swel v., n., & adj. --v. (past
part.
swollen or swelled) 1 intr. & tr.
grow or
cause to grow bigger or louder or
more intense;
expand;
increase in force or
intensity. 2 intr. (often foll. by up) & tr.
rise or
raise up
from the surrounding
surface. 3 intr. (foll. by out)
bulge. 4 intr. (of the
heart as the
seat of emotion)
feel full of
joy,
pride,
relief, etc. 5 intr. (foll. by with) be
hardly able to
restrain (pride etc.). --n. 1 an
act or the
state of
swelling. 2 the heaving of the
sea with waves
that do
not break, e.g.
after a
storm. 3 a a
crescendo. b a
mechanism in an
organ etc.
for obtaining a crescendo or
diminuendo. 4 colloq. a
person of
distinction or of
dashing or
fashionable appearance. 5 a
protuberant part. --adj. 1
esp. US colloq. fine,
splendid,
excellent. 2 colloq.
smart, fashionable. øswell-box Mus. a box in
which organ-pipes are enclosed, with a
shutter for controlling the sound-level. swelled (or swollen)
head colloq.
conceit. swell-organ Mus. a
section of an organ with pipes in a swell-box. øøswellish adj. [OE swellan f. Gmc]
