Swell

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive), Verb (intransitive), Adjective

CIDE DICTIONARY

Swell, v. i. [AS. swellan; akin to D. zwellen, OS. & OHG. swellan, G. schwellen, Icel. svella, Sw. svälla.].

•  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.  [1913 Webster]
•  To increase in size or extent by any addition; to increase in volume or force; as, a river swells, and overflows its banks; sounds swell or diminish.  [1913 Webster]
•  To rise or be driven into waves or billows; to heave; as, in tempest, the ocean swells into waves.  [1913 Webster]
•  To be puffed up or bloated; as, to swell with pride.  [1913 Webster]

  "You swell at the tartan, as the bull is said to do at scarlet."  [1913 Webster]
•  To be inflated; to belly; as, the sails swell.  [1913 Webster]
•  To be turgid, bombastic, or extravagant; as, swelling words; a swelling style.  [1913 Webster]
•  To protuberate; to bulge out; as, a cask swells in the middle.  [1913 Webster]
•  To be elated; to rise arrogantly.  [1913 Webster]

  "Your equal mind yet swells not into state."  [1913 Webster]
•  To grow upon the view; to become larger; to expand.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]
•  To become larger in amount; as, many little debts added, swell to a great amount.  [1913 Webster]
•  To act in a pompous, ostentatious, or arrogant manner; to strut; to look big.  [1913 Webster]

  "Here he comes, swelling like a turkey cock."  [1913 Webster]

Swell, 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.  [1913 Webster]

  "[The Church] swells her high, heart-cheering tone."  [1913 Webster]
•  To aggravate; to heighten.  [1913 Webster]

  "It is low ebb with his accuser when such peccadilloes are put to swell the charge."  [1913 Webster]
•  To raise to arrogance; to puff up; to inflate; as, to be swelled with pride or haughtiness.  [1913 Webster]
•  To augment gradually in force or loudness, as the sound of a note.  [1913 Webster]

Swell, n. 

•  The act of swelling.  [1913 Webster]
•  Gradual increase.  [1913 Webster]

  "Little River affords navigation during a swell to within three miles of the Miami."  [1913 Webster]

  "Music arose with its voluptuous swell."  [1913 Webster]

  "The swell and subsidence of his periods."  [1913 Webster]
•  A gradual ascent, or rounded elevation, of land; as, an extensive plain abounding with little swells.  [1913 Webster]
•  A wave, or billow; especially, a succession of large waves; the roll of the sea after a storm; as, a heavy swell sets into the harbor.  [1913 Webster]

  "The swell
  Of the long waves that roll in yonder bay."  [1913 Webster]

  "The gigantic swells and billows of the snow."  [1913 Webster]
•  A gradual increase and decrease of the volume of sound; the crescendo and diminuendo combined; -- generally indicated by the sign.  [1913 Webster]
•  A showy, dashing person; a dandy.  [1913 Webster]

Ground swell. See under Ground. -- Organ swell (Mus.), a certain number of pipes inclosