Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Swell |
SwellAdjective1. (informal) very good; "a bully pulpit"; "a neat sports car"; "had a great time at the party"; "you look simply smashing". Noun1. The undulating movement of the surface of the open sea. 2. A rounded elevation (especially one on an ocean floor). 3. A crescendo followed by a decrescendo. 4. A man who is much concerned with his dress and appearance. Verb1. Increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity; "The music swelled to a crescendo". 2. Become filled with pride, arrogance, or anger; "The mother was swelling with importance when she spoke of her son". 3. Expand abnormally; "The bellies of the starving children are swelling". 4. As of feelings and thoughts, or other ephemeral things; "Strong emotions welled up"; "Smoke swelled from it". 5. Come up, as of liquids: "Tears well in her eyes". 6. Cause to become swollen; "The water swells the wood". Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "swell" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1050. (references) |
Note: Swell \Swell\, intransitive verb [imperfect Swelled; past participle Swelledor Swollen; Swelling.]. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Building & Civil Engineering | The increase in volume of soil or sand as a result of its excavation. Source: European Union. (references) |
Electrical Engineering | When the waves come out of the generating area-or the wind ceases to blow-a swell is formed, which is a more regular and longer period wave motion. Source: European Union. (references) |
Food & Agriculture | Undulating movement of the sea surface persisting after the originating cause of the motion has ceased. It is caused either by wind at a distance from the place of observation or by winds which persisted in the locality previous to the time observation. Source: European Union. (references) |
Geography | Any system of waves not being raised locally. Source: European Union. (references) |
Metallurgy | An oversized area on a casting caused by local partial collapse of the sand mould. Source: European Union. (references) |
Mining | A. A space in a seam from which the coal has been eroded and its place filled with clay or sand. Syn:horseback b. A local enlargement or thickening in a vein or ore deposit, as opposed to a pinch. c. The tendency of soils, on being removed from their natural, compacted beds, to increase in volume owing to an increase in void ratio; i.e., the space between soil particle increases d. A low dome or quaquaversal anticline of considerable areal extent. e. Waves caused by the wind but no longer being activated f. Long and generally symmetrical waves, period approx. 10 s, produced by storm and wind remote from the point of observation. These are gravity waves and contribute to the mixing processes in the surface layer and thus to its sound transmission properties g. In geology, a large-scale submarine topographic feature rising above the surrounding surface and having nearly equal length and widt i.e., the space between soil particle increases. (references) |
Public Administration | In a watershed, the swelling of a water course to levels above normal. Source: European Union. (references) |
Slang in 1811 | SWELL. A gentleman. A well-dressed map. The flashman bounced the swell of all his blunt; the girl's bully frightened the gentleman out of all his money. Source: 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
Synonyms: SwellSynonyms: bang-up (adj), bully (adj), corking (adj), cracking (adj), dandy (adj), great (adj), groovy (adj), keen (adj), neat (adj), nifty (adj), not bad(p) (adj), peachy (adj), slap-up (adj), smashing (adj), beau (n), clotheshorse (n), crestless wave (n), dude (n), fashion plate (n), fop (n), gallant (n), sheik (n), intumesce (v), puff up (v), swell up (v), tumefy (v), well (v), well up (v). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Approbation | Commend, belaud, praise, laud, compliment; pay a tribute, bepraise; clap the hands; applaud, cheer, acclamate, encore; panegyrize, eulogize, cry up, proner, puff; extol, extol to the skies; magnify, glorify, exalt, swell, make much of; flatter; bless, give a blessing to; have a good word for, say a good word for; speak well of, speak highly of, speak in high terms of; sing the praises of, sound the praises of, chaunt the praises of; resound the praises of; sing praises to; cheer to the echo, applaud to the echo, applaud to the very echo, cheer to the very echo. |
Convexity | Convexity, prominence, projection, swelling, gibbosity, bilge, bulge, protuberance, protrusion; camber, cahot, thank-ye-ma'am. swell. |
Expansion | Verb: become larger; (large; ); expand, widen, enlarge, extend, grow, increase, incrassate, swell, gather; fill out; deploy, take open order, dilate, stretch, distend, spread; mantle, wax; grow up, spring up; bud, bourgeon, shoot, sprout, germinate, put forth, vegetate, pullulate, open, burst forth; gain flesh, gather flesh; outgrow; spread like wildfire, overrun. |
Noun: expansion; increase; of size; enlargement, extension, augmentation; amplification, ampliation; aggrandizement, spread, increment, growth, development, pullulation, swell, dilation, rarefaction; turgescence, turgidness, turgidity; dispansion; obesity; (size); hydrocephalus, hydrophthalmus; dropsy, tumefaction, intumescence, swelling, tumor, diastole, distension; puffing, puffiness; inflation; pandiculation. | |
