swell Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the undulating movement of the surface of the open sea
    crestless wave.
  2. noun a rounded elevation (especially one on an ocean floor)
  3. noun a crescendo followed by a decrescendo
  4. noun a man who is much concerned with his dress and appearance
    gallant; dandy; clotheshorse; fop; beau; dude; sheik; fashion plate.
  5. verb increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity
    • The music swelled to a crescendo
  6. verb become filled with pride, arrogance, or anger
    puff up.
    • The mother was swelling with importance when she spoke of her son
  7. verb expand abnormally
    swell up; intumesce; tumefy; tumesce.
    • The bellies of the starving children are swelling
  8. verb come up (as of feelings and thoughts, or other ephemeral things)
    well up.
    • Strong emotions welled up
    • Smoke swelled from it
  9. verb come up, as of a liquid
    well.
    • Tears well in her eyes
    • the currents well up
  10. verb cause to become swollen
    • The water swells the wood
  11. adjective satellite very good
    groovy; dandy; corking; bully; not bad; smashing; great; keen; slap-up; neat; cracking; nifty; peachy; bang-up.
    • he did a bully job
    • a neat sports car
    • had a great time at the party
    • you look simply smashing

WordNet

Swell intransitive verb
Etymology
AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svälla.
Wordforms
imperfect Swelled ; past participle Swelled or Swollen ; present participle & verbal noun Swelling
Definitions
  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!" Shak.
  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.
Swell transitive verb
Definitions
  1. 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.
    [The Church] swells her high, heart-cheering tone. Keble.
  2. To aggravate; to heighten.
    It is low ebb with his accuser when such peccadilloes are put to swell the charge. Atterbury.
  3. To raise to arrogance; to puff up; to inflate; as, to be swelled with pride or haughtiness.
  4. (Mus.) To augment gradually in force or loudness, as the sound of a note.
Swell noun
Definitions
  1. The act of swelling.
  2. Gradual increase. Specifically: (a) Increase or augmentation in bulk; protuberance. (b) Increase in height; elevation; rise.
    Little River affords navigation during a swell to within three miles of the Miami. Jefferson.
    (c) Increase of force, intensity, or volume of sound.
    Music arose with its voluptuous swell. Byron.
    (d) Increase of power in style, or of rhetorical force.
    The swell and subsidence of his periods. Landor.
  3. A gradual ascent, or rounded elevation, of land; as, an extensive plain abounding with little swells.
  4. 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.
    The swell Of the long waves that roll in yonder bay. Tennyson.
    The gigantic swells and billows of the snow. Hawthorne.
  5. (Mus.) A gradual increase and decrease of the volume of sound; the crescendo and diminuendo combined; -- generally indicated by the sign.
  6. A showy, dashing person; a dandy. Slang
Swell adjective
Definitions
  1. Having the characteristics of a person of rank and importance; showy; dandified; distinguished; as, a swell person; a swell neighborhood. Slang

Webster 1913