SWELL
What does "SWELL" mean?
To grow larger or expand, especially by filling out or rising up.
Meanings
- To become larger or rounder in size, often through pressure, fluid, or growth. Her ankle began to swell after the fall.
- To increase in number, intensity, or volume. The crowd swelled as the parade drew near.
- A slow, rolling rise and fall of the sea's surface without breaking waves. The surfers waited beyond the break for the next swell.
- A gradual increase and then decrease in the loudness of a musical sound. The organist closed the piece with a long swell. technical
- Excellent or fine. We had a swell time at the lake. informal
Word origin
From Old English 'swellan' (to grow, increase), from Proto-Germanic 'swellaną', of uncertain ultimate origin but consistent across the Germanic languages.
Remember it
SWELL swells with a doubled 'LL' at the end - the word itself puffs up.
A little poem
No wave, only weight-
the ocean breathing slowly
lifts the anchored boat.
haiku
Wordplay
- The proud balloon called itself a swell fellow - right up until it wasn't.
What it teaches
Growth and injury share a verb: notice which kind of swelling you are feeding.
Quick facts
What does SWELL mean?
To grow larger or expand, especially by filling out or rising up.
Is SWELL a valid word?
Yes — SWELL is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is SWELL?
SWELL has 5 letters and 1 syllable.
Where does SWELL come from?
From Old English 'swellan' (to grow, increase), from Proto-Germanic 'swellaną', of uncertain ultimate origin but consistent across the Germanic languages.
What can SWELL teach us?
Growth and injury share a verb: notice which kind of swelling you are feeding.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.