Fop | Noun: fop, fine gentleman; swell; dandy, dandiprat; exquisite, coxcomb, beau, macaroni, blade, blood, buck, man about town, fast man; fribble, milliner; Jemmy Jessamy, carpet knight; masher, dude. |
Insolence | Verb: be insolent; Adjective: bluster, vapor, swagger, swell, give oneself airs, snap one's fingers, kick up a dust; swear; (affirm); rap out oaths; roister. arrogate; assume, presume; make bold, make free; take a liberty, give an inch and take an ell. |
Nobility | Peer, peerage; house of lords, house of peers; lords, lords temporal and spiritual; noblesse; noble, nobleman; lord, lordling; grandee, magnifico, hidalgo; daimio, daimyo, samurai, shizoku; don, donship; aristocrat, swell, three-tailed bashaw; gentleman, squire, squireen, patrician, laureate. |
River | Wave, billow, surge, swell, ripple; |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: Swell |
| English words defined with "swell": Apostemate ♦ Beal, belly, belly out, blow up, Blub, Boln, Bouge, Bowge, bulge, bulk ♦ distend, Dumb cane ♦ Echo organ, Embillow, Estuate, Extuberate ♦ fleawort ♦ Ground sea, ground swell ♦ Hove ♦ Infarce ♦ Neck of a gun ♦ Outswell, Overswell ♦ Plantago psyllium, Plim, Plump, pouch, protrude, psyllium, puff, puff out, puff up ♦ Ripieno ♦ Sea-gait, Shagreen, Spanish psyllium, Stroot, Strout, Swelt ♦ Tide wave, To run up, treenail, trenail, trunnel, Tumulate, Turgesce ♦ Undulatory, Upswell. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "swell": Amadis of Gaul ♦ BRIM RAISER ♦ cauliflowering ♦ Dundreary ♦ Falutin, FLASH, Freedom ♦ HEAD ♦ -head ♦ Osmotic Fragility ♦ PRAD ♦ shrinkage stoping, shrink-swell, steam finisher, straw-hat finishing operator, straw-hat-brim-raiser operator, swelling of shale ♦ TOGS ♦ Vesicular stomatitis ♦ Zel. (references) |
| Etymologies containing "swell": turgid. (references) |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | We have a swell time (Harvey; writing credit: Mary Chase;) Look, it's been swell, but the swelling's gone down (Tank Girl; writing credit: Alan Martin; Jamie Hewlett) That's a swell plan why couldn't you arrange for me to strike him (Duck Soup; writing credit: Bert Kalmar ; Harry Ruby) Now go out there and be so swell that I'll hate you. (42nd Street; writing credit: Bradford Ropes; Rian James) I'm also a swell bowler (Buffy the Vampire Slayer; writing credit: Doreen Spicer) | |
Lyrics | What a swell little plane (Clockwork Creep; performing artist: 10CC) On the DL real, baby, swell a love crazy (Feels Good; performing artist: Naughty By Nature) Things have never been so swell. (You Know You're Right; performing artist: Nirvana) It's so sweet for me it's swell for me (It's Bad For Me; performing artist: The Roches) | |
Movie/TV Titles | North Swell (1964) Swell Guy (1946) Playing the Swell (1926) Swell Hogan (1926) A Swell Affair (1926) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title |
Books | |
Theater & Movies | |
Music |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | Entering a canyon in the San Rafael Swell Triangulation party of Frank G. Johnson. Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection. |  | Fathogram showing swell from approaching hurricane EXPLORER record from near Cape Hatteras September 7, 1964 - Hurricane Dora. Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection. |
 | Georges Bank starting to kick up a little bit. The bow of the ALBATROSS IV slamming down into a swell. Credit: Paths Less Taken - NOAA at the Ends of the Earth. |  | The DELAWARE II headed down into a swell. Credit: Paths Less Taken - NOAA at the Ends of the Earth. |
 | A small school of wrasse grazing near damaged pipe after a large storm swell caused the pipes to roll around violently in a depth of 65 ft. Credit: The Coral Kingdom. |  | Acanthurus olivaceus - surgeonfish grazing on algae on new reef material. Demonstrates artificial reef contribution to food chain. Murky waters occurred under certain conditions of current and swell. Fish biomass increased greatly during murky water episodes. Credit: The Coral Kingdom. |
 | In: "The Meteor Expedition," by F. Spiess, German Atlantic Expedition 1925-1927. A huge swell as seen from the METEOR. Plate 39. Library Call Number C/La S755. Credit: Sailing for Science - the NOAA Fleet Then and Now. |  | Bottleneck Peak, San Rafael Swell. Credit: Jerry Sintz. |
 | Upper Muddy Creek along the Red Canyon Loop, San Rafael Swell. Credit: Kelly Rigby. |  | In background retinopathy, a slight deterioration in the small blood vessels of the retina, portions of the vessels may swell and leak fluid into the surrounding retinal tissue. Credit: National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health. |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
| Play | Caption |
 | Building; gain; increasing; snowball; rise; swell; surge; surging; increase; build up; intensify; redouble; . |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Author | Quotation |
Abraham Lincoln | We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave, to every living heart and hearth-stone, allover this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature. |
Author Unknown | Some people grow under authority while others just swell. |
Sholom Aleichem | The rich swell up with pride, the poor from hunger. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | |
| Title | Author | Quote |
Emma | Austen, Jane | Let my accents swell to Mickleham on one side, and Dorking on the other |
Alexander's Feast | John Dryden | Could swell the soul to rage, or kindle soft desire |
