dwell

American  

[dwel] / dwɛl /

verb (used without object)

dwelt, dwelled, dwelling

1. to live or stay as a permanent resident; reside.

2. to live or continue in a given condition or state.

   to dwell in happiness.

3. 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.

4. (of a moving tool or machine part) to be motionless for a certain interval during operation.

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noun

1. Machinery.

   1. a flat or cylindrical area on a cam for maintaining a follower in a certain position during part of a cycle.

   2. a period in a cycle in the operation of a machine or engine during which a given part remains motionless.

dwell British  

/ dwɛl /

verb

1. formal to live as a permanent resident

2. to live (in a specified state)

   to dwell in poverty

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noun

1. a regular pause in the operation of a machine

2. 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

• dweller noun
• outdwell verb (used with object)
• predwell verb (used without object)

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

Example Sentences

Little wonder Amorim didn't want to dwell on his captain's impending absence for too long.

From BBC

“The God who once dwelled among His people in this city still calls us in the words of Scripture,” the president said in a speech at Israel’s parliament in October.

From The Wall Street Journal

“You no bi,” or “the beauty of utility,” suggests that beauty need not be “confined to galleries and museums, but rather dwells within the ordinary scenes of living.”

From The Wall Street Journal

"I want to achieve a lot more in the game and I can't dwell on people's thoughts. That's going to hinder me, not help me."

From BBC

That song opened Friday night's encore, which dwelt largely on their 90s material, including Let Down - a deep cut that's had a new lease of life on TikTok - and the epic Paranoid Android.

From BBC

Related Words

• bide
• exist
• hole up
• inhabit
• reside
• squat