— tumescence , n.
/tooh mes"euhnt, tyooh-/ , adj.
1. swelling; slightly tumid.
2. exhibiting or affected with many ideas or emotions; teeming.
3. pompous and pretentious, esp. in the use of language; bombastic.
[ 1880-85; tumescent- (s. of tumescens, prp. of tumescere to begin to swell), equiv. to tum ( ere ) to swell + -escent- -ESCENT ]