- swell
- [[t]swe̱l[/t]]
(The forms swelled and swollen are both used as the past participle.)1) V-ERG If the amount or size of something swells or if something swells it, it becomes larger than it was before.
The human population swelled, at least temporarily, as migrants moved south...
[V to/by n] By the end of this month the size of the mission is expected to swell to 280 people...
[V to/by n] His bank balance has swelled by ₤222,000 in the last three weeks...
[V n to n] Offers from other countries should swell the force to 35,000.
[V-ing] ...the ever-swelling numbers of the homeless...
[V-ed] Its population is swollen by 360,000 refugees. [Also V n]
Syn:2) VERB If something such as a part of your body swells, it becomes larger and rounder than normal.Do your ankles swell at night?...
[V to n] The limbs swell to an enormous size.
Swell up means the same as swell.V P
When you develop a throat infection or catch a cold the glands in the neck swell up.3) VERB If you swell with a feeling, you are suddenly full of that feeling. [LITERARY][V with n] She could see her two sons swell with pride.
4) VERB If sounds swell, they get louder. [LITERARY]Heavenly music swelled from nowhere.
5) N-COUNT A swell is the regular movement of waves up and down in the open sea.We bobbed gently up and down on the swell of the incoming tide.
6) ADJ-GRADED You can describe something as swell if you think it is really nice. [AM, INFORMAL]I've had a swell time.
7) → See also , swollen, groundswellPhrasal Verbs:- swell up
English dictionary. 2008.