Grapes of Wrath | Steinbeck, John | Joad was silent, looking into the distance ahead, along the road, along the white road that waved gently, like a ground swell. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | When this happens, the brain can swell. (references) | |
Lymph glands in the adjacent area may swell. (references) | ||
The fluid makes the macula swell, blurring vision. (references) | ||
Economic History | Pakistan | The current 450,000 cellular phone subscribers is forecast to swell to one million by 2003 thus offering excellent opportunities for us firms. (references) |
Political Economy | PARAGUAY | This windfall was not productively invested, but rather spent to swell already bloated government payrolls. (references) |
BANGLADESH | Agreements between Bangladesh and U.S. companies in gas exploration and production and energy production prompted the rise in total U.S. foreign direct investment (FDI) from $25 million before 1995 to $885 million in 2001. Other opportunities for significant investment in gas exploration and production, power generation, private port construction/operation and telecommunications could further swell U.S. investment and trade, if the new government makes needed economic policy changes and gas export decisions. (references) | |
Lexicography | Devil's Dictionary | HEAD-:MONEY:, n. A capitation tax, or poll-tax. In ancient times there lived a king Whose tax-collectors could not wring From all his subjects gold enough To make the royal way less rough. For pleasure's highway, like the dames Whose premises adjoin it, claims Perpetual repairing. So The tax-collectors in a row Appeared before the throne to pray Their master to devise some way To swell the revenue. "So great," Said they, "are the demands of state A tithe of all that we collect Will scarcely meet them. Pray reflect: How, if one-tenth we must resign, Can we exist on t'other nine?" The monarch asked them in reply: "Has it occurred to you to try The advantage of economy?" "It has," the spokesman said: "we sold All of our gray garrotes of gold; With plated-ware we now compress The necks of those whom we assess. Plain iron forceps we employ To mitigate the miser's joy Who hoards, with greed that never tires, That which your Majesty requires." Deep lines of thought were seen to plow Their way across the royal brow. "Your state is desperate, no question; Pray favor me with a suggestion." "O King of Men," the spokesman said, "If you'll impose upon each head A tax, the augmented revenue We'll cheerfully divide with you." As flashes of the sun illume The parted storm-cloud's sullen gloom, The king smiled grimly. "I decree That it be so -- and, not to be In generosity outdone, Declare you, each and every one, Exempted from the operation Of this new law of capitation. But lest the people censure me Because they're bound and you are free, 'Twere well some clever scheme were laid By you this poll-tax to evade. I'll leave you now while you confer With my most trusted minister." The monarch from the throne-room walked And straightway in among them stalked A silent man, with brow concealed, Bare-armed -- his gleaming axe revealed! G.J. |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "Swell" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 48.69% of the time. "Swell" is used about 496 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 48.69% | 242 | 19,213 |
| Lexical Verb (infinitive) | 36.62% | 182 | 22,870 |
| Lexical Verb (base form) | 8.85% | 44 | 51,500 |
| Adjective (general or positive) | 5.84% | 29 | 64,444 |
| Total | 100.00% | 496 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| The following table summarizes the usage of "swell" based on a population census conducted in the United States. Ranks and frequencies are based on all names reported and classified. |
| Name | Usage/Gender | Usage per 100 million Persons | Rank in USA |
| Swell | Last name | 130 | 67,353 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits. | |||
Expressions using "swell": a swell guy ♦ ground swell ♦ heavy swell ♦ Ocean Swell Powered Renewable EnergY ♦ organ swell ♦ swell mob ♦ swell of sea ♦ swell organ ♦ swell out ♦ swell shark ♦ swell the ranks of ♦ swell the stomach ♦ swell up ♦ swell with ♦ swell with importance ♦ swell with pride ♦ what a swell you are!. Additional references. | |
| Hyphenated Usage | |
Beginning with "swell": swell-box, swell-butted, swell-fish, swell-headed. | |
Ending with "swell": ground-swell, pinch-and-swell, sea-swell, surfeit-swell. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Language | Translations for "swell"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Albanian | shtohem (accrue, augment, breed, flare up, grow, multiply, proliferate, propagate, pullulate, stiffen, wax), shik (elegant, natty, nifty, Nobby, posh, stylish, viewy), zmadhohem (dilate, run up), mufatet (distend), mbushem (congest, fill), mburrem (blow one's own trumpet, brag, brag about, flatter oneself that, gasconade, glory, preen, pride, splurge, talk through one's hat), luksoz (baronial, de luxe, exclusive, fancy, lavish, luxurious, palatial, plushy, rank, recherche, refined, rich, Swan, swanky), lartësi (altitude, altitudes, elevation, eminence, headway, height, highness, Hill, inches, level, loftiness, pitch, rise, stature, superiority, swelling), gungë (boss, bump, gibbosity, hummock, hump, hunch, knob, knot, knur, knurl, knurr, node, nub, overgrowth, promontory, protuberance, swelling, tuber, tubercle, tumefaction), fryj (be sulky, blow, blow out, breathe, buzz off, clear off, distend, inflate, overblow, pout at, puff, puff out, wind), fryhem (belly, bloat, boil up, distend, fill out, heave, pout, surge, swagger), dallgëzim (swelling, undulation), bymehet, ënjt. (various references) | |
