v. 1 tr. & intr. inflate, swell (wind bloated the sheets; bloated with gas). 2 tr. (as bloated adj.) a swollen, puffed. b puffed up with pride or excessive wealth (bloated plutocrat). 3 tr. cure (a herring) by salting and smoking lightly.
[ obs. bloat swollen, soft and wet, perh. f. ON blautr soaked, flabby ]