swelling

[ swel-ing ]

/ ˈswɛl ɪŋ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR swelling ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act of a person or thing that swells.

the condition of being or becoming swollen.

a swollen part; a protuberance or prominence.

Pathology. an abnormal enlargement or protuberance, as that resulting from edema.

Nearby words

swelled head, swelled head, have a, swelled-headed, swellfish, swellhead, swelling, swelter, sweltering, swelteringly, sweltry, swenson

Origin of swelling

before 900; Middle English, Old English; see swell, -ing¹

Related formsun·swell·ing, adjective

Definition for swelling (2 of 2)

swell

[ swel ]

/ swɛl /

verb (used without object), swelled, swol·len or swelled, swell·ing.

to grow in bulk, as by the absorption of moisture or the processes of growth.

Pathology. to increase abnormally in size, as by inflation, distention, accumulation of fluids, or the like: Her ankles swelled from standing.

to rise in waves, as the sea.

to well up, as a spring or as tears.

to bulge out, as a sail or the middle of a cask.

to grow in amount, degree, force, etc.

to increase gradually in volume or intensity, as sound: The music swelled.

to arise and grow within one, as a feeling or emotion.

to become puffed up with pride.

verb (used with object), swelled, swol·len or swelled, swell·ing.

to cause to grow in bulk.

to cause to increase gradually in loudness: to swell a musical tone.

to cause (a thing) to bulge out or be protuberant.

to increase in amount, degree, force, etc.

to affect with a strong, expansive emotion.

to puff up with pride.

noun

the act of swelling or the condition of being swollen.

inflation or distention.

a protuberant part.

a wave, especially when long and unbroken, or a series of such waves.

a gradually rising elevation of the land.

an increase in amount, degree, force, etc.

a gradual increase in loudness of sound.

Music.

a gradual increase (crescendo) followed by a gradual decrease (diminuendo) in loudness or force of musical sound.
the sign (< >) for indicating this.
a device, as in an organ, by which the loudness of tones may be varied.

a swelling of emotion within one.

Slang.

a fashionably dressed person; dandy.
a socially prominent person.

adjective Informal.

(of things) stylish; elegant: a swell hotel.

(of persons) fashionably dressed or socially prominent.

first-rate; fine: a swell party.

Origin of swell

before 900; Middle English swellen (v.), Old English swellan; cognate with Dutch zwellen, German schwellen, Old Norse svella; akin to Gothic ufswalleins pride

SYNONYMS FOR swell

1 distend, expand.

5 protrude.

10 inflate, expand.

17 swelling.

18 bulge.

19 billow.

27, 28 grand.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR swell ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR swell

1 contract.

13 decrease, diminish.

SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR swell ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsre·swell, verb, re·swelled, re·swelled or re·swol·len, re·swell·ing.un·der·swell, verb (used without object), un·der·swelled, un·der·swelled or un·der·swol·len, un·der·swell·ing.un·der·swell, nounun·swelled, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for swelling

Swelling, pus, the whole shebang; an angry reaction that lasted weeks.
Uh Oh: Ebola Vaccine Trials Stop|Leigh Cowart|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But then, once this swelling tide has receded, what happens?
Owning Up to Possession’s Downside|Samantha Harvey|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Not hard to imagine what drives this number – money, the ever swelling lubricant of elective office.
Beer Countries vs. Wine Countries|Clive Irving|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“I was hospitalized for two or three days waiting for the swelling to disappear,” he recalled.
How His West Point Football Experience Inspired Eisenhower|Nicolaus Mills|November 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST

She was crying so much that an assistant was tasked with giving her ice packs to reduce the swelling.
Bogie & Bacall: A Hollywood Romance for the Ages|Marlow Stern|August 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Her fingers clutched at the neck of her dress, as if to tear it open, and so relieve the swelling of her throat.
Name and Fame|Adeline Sergeant
Through the breach, foaming and swelling with irresistible power burst the tides of victory.
The Air Trust|George Allan England
The trees are bare, but their buds are swelling and these days of cold and fog and rain must come to make them burst in glory.
The Sins of the Father|Thomas Dixon
They sometimes speak of it as swelling in the waters, and often refer to the sap as a “drop” (indu).
A History of Sanskrit Literature|Arthur A. MacDonell
There may be no sense of soreness or swelling, but dull pain.
A Newly Discovered System of Electrical Medication|Daniel Clark

British Dictionary definitions for swelling (1 of 2)

swelling

/ (ˈswɛlɪŋ) /

noun

the act of expansion or inflation

the state of being or becoming swollen

a swollen or inflated part or area

an abnormal enlargement of a bodily structure or part, esp as the result of injury

Related formsRelated adjective: tumescent

British Dictionary definitions for swelling (2 of 2)

swell

/ (swɛl) /

verb swells, swelling, swelled, swollen or swelled

to grow or cause to grow in size, esp as a result of internal pressureCompare contract (def. 1), contract (def. 3)

to expand or cause to expand at a particular point or above the surrounding level; protrude

to grow or cause to grow in size, amount, intensity, or degreethe party is swelling with new recruits

to puff or be puffed up with pride or another emotion

(intr) (of seas or lakes) to rise in waves

(intr) to well up or overflow

(tr) to make (a musical phrase) increase gradually in volume and then diminish

noun

the undulating movement of the surface of the open sea
a succession of waves or a single large wave

a swelling or being swollen; expansion

an increase in quantity or degree; inflation

a bulge; protuberance

a gentle hill

informal a person very fashionably dressed

informal a man of high social or political standing

music a crescendo followed by an immediate diminuendo

Also called: swell organ music

a set of pipes on an organ housed in a box (swell box) fitted with a shutter operated by a pedal, which can be opened or closed to control the volume
the manual on an organ controlling thisCompare choir (def. 4), great (def. 21)

adjective

informal stylish or grand

slang excellent; first-class

Word Origin for swell

Old English swellan; related to Old Norse svella, Old Frisian swella, German schwellen

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for swelling (1 of 2)

swell

Old English swellan "grow or make bigger" (past tense sweall, past participle swollen), from Proto-Germanic *swelnanan (cf. Old Saxon swellan, Old Norse svella, Old Frisian swella, Middle Dutch swellen, Dutch zwellen, Old High German swellan, German schwellen), of unknown origin.

Word Origin and History for swelling (1 of 2)

swell

early 13c., "a morbid swelling," from swell (v.). In reference to a rise of the sea, it is attested from c.1600. The meaning "wealthy, elegant person" is first recorded 1786; hence the adjectival meaning "fashionably dressed or equipped" (1810), both from the notion of "puffed-up, pompous" behavior. The sense of "good, excellent" first occurs 1897, and as a stand-alone expression of satisfaction it is recorded from 1930 in American English.

Medicine definitions for swelling

swelling

[ swĕl′ĭng ]

n.

Something swollen, especially an abnormally swollen body part or area.

A primordial elevation that develops into a fold, ridge, or process.

swelling

noun

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of swelling

Definition for swelling (2 of 2)

swell

verb (used without object), swelled, swol·len or swelled, swell·ing.

verb (used with object), swelled, swol·len or swelled, swell·ing.

noun

adjective Informal.

Origin of swell

Examples from the Web for swelling

British Dictionary definitions for swelling (1 of 2)

swelling

noun

British Dictionary definitions for swelling (2 of 2)

swell

verb swells, swelling, swelled, swollen or swelled

noun

adjective

Word Origin for swell

Word Origin and History for swelling (1 of 2)

swell

Word Origin and History for swelling (1 of 2)

swell

Medicine definitions for swelling

swelling

n.