Arabic | زاد (add, augment, boost, compound, dispense with, enhance, extend, get dearer, grow, heighten, increase, jump, provisions, push up, put up with smth., supplement, victuals), شخص بالغ الأناقة, رائع (admirable, bonny, brag, brave, conspicuous, dazzling, ducks, ducky, effective, elegant, emphatic, entrancing, exceptional, exquisite, extraordinary, fabulous, felicitous, fine, glorious, gorgeous, grand, heavenly, in apple-pie order, irresistible, lovely, magnificent, marvellous, marvelous, mighty, miraculous, noteworthy, out of this world, outstanding, palmy, picturesque, portentous, precious, prestigious, rattling, recherche, remarkable, ripening, ripping, sensational, showy, sightly, signal, singular, smash, smashing, solid, some, spanking, sparkling, splendid, stunning, stupendous, super, superb, terrific, topping, tremendous, uncommon, wonder, wonderful, wondrous), أداة في الأرغن لضبط حجم الصوت, أنيق (bijou, chic, classy, coxcomb, dainty, dapper, dashing, dinky, dressy, elegant, exclusive, fine, gallant, genteel, good looking, gracious, jaunty, ladylike, mincing, natty, neat, nice, perky, personable, posh, presentable, rich, saucy, seemly, sharp, smart, smug, sophisticated, spick and span, sporting, sportsmanlike, sporty, spruce, stylish, suave, swagger, tailor made, taut, tidy, tight, trim, well groomed), إزدهار (boom, flower, growth, health, prosperity), إزدياد (accretion, augmentation, increment, rise), إنتعاش (exhilaration, recovery, resuscitation, revival), بارز إجتماعيا, إنتفخ (bag, balloon, belly, billow, bloat, bulge, distend, fill, fluff, heave, inflate, puff, strut), ممتاز (admirable, banner, best, bonny, boss, brave, choice, clipping, cool, dandy, deluxe, distingue, distinguished, ducky, elegant, excellent, exceptional, exquisite, extra, famous, fancy, fine, first class, first rate, first-string, mighty, noble, of first degree, outstanding, premium, prime, select, splendid, star, stellar, super, superb, superior, thoroughbred, thumbs up, tiptop, top notch, vintage, wizard), تبجح (bluster, blustery, boast, boastfulness, brag, bravado, crow, gasconade, jactitation, plume, rant, shoot a line, swagger, swank, talk big, vaporize, vaunt), تضخم (distend, expansion, inflate, thicken), تورم (become swollen, swelling, tumefaction, tumefy, tumescence), تفاخر (blow, boast, boastfulness, brag, flaunt, ostentation, plume, rodomontade, shoot a line, show, show off, splurge, vaporize), ورم (bulge, bump, growth, lump, neoplasm, node, swelling, tumefaction, tumid, tumor, tumour), متأنق (dandy, dressed up, dressy, elegant, overnice, smart, stylish), موجة (billow, oscillation, sea, surge, undulation, vibration, wave), موجة من الأمواج الطويلة, إنتفاخ (bulge, distention, puffiness, swelling, tumescence). (various references) | |
Bulgarian | надигам се (arise, blow up, boil up, get up, pull up, rear, rise, simmer, surge, uprise, well up), издувам (blow off, blow out, puff), издувам се (belly, draw, heave, puff out, puff up), подпухвам (bloat, puff up), подувам се (bloat, puff up, swell out, swell up, tumefy), подутина (bump, gibbosity, lump, promontory, protuberance, swelling, tumefaction), прииждам (flood, flow, flux, rise), превъзходен (capital, egregious, excellent, incompatible, nailing, pre eminent, rare, super, superb, superlative, tiptop, top-hole, topping, transcendent, wizard), първокласен (champion, classic, classical, clinking, exclusive, first class, first rate, five-star, gilt-edged, number one, posh, prize, pucka, pukka, ranking, scratch, slap up, slashing, top notch, topflight, top-hole), богат човек, елегантен (classy, dashing, debonair, doggy, dressy, elegant, feat, fine, genteel, graceful, jimp, mod, nifty, plush, plushy, posh, rakish, saucy, sharp, silk stocking, smart, snappy, stylish, swish, tasty), знак за кресчендо и диминуендо, издатина (burr, horn, hump, jut, ledge, process, projection, prominence, promontory, protrusion, protuberance, salient, set off, shelf, tuber), моден (chic, current, fashionable, genteel, go, high-toned, in, mainstream, mod, modern, modish, new, newfangled, nifty, rakish, saucy, smart, stylish, swanky, swinging, swish), усилвам се (become stronger, freshen, freshen up), надувам (blow, blow out, inflate), набъбвам, отичам (tumefy), отличен играч (top dog), видна личност (notable, toff), възвишение (eminence, height, prominence, rise, rising, swelling, tor, upland), компетентен човек, конте (adonis, beau, chappy, corinthian, dude, exquisite, fop, gallant, jack-a-dandy, nut, popinjay, sharpy, toff), шик (chic, classy, dressy, pansy, pert, posh, rakish, saucy, snazzy, swish), увеличавам (accrete, accumulate, add to, aggrandize, amplify, augment, blow up, enlarge, expand, improve, increase, magnify, multiply, put up), усилвам (amplify, augment, exacerbate, exalt, exasperate, fortify, heighten, increase, intensify, magnify, nurse, piece in, potentiate, sharpen, stiffen, strengthen, tone up, zip), майстор (artificer, artisan, artist, craftsman, dab, foreman, hand, master, workman). (various references) | |
Chinese | 膨胀 (Dilatation, Dilate, Dilated, Dilating, Distension, inflate, inflated, Inflating, swelling), 漲滿 . (various references) | |
