dwell
Americanverb (used without object)
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to live or stay as a permanent resident; reside.
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to live or continue in a given condition or state.
to dwell in happiness.
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to linger over, emphasize, or ponder in thought, speech, or writing (often followed by on orupon ).
to dwell on a particular point in an argument.
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(of a moving tool or machine part) to be motionless for a certain interval during operation.
noun
verb
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formal to live as a permanent resident
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to live (in a specified state)
to dwell in poverty
noun
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a regular pause in the operation of a machine
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a flat or constant-radius portion on a linear or rotary cam enabling the cam follower to remain static for a brief time
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has dweltperfect 3rd person singular
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have dweltperfect
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has dwelledperfect 3rd person singular
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have dwelledperfect
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is dwellingprogressive 3rd person singular
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have been dwellingperfect progressive
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are dwellingprogressive
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am dwellingprogressive 1st person singular
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dwellingparticiple
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has been dwellingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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dwellssingular 3rd person
Past
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had dwelledperfect
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had dweltperfect
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was dwellingprogressive singular
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had been dwellingperfect progressive
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were dwellingprogressive plural
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dweltparticiple
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dwelledsimple
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dweltsimple
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dwelledparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of dwell
First recorded before 900; Middle English dwellen “to lead astray; stun; abide,” Old English dwellan “to lead or go astray; hinder”; cognate with Old Norse dvelja
Explanation
To dwell in a home is to live in it. To dwell on something — usually something bad, like a failed romance or terrible service in a restaurant — is to think or speak about it at great length. Dwell has been part of the English language for over 1,000 years. The definition of the word has evolved considerably since its first recorded use in the 9th century when Old English dwellan meant "lead astray" or "hinder." If you constantly dwell on the bad things in life, it could hinder you from seeing the good or lead you astray to the negative. If you keep complaining, your friends might tell you to stop dwelling on it or, if they're really annoyed, they'll say, "Get over it!"
Vocabulary lists containing dwell
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act II
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"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And Joy Dunlop, a BBC Weather presenter and Gaelic singer, will sing Gaelic psalm And I Shall Dwell in God's House, which was composed by Paul Mealor for the service.
From BBC • Jul. 4, 2023
If you’re interested in prefabricated design, two one-bedroom prefab homes designed by Norm Architects in collaboration with Dwell will be on display in the Abodu showroom in downtown Los Angeles.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 1, 2022
“The biggest trend right now in residential construction is sustainability,” says Anthony Maschmedt, owner of Dwell Development, a Seattle-based firm that focuses on sustainable residential building.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 15, 2022
“I am a big fan of vintage,” says Cheryl Luckett, designer and owner of Dwell by Cheryl in Charlotte.
From Washington Post • Feb. 16, 2022
Dwell in some idle brain, And fancies fond with gaudy shapes possess As thick and numberless As the gay motes that people the sunbeams, Or likest hovering dreams, The fickle pensioners of Morpheus' train.
From The Golden Treasury Selected from the Best Songs and Lyrical Poems in the English Language and arranged with Notes by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
