussian
- opuchnúťSlovak
- dyning, svälla, svallSwedish
- kivimbe, vimba, furaSwahili
- บวมThai
- kabarmaTurkish
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"swell." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2021. Web. 24 Sep. 2021. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/swell>.