Czech | skvìlý (accomplished, admirable, bright, brilliant, dashing, distinguished, excellent, fine, glorious, grand, palmy, proud, splendid, tiptop, wonderful), senzaèní (delicious, fine, gorgeous, grand, great, groovy, hot, magic, mean, sensational, smashing, startling, stunning, terrific, thrilling, wonderful), zvýšit (accelerate, ameliorate, bring up, build up, bump up, elevate, enhance, heighten, hot up, improve, intensify, put up, scale up, turn up), vlnìní (ripple, surge, undulation), prima (finely, goody, groovy, ok, okay, okey-dokey, posh, top-hole), přibývat (accrue, grow, wax), otéci (tumefy), nadýmat, nadýmání (flatulence, flatulency), mohutnìt (develop, increase), elegantní (becoming, ciceronian, dapper, dashing, dressy, elegant, fashionable, full-fashioned, glamorous, glamourous, graceful, light-some, natty, neat, sleek, smart, snappy, sophisticated, Spruce, swanky, trim), dmout se (surge). (various references) | |
Danish | svulme. (various references) | |
Dutch | zwellen (bulkage, bulking, dilatation, dilation, exertion of pressure, production, swelling, to swell), opzwellen (puff up), aanzwellen (swell into a roar). (various references) | |
Esperanto | plilaŭtiĝi (swell into a roar), ŝveli. (various references) | |
Faeroese | trútna, bólgna. (various references) | |
Farsi | متورم کردن , تورم (Inflation, Protuberance), اماس کردن (Huff), شیک (Chic, Dapper, Dinky, Scrumptious, Smart, Snappy, Stylish, Suave, Trig), بادکردن (Bag, Bloat, Brag, Bulge, Distend, Heave, Inflate, Perk), بادغرورداشتن , برجسته (Boss, Dominant, Egregious, Eminent, Illustrious, Laureate, Masterwork, Outstanding, Palmary, Palmy, Predominant, Prime, Profile, Prominent, Saleint, Tyupical), برجستگی (Boss, Eminence, Notability, Pone, Prominence, Relieve, Snob, Thread). (various references) | |
Finnish | paisuttaa (exaggerate), aaltoilu (heaving, surge, undulation), ajettua (become swollen), hyöky (surge), kohoilla (heave), maankohoaminen, mainingit (rolling sea), maininki, aallokko (surf), paisua (expand), vedennousu, pullistaa (distend, inflate), pullistua (bulge, distend, expand), pullistuma (bulge, protuberance, swelling), pullistuminen, tulvehtiminen, tulviminen (flood, flooding, outflanking), turvos, turvota, pöhöttyä. (various references) | |
French | gonfler (swelling, to swell), houle. (various references) | |
German | schwellen (belly, burn off, engorge, sills, swell out, swell up, swelled, swollen, thresholds), anschwellen (bloat, bulge, engorge, puff up, rise, surge, swelled, swelling, swollen, to bulge), seegang (sea), quellen (founts, issue, ooze, pour, sources, spring, springs, stream, swelling, well, wellsprings). (various references) | |
Greek | φούσκωμα (bump, flatulence, flatulency, inflation, puff, swelling, tumidness, turgidity, turgidness, upsurge), φουσκώνω (billow, bloat, blow up, bulge, distend, expand, fill out, inflate, puff, pump, pump up, surge). (various references) | |
Hawaiian | ënjt. (various references) | |
Hebrew | מלאות (abundance, completeness, fullness, plethora, repletion), מ'ו "ר (coquettish, dandified, dressed up, flaunting, mincing, natty), מטורז (fop, toff), מצוין (capital, distinguished, eminent, excellent, fine, outstanding, ripping, shining, spanking, splendid, sterling, superb, surpassing), לתפוח (bulge), ל"ת פח (bulge, distend, inflate), ל'אות (flow, grow up, tide), לצבות (puff), ל פח (bamboozle, blow up, exaggerate, inflate, puff, word), תפיח" (lump, protuberance, swelling, tumefaction), "ת פחות (boasting, distention, inflating, puffing up, swelling), 'אות (boom, boon, flood tide, flow, flux, glory, high tide, majesty, pride, swelling, tide), טרזן (coxcomb, fop, prissy, toff). (various references) | |
Hungarian | kiemelkedés (boss, elevation, emergence, emersion, height, prominence, protrusion, relief), hullámverés (heaving billows, lap, surf, wash), hömpölygés (welter), elegáns (cheesy, doggish, dressy, elegant, fashionable, flossy, graceful, light, natty, nifty, Nobby, posh, primp, sassy, saucy, smart, snappy, spicy, spiffing, spiffy, spruce, stylish, swish, tacky, tricksy, upscale), domborulat (boss, bulge, camber, nipple, shoulder), divatos (dressy, fashionable, fine, smart, snappy, spicy, stylish, trendy), dagadás (heave, heaving, swelling). (various references) | |
Indonesian | mengampul, hebat (excellent, fabulous, formidable, intense, killing, severe, spectacular, super, vehement), gelombang besar, bengkak (bloat, bubo, bulge, protuberant, swollen, tumefaction, tumefy, tumescent, tumid, tumor), alun (wave). (various references) | |
Italian | rigonfiamento (buckle, bulge, heave, swelling), mare lungo. (various references) | |
Japanese Kanji | 高まり (elevation, rise, upsurge), 肥大 (corpulence, enlarge, fatness, obesity), 見 坊 (coxcomb, dude, fop, vain person), うつ伏せる (falling in a doze, heaving sea, meandering, Rascal!, roller, sinuous, to lie face-down, tortuous, undulation, Villain!, wave motion, winding, You wretch!, zigzag). (various references) | |
Japanese Katakana | たかまり (elevation, rise, upsurge), ひ い (corpulence, enlarge, fatness, obesity), うねり (heaving sea, roller, undulation, wave motion, winding), みえぼう (coxcomb, dude, fop, vain person). (various references) | |
Korean | 부스럼. (various references) | |
Manx | sogh (groan, moan, sigh, sob, surge, whimper), puissey, puissal, mooadaghey (aggravation, amplify, augment, develop, developing, enlarge, escalate, escalation, exaggerate, exaggeration, exaggerator, expand, expansion, extend, extension, gain, grow, increase, increment, magnification, magnify, maximize, mount, multiplication, multiply), fashanagh (chic, dressy, stylish, tony), faarkey (billow; to bathe in sea, breaker, large wave, ocean, sea), bolgey (abdominal, balloon, dilate, dilation, enlarge, fill, inflate, inflation), bock (buck, gelding, he, josser, male), att (bump, distention, enlarge, enlargement, heart, inflate, protrusion, rise, surge). (various references) | |
