/ swel; NAmE / verb , noun , adjective
■ verb ( swelled / sweld; NAmE / swol·len / ˈswəʊlən; NAmE ˈswoʊ-/ or swelled , swelled )
1.
[ v ] swell (up) to become bigger or rounder :
Her arm was beginning to swell up where the bee had stung her.
2.
swell (sth) (out) to curve out or make sth curve out :
[ v ]
The sails swelled (out) in the wind.
[ vn ]
The wind swelled (out) the sails.
3.
swell (sth) (to sth) to increase or make sth increase in number or size :
[ vn ]
Last year's profits were swelled by a fall in production costs.
We are looking for more volunteers to swell the ranks (= increase the number) of those already helping.
[ v ]
Membership has swelled to over 20 000.
OPP shrink
4.
[ v ] ( of a sound ) to become louder :
The cheering swelled through the hall.
5.
[ v ] swell (with sth) to be filled with a strong emotion :
to swell with pride
—see also swollen
■ noun
1.
[ C , usually sing. ] the movement of the sea when it rises and falls without the waves breaking :
The boat was caught in a heavy (= strong) swell.
2.
[ sing. ] ( formal ) the curved shape of sth, especially a part of the body :
the firm swell of her breasts
3.
[ sing. ] a situation in which sth increases in size, number, strength, etc. :
a growing swell of support
a swell of pride
—see also groundswell
4.
[ sing. ] ( of music or noise ) a gradual increase in the volume of sth
SYN crescendo
5.
( old-fashioned , informal ) an important or fashionable person
■ adjective
( old-fashioned , NAmE , informal ) very good, enjoyable, etc. :
We had a swell time.
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English swellan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to German schwellen . Current senses of the noun date from the early 16th cent.; the informal adjectival use derives from noun sense 5 (late 18th cent.).