Lexic.us

Definition of Swell

1. Noun. The undulating movement of the surface of the open sea.

2. Verb. Increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity. "The music swelled to a crescendo"

3. Adjective. Very good. "You look simply smashing"

4. Noun. A rounded elevation (especially one on an ocean floor).

5. Verb. Become filled with pride, arrogance, or anger. "The mother was swelling with importance when she spoke of her son"

6. Noun. A crescendo followed by a decrescendo.

7. Verb. Expand abnormally. "Did his feet swell?"; "The bellies of the starving children are swelling"

8. Noun. A man who is much concerned with his dress and appearance.

9. Verb. Come up (as of feelings and thoughts, or other ephemeral things). "Smoke swelled from it"

10. Verb. Come up, as of a liquid. "The currents well up"

11. Verb. Cause to become swollen. "The water swells the wood"

Definition of Swell

1. v. i. To grow larger; to dilate or extend the exterior surface or dimensions, by matter added within, or by expansion of the inclosed substance; as, the legs swell in dropsy; a bruised part swells; a bladder swells by inflation.

2. v. t. To increase the size, bulk, or dimensions of; to cause to rise, dilate, or increase; as, rains and dissolving snow swell the rivers in spring; immigration swells the population.

3. n. The act of swelling.

4. a. Having the characteristics of a person of rank and importance; showy; dandified; distinguished; as, a swell person; a swell neighborhood.

Definition of Swell

1. Adjective. (US informal dated) Excellent. ¹

2. Noun. A long series of ocean waves, generally produced by wind, and lasting after the wind has ceased. ¹

3. Noun. (music) A gradual crescendo followed by diminuendo. ¹

4. Noun. (music) A device for controlling the volume of a pipe organ. ¹

5. Noun. (music) A division in a pipe organ, usually the largest enclosed division. ¹

6. Noun. A hillock or similar raised area of terrain. ¹

7. Noun. (informal) A person who is dressed in a fancy or elegant manner. ¹

8. Noun. (informal) A person of high social standing; an important person. ¹

9. Verb. (intransitive) To become bigger, especially due to being engorged. ¹

10. Verb. (transitive) To cause to become bigger. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Swell

1. stylish [adj SWELLER, SWELLEST] / to increase in size or volume [v SWELLED, SWOLLEN, SWELLING, SWELLS] - See also: stylish

Lexicographical Neighbors of Swell

sweetwood bark sweetwoods sweetwort sweetworts sweety sweigh sweight sweinmote sweinmotes sweir

sweirer sweirest sweirt swelchie swelchies swell (current term) swell box swell organ swell up swellable

swelldom swelldoms swelled swelled head swellegant sweller swellers swellest swelleth swellfish

Literary usage of Swell

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians by George Grove (1910)
"VENETIAN swell. The first swell Organ produced its effect by placing the front ... The first Harpsichord swell made its crescendo by the raising of the lid. ..."

2. Allen's Synonyms and Antonyms by Frederic Sturges Allen (1920)
"See MELODY. swell, vi 1. See ENLARGE, INCREASE, RISE, ... Antonyms: see CONTRACT. swell, ». t. Spec, see INCREASE, DISTEND, INFLATE. swell, n. 1. ..."

3. The Encyclopaedia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature and (1911)
"The use of the swell pedal is inconsistent with the proper use of both feet on ... In fact, players sometimes keep one foot on the swell pedal all the time, ..."

4. Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine (1829)
"To her ken at once I go in, Where in a corner, out of the way, With his smeller,11 a trumpet blowing, Toi loi, &c. A regular swell- ..."

5. The Poetical Works of John Dryden by John Dryden (1909)
"In lofty trifles, or to swell my page With wind and noise; but freely to impart ... Thon neither, like a bellows, swell'st thy face, As if thou wert to blow ..."

6. Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians by George Grove (1910)
"VENETIAN swell. The first swell Organ produced its effect by placing the front ... The first Harpsichord swell made its crescendo by the raising of the lid. ..."

7. Allen's Synonyms and Antonyms by Frederic Sturges Allen (1920)
"See MELODY. swell, vi 1. See ENLARGE, INCREASE, RISE, ... Antonyms: see CONTRACT. swell, ». t. Spec, see INCREASE, DISTEND, INFLATE. swell, n. 1. ..."

8. The Encyclopaedia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature and (1911)
"The use of the swell pedal is inconsistent with the proper use of both feet on ... In fact, players sometimes keep one foot on the swell pedal all the time, ..."

9. Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine (1829)
"To her ken at once I go in, Where in a corner, out of the way, With his smeller,11 a trumpet blowing, Toi loi, &c. A regular swell- ..."

10. The Poetical Works of John Dryden by John Dryden (1909)
"In lofty trifles, or to swell my page With wind and noise; but freely to impart ... Thon neither, like a bellows, swell'st thy face, As if thou wert to blow ..."

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