Papiamen | hincha. (various references) | |
Pig Latin | ellsway.(various references) | |
Portuguese | inchar (bag, balloon, belly, bloat, bulb, bulge, bulk, distend, flush, intumesce, puff out), inchação (lump, puff). (various references) | |
Romanian | straşnic (clinking, colossal, considerable, damnably, excellent, excessive, extreme, fine, gee, goody, grand, horrible, jolly, magnificent, mightily, nifty, proper, properly, rigorous, severe, severely, smashing, solid, some, sound, stern, terrible, terribly, thundering, tremendous, with a vengeance), spilcuit (Dandy, dapper, natty, sporty, swish), se umfla (bag, balloon, belly out, billow, bloat out, bulge, bulk, distend, fill out, flow, ridge), se mãri (accrue, augment, enlarge, greaten, grow, increase, largen, lengthen, stretch), intensifica (enhance, exaggerate, exalt, heighten, increase, intensify, redouble, renew, sharpen), adãuga (accede, add, adjoin, affix, amplify, annex, append, attach, augment, complete, enclose, enlarge, extend, follow up with, prefix, schedule, superinduce, supervene, supplement, tack), bombare, dichisit (dapper, dolled up, Spruce, swagger, trimmed), elegant (daintily, dainty, Dandy, dashing, dressy, elegant, fashionable, gallant, genteel, gentle, graceful, gracefully, jaunty, polite, smart, smartly, smug, spicy, stylish, tasty, well-dressed), fercheş (dapper, jaunty, nutty, smug, spicy, trim), foale (pair of bellows), furtunã (agitation, blow, commotion, gale, hurricane, riot, squall, storm, tempest, thunder storm, thunderstorm, tumult), grangur (big bug, big shot, bigwig, golden-ager, great gun, oriole), grozav (a, almighty, atrocious, awful, awfully, bally, beastly, bully, classy, clinking, Dandy, desperate, dreadful, exceedingly, excessively, famous, fell, first rate, formidable, frightful, gee, ghastly, grand, horrible, horrid, immense, immensely, jolly, killing, like blazes, like hell, lovely, mad, magnificent, mightily, nicely, nifty, plush, plushy, proper, ripping, some, stunning, terrible, terribly, terrific, thundering, topping, tremendous, tremendously, uncommonly, vastly, whacking), hulã (backbiting, blasphemy, calumny, curse, defamation, ground swell, hula-hoop, impiety, slander), înfoia (plump up), inflamaţie (boil, heat, inflammation, sore), urca (ascend, bestride, go up, grow, heave, lift, Mount, rise, scale, soar, uplift), intensificare (enhancement, exaggeration, exaltation, exasperation, intensification, intension), mãri (add, advance, aggrandize, amplify, augment, better, broach, broaden, carry, develop, dilate, enhance, enlarge, expand, extend, greaten, improve, increase, intensify, largen, lift, magnify, multiply, piece out, raise, reinforce, splay, step up, widen), majora (raise), preface (alter, change, convert, feign, reduce, sham, simulate, transform), ridicãturã (height, highness, lift, projection, rising), umfla (bag, belly, blow, bunt, expand, fill, fill out, grow, heighten, inflate, overdraw, pad, puff), umflare (distension, expansion, inflation), inflama (heat, inflame, rankle). (various references) | |
Russian | распухать (swelled, swollen, tumefy). (various references) | |
Scottish | at (become tumid, becoming tumid, puff up). (various references) | |
Serbo-Croatian | pomodar (cockscomb, fashion plate, slicker), oteći (bilge, drain, flow, tumefy), odličan (cool, corking, excellent, famous, fancy, lummy, slap up, stellar, top-hole, topping), naduti (bloat, inflate, puff), nabreknuti (puff up). (various references) | |
Spanish | mar de fondo (groundswell), hincharse (bag, balloon, belly, billow, bulge, distend, plump out, plump up, pod, swell up), hinchar (belly, bloat, bulk, dig, fill, inflate, play up, puff up, push in). (various references) | |
Sranan | sweri (swear). (various references) | |
Swedish | dyning (backwash, roller), svullna (turgid), svälla (bag, bloat, distend, puff). (various references) | |
Turkish | iftihar etmek (be proud of, boast, exult, pique oneself on smth., pride oneself, take a pride in, take pride in), artma (accession, gain, improvement, increase, increment, pickup, scaling, step up), artmak (accrete, accrue, advance, ascend, augment, be left, be left over, deepen, duplicate, go up, harden, heighten, increase, mount up, multiply, remain, rise, scale up, soar, step up, wax), şık (alternative, chic, choice, classy, dandyish, dapper, dashing, doggy, dressy, elegant, fashionable, flash, go-go, in the ton, jaunty, mod, nifty, posh, rakish, saucy, sharp, sleek, smart, smooth, smug, snappy, snazzy, spicy, spiffing, spiffy, sporty, streamlined, stylish, swagger, swanky, swish, thoroughbred, tidy, tonish, trig, up-market), şiş (blown up, broach, bulge, concretion, knitting needle, needle, protuberant, rising, roasting jack, skewer, spit, swelling, tumefaction, turgescence, turgid, wart), şişkinlik (bulge, inflation, intumescence, puffiness, surfeit, swelling, tumescence, tumidity, turgidness), şişme (distension, inflatable, inflated, intumescence, puff, puffing, swelling, tumefaction), şişmek (balloon, be puffed up, become tumid, belly, bloat, bloat out, bulge, bulk, distend, expand, fill, swell out, swell up, tumefy), büyümek (accrue, augment, bulk, enlarge, expand, extend, flourish, greaten, grow, grow up, hatch, increase, outgrow, shoot up, vegetate, wax), boşalmak (cream, cum, discharge, drain away, drain off, ejaculate, empty, exhaust, run down, teem), dolmak (be full, clog, congest, fill, go