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swell

swell
S s

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [swel]
    • /swɛl/
    • /swel/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [swel]
    • /swɛl/

Definitions of swell word

  • verb without object swell to grow in bulk, as by the absorption of moisture or the processes of growth. 1
  • verb without object swell Pathology. to increase abnormally in size, as by inflation, distention, accumulation of fluids, or the like: Her ankles swelled from standing. 1
  • verb without object swell to rise in waves, as the sea. 1
  • verb without object swell to well up, as a spring or as tears. 1
  • verb without object swell to bulge out, as a sail or the middle of a cask. 1
  • verb without object swell to grow in amount, degree, force, etc. 1

Information block about the term

Origin of swell

First appearance:

before 900
One of the 4% oldest English words
before 900; Middle English swellen (v.), Old English swellan; cognate with Dutch zwellen, German schwellen, Old Norse svella; akin to Gothic ufswalleins pride

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Swell

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

swell popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 93% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

swell usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for swell

adj swell

  • a-ok — in perfect working order; excellent
  • amiable — Someone who is amiable is friendly and pleasant to be with.
  • aok — Alternative spelling of A-okay.
  • avantgarde — the advance group in any field, especially in the visual, literary, or musical arts, whose works are characterized chiefly by unorthodox and experimental methods.
  • bagger — A bagger is a person whose job is to put customers' purchases into bags at a supermarket or other store.

verb swell

  • abound — If things abound, or if a place abounds with things, there are very large numbers of them.
  • accumulate — When you accumulate things or when they accumulate, they collect or are gathered over a period of time.
  • agglomerated — gathered together into a cluster or mass.
  • amplify — If you amplify a sound, you make it louder, usually by using electronic equipment.
  • augment — To augment something means to make it larger, stronger, or more effective by adding something to it.

noun swell

  • aggrandizement — If someone does something for aggrandizement, they do it in order to get power, wealth, and importance for themselves.
  • aristocrat — An aristocrat is someone whose family has a high social rank, especially someone who has a title.
  • beachcomber — A beachcomber is someone who spends their time wandering along beaches looking for things they can use.
  • beat — If you beat someone or something, you hit them very hard.
  • clotheshorse — a frame on which to hang laundry for drying or airing

adjective swell

  • cool — Something that is cool has a temperature which is low but not very low.
  • fly — to move through the air using wings.
  • meritable — Deserving of reward.
  • nice — pleasing; agreeable; delightful: a nice visit.
  • nifty — attractively stylish or smart: a nifty new dress for Easter.

Antonyms for swell

verb swell

  • aways — to cease to live; undergo the complete and permanent cessation of all vital functions; become dead.
  • die away — If a sound dies away, it gradually becomes weaker or fainter and finally disappears completely.
  • die down — If something dies down, it becomes very much quieter or less intense.
  • die out — If something dies out, it becomes less and less common and eventually disappears completely.
  • downed — from higher to lower; in descending direction or order; toward, into, or in a lower position: to come down the ladder.

Top questions with swell

  • what does swell mean?
  • what causes feet to swell?
  • what cause ankles to swell?
  • what causes ankles to swell?
  • why do lymph nodes swell?
  • why do my feet swell?
  • why do feet swell?
  • what causes your feet to swell?
  • why do my ankles swell?
  • why do ankles swell?
  • what does it mean when your ankles swell?
  • why do my feet swell in the heat?
  • what causes your eye to swell?
  • what would cause your feet to swell?
  • why do mosquito bites swell?

See also

Matching words

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