I. swell 1 /swel/ BrE AmE verb ( past tense swelled , past participle swollen /ˈswəʊlən $ ˈswoʊ-/)
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: swellan ]
1 . SIZE [intransitive] ( also swell up ) to become larger and rounder than normal – used especially about parts of the body ⇨ swollen :
Her ankle was already starting to swell.
The window frame was swollen shut.
2 . AMOUNT/NUMBER [intransitive and transitive] to increase in amount or number
swell to
The crowd swelled to around 10,000.
The river was swollen with melted snow.
swell the ranks/numbers of something (=increase the number of people in a particular situation)
Large numbers of refugees have swollen the ranks of the unemployed.
3 . swell with pride/anger etc to feel very proud, angry etc:
His heart swelled with pride as he watched his daughter collect her prize.
4 . SHAPE [intransitive and transitive] ( also swell out ) to curve or make something curve:
The wind swelled the sails.
5 . SOUND [intransitive] literary to become louder:
Music swelled around us.
6 . SEA [intransitive] to move suddenly and powerfully upwards
⇨ ↑ groundswell
II. swell 2 BrE AmE noun
1 . [singular] the way the sea moves up and down:
The sea wasn’t rough, but there was a heavy swell (=large movements of the water) .
2 . [singular] a situation in which something increases in number or amount
swell of
the growing swell of anti-government feeling
a swell of pride
3 . [singular] an increase in sound level, especially in music SYN crescendo
4 . [singular] the roundness or curved shape of something:
the firm swell of her breasts
5 . [countable] old-fashioned a fashionable or important person
III. swell 3 BrE AmE adjective American English old-fashioned
very good SYN great :
You look swell!