out to, lapse, swim), güzel (appealing, beauteous, beautiful, beautifully, beauty, Belle, bonny, comely, fair, fine, goluptious, good, good looking, goodly, handsome, lovely, nice, nifty, personable, pleasant, plummy, prettily, pretty, pulchritudinous, sapid, shapely, sightly, smart, the beautiful, well, well favored, well-favoured, winsome), gurur duymak (be elated, be proud of, glory, pride oneself, pride oneself on, take a pride in, take pride in), gururlandırmak (elate, exalt, make proud), ölü deniz (ground sea), müthiş (almighty, appalling, awful, bang up, beastly, colossal, deadly, devastating, devilish, dire, direful, fabulous, fearful, filthy, formidable, frightful, gee-whiz, helluva, prodigious, ripping, smashing, splendid, splendiferous, stunning, stupendous, superb, tearing, terrible, terrific, thundering, unco, wild), yaman herif (ripper), yükselmek (arise, ascend, be in the ascendant, be in the ascendent, climb, develop, escalate, flow, gain, get one's promotion, go up, harden, heighten, improve, Louden, nose up, rear up, rise, scale up, soar, steepen, step up, sublime, tower, upheave, upsurge, work one's way up), yükselme (advance, advancement, ascension, ascent, climb, distinction, escalation, flux, gain, hike, increase, pickup, preferment, progress, promotion, promotional, raise, rise, rising, scaling, step up, swelling, upheaval, uprising, upsurge, upthrust), yükseklik (acro-, altitude, elevation, extent, height, highness, loftiness, rise, steepness), taşmak (boil over, brim over, flow, get over, gush, overbrim, overflow, pour forth, pour out, run over, slop over, spill over, swim, well over), harika (beautiful, bully, cool, corking, divine, fabulous, fantastic, fantastical, far out, gorgeous, groovy, immense, in the groove, jolly good, keen, marvel, marvellous, marvelous, miracle, no mean, old, phenomenal, phenomenon, prodigious, prodigy, ripping, scrumptious, splendid, whizz, wicked, wizard, wonder, wonderful, wondrous, yummy, yum-yum), rüzgârla şişmek (billow, billow out), havalı (airy, dashing, flash, flatulent, hot air, jaunty, La-di-da, la-di-dah, nifty, Nobby, ostentatious, pneumatic, posh, rakish, show off, showy, stylish, swagger, swanky, swish, tonish), koltuklarını kabartmak, koltukları kabarmak, kodaman (a big gun, a big wheel, big bug, big cheese, big gun, big noise, big shot, bigwig, magnate, tycoon, worthy), kabarmak (arch, blister, bloat, bloat out, heave, puff, rise, roughen, surge, tumefy, upsurge, vesicate), kabarma (eruption, flow, ground swell, heave, heaving, intumescence, pulvinate, surge, surging, swelling, upheaval, uprising, upsurge, upthrust), züppe (adonis, beau, buck, conceited pup, coxcomb, dandified, Dandy, dude, fop, high hat, jack-a-dandy, jackanapes, La-di-da, la-di-dah, macaroni, nob, Peacock, petit-maitre, popinjay, pup, puppy, snob, spark, toff), tümsek (Barrow, bulge, bump, gibbous, hillock, hummock, hump, mound, prominence, protuberance, protuberant, rise). (various references) | |
Turkmen | pцkremek, pakgarmak, зismek (inflate), зiюirmek (inflate). (various references) | |
Ukrainian | хвилювання (agitation, boil, bubble, care, disturbance, excitation, feeze, fermentation, fizzle, heartbeat, perturbation, pother, pucker, stirring, throb, uproar), відмінний (a, alien from, another, bang up, different, disparate, distinct, distinctive, divergent, exquisite, nailing, nifty, perfect, tidy, variant, way up), опух (lump, tumescence, tumor, tumour), надуватися (belly, inflate, plim, round), надувати (balloon, plim), здійматися (billow, crest, heave, rise, rise above, tower, wallow), елегантний (becoming, chic, debonair, delicate, elegant, genteel, graceful, nice, nifty, primp, silk stocking, smirk, spiffed, swagger, well-tailored), підвищення (advance, aggrandizement, boost, lift, preferment, raise, rise, rising), підпухлість. (various references) | |
Vietnamese | trội sang, quần l áo lượt, người ăn mặc bảnh, kẻ tai to mặt lớn, chỗ phình ra, chỗ l"i ra (protrusion, salience, saliency), chỗ g" lên, chỗ cao lên, cử, bảnh bao (crisp, dandyish, dashing, smart, spruce, stylish), b lớn, ông lớn. (various references) | |
Welsh | ymchwyddo (surge), chwyddo (bloat, increase, magnify). (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
| Language | Period | Translations |
| Latin | 500 BCE-Modern | adcrescens, fluctuabat, fluctuantem, fluctuantes, fluctuate, fluctuatur, increscat, increverit, increverunt, increvit, inflo, tumebant, tumens, tumensque, tumentes, tumentia, tumescente, tumet, tumorem. (various references) |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Language | Date | Source | Numbers Chapter 5, Verse 22 |
| Greek (transliterated) | 250 BC | Septuagint | Kai eiseleusetai to udwr to epikatarwmenon touto eiV thn koilian sou prhsai gastera kai diapesein mhron sou kai erei h gunh genoito genoito |
| Latin | 405 | Vulgate | Ingrediantur aquae maledictae in ventrem tuum et utero tumescente putrescat femur et respondebit mulier amen amen |
| Middle English | 1395 | Wyclif | Goon in thee cursyd watris into thi wombe, and swellynge thi wombe stynke thin hippe. And the womman shal answere, Amen! amen! |
| Renaissance English | 1526 | Tyndale | And thys bytter cursynge water goo in to the bowels of the that thy bely swell and thy thye rotte and the wyfe shall saye Amen Amen. |
| Jacobean English | 1611 | King James | And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen. |
| Victorian English | 1833 | Webster | And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to perish. And the woman shall say, Amen, amen. |
| Basic English | 1964 | Ogden | And this water of the curse will go into your body, causing disease of your stomach and wasting of your legs: and the woman will say, So be it. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | Numbers Chapter 5, Verse 22 |
| Cebuano | Ug kining tubiga nga nagahatag ug panunglo mosulod sa imong kalawasan, ug mopahupong sa imong lawas ug magahulog sa imong paa. Ug ang babaye magaingon: Hinaut unta, hinaut unta. |
| Croatian | Neka ova voda prokletstva zaðe u tvoju utrobu! Trbuh ti se od nje naduo, a rodnica uvenula! - A žena neka poprati: Amen! Amen! |
| Danish | Forbandelsesvandet her komme ind i dine Indvolde, så din Bug svulmer op og din Lænd visner!" Og kvinden skal sige: "Amen, Amen!" |
| Dutch | Dat ditzelve water, hetwelk de vervloeking medebrengt, in uw ingewand inga, om den buik te doen zwellen, en de heup te doen vervallen! Dan zal die vrouw zeggen: Amen, amen! |
| Finnish | menköön tämä kirovesi sinun sisuksiisi, niin että vatsasi paisuu ja lanteesi kuihtuvat.` Ja vaimo sanokoon: `Amen, Amen`. |
| French | et que ces eaux qui apportent la malédiction entrent dans tes entrailles pour te faire enfler le ventre et dessécher la cuisse! Et la femme dira: Amen! Amen! |
| German | So gehe nun das verfluchte Wasser in deinen Leib, daß dein Bauch schwelle und deine Hüfte schwinde! Und das Weib soll sagen: Amen, amen. |
| Indonesian-Bahasa Sehari-hari | Air yang mendatangkan kutuk ini akan masuk ke dalam perutmu dan membuatnya kembung dan mengerutkan pangkal pahamu." Wanita itu harus menjawab, "Saya setuju; semoga TUHAN berbuat begitu." |
| Indonesian-Terjemahan Lama | Hendaklah air ini, yang mengadakan laknat, masuk ke dalam isi perutmu, supaya dibusungkannya perutmu dan dicengkungkannya pahamu. Maka hendaklah perempuan itu menyahut: Amin! Amin! |
| Italian | quest'acqua che porta maledizione ti entri nelle viscere per farti gonfiare il ventre e avvizzire i fianchi! E la donna dir : Amen, Amen! |
| Maori | A ka tae ki roto ki ou whekau tenei wai e tau ai te kanga, e pupuhi ai tou puku, e pirau ai tou huha: me ki te wahine, Amine, Amine. |
| Norwegian | og dette vann som volder forbannelse, skal trenge inn i dine innvoller, så din buk hovner op og dine hofter svinner inn. Og kvinnen skal si: Amen! Amen! |
| Portuguese | e esta água que traz consigo a maldição entrará nas tuas entranhas, para te fazer inchar o ventre, e te fazer consumir-se a coxa. Então a mulher dirá: Amém, amém. |
| Rumanian | wi apele acestea aducqtoare de blestem sq intre kn mqruntaiele tale, ca sq facq sq yi se umfle pkntecele wi sq yi se usuce coapsa!` Wi femeia sq zicq: ,Amin! Amin!` |
| Swedish | ja, när du har fått detta förbannelsebringande vatten in i ditt liv, då må det komma din buk att svälla upp och din länd att förvissna." Och kvinnan skall säga: "Amen, amen." |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "swell": swelled, sweller, swellest, swellfish, swellfishes, swellhead, swellheaded, swellheadedness, swellheadednesses, swellheads, swelling, swellings, swells. (additional references) | |
Words ending with "swell": groundswell, upswell. (additional references) | |
Words containing "swell": groundswells, upswelled, upswelling, upswells. (additional references) | |
| |
"Swell" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: kwell, oswel, qwell, rwell, sawel, Sawtell, Sawtelle, scell, sdel, selil, skell, suell, Suwelo, swayl, sweel, swel, swelc, swil, swilc, swild, swoll. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "swell" (pronounced swe"l) |
| 3 | -w e" l | dwell, farewell, quell, well. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
Direct Anagrams: wells. | |
| Words within the letters "e-l-l-s-w" | |
-1 letter: ells, sell, slew, well. | |
-2 letters: ell, els, sel, sew. | |
-3 letters: el, es, we. | |
| Words containing the letters "e-l-l-s-w" | |
+1 letter: dwells, swells. | |
+2 letters: bellows, fellows, lawless, mellows, seawall, swelled, sweller, swilled, swiller, swollen, upswell, upwells, wallets, wallies, wellies, willers, willets, willies, yellows. | |
+3 letters: clawless, coleslaw, cowbells, dewfalls, dwellers, flawless, indwells, inkwells, lowliest, lowlifes, lowlives, maxwells, sallowed, sallower, seawalls, sidewall, snowbell, sowbelly, swellest, swelling, swillers, upswells, walleyes, weaselly, weldless, wellness, wellsite, woollens, woollies. | |
+4 letters: alleyways, awfullest, bellowers, bellworts, blowflies, blowholes, bowelless, bullweeds, callowest, coleslaws, dwellings, farewells, firewalls, flywheels, followers, gallowses, glowflies, gromwells, hallowers, hollowest, jewellers, lawlessly, lowlifers, lowliness, mellowest, sallowest, screwball, shallowed, shallower, shellwork, sidewalls, sleepwalk, snowbells, speedwell, stairwell, stonewall, swallowed, swallower, swellfish, swellhead, swellings, swivelled, upswelled, upswollen, wallabies, wallopers, wallowers, weaselled, welladays, wellaways, wellcurbs, welldoers, wellheads, wellholes, wellsites, wheelless, wholesale, willowers, witlessly, woolfells, woolliest, yellowest, yellowish. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Images: Slideshow 7. Images: Photo Album 8. Sounds | 9. Quotations: Familiar 10. Quotations: Fiction 11. Quotations: Non-fiction 12. Usage Frequency | 13. Names: Frequency 14. Expressions 15. Expressions: Internet 16. Translations: Modern | 17. Translations: Ancient 18. Bible Trace 19. Derivations 20. Rhymes | 21. Anagrams 22. Bibliography |
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