swell

CEFRB2

/swɛl/

verb · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To become larger or rise.

  2. 02

    noun

    A long large wave in the sea.

Examples

  • In addition to a thick fog, there was a heavy swell.

  • The toothache made his face swell up.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. To cause to become bigger.

  2. To grow gradually in force or loudness.

  3. To become bigger, especially due to being engorged.

More examples

In context

  • Rains and dissolving snow swell the rivers in spring.

  • to be swelled with pride or haughtiness

  • The organ music swelled.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

After I stepped on a sharp rock, my ankle began to blank.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From Middle English swellen, from Old English swellan (“to swell”), from Proto-West Germanic *swellan, from Proto-Germanic *swellaną (“to swell”), of unknown origin. Cognate with Saterland Frisian swälle (“to swell”), West Frisian swolle (“to swell”), Dutch zwellen (“to swell”), Low German swellen (“to swell”), German schwellen (“to swell”), Swedish svälla (“to swell”), Icelandic svella. The adjective may derive from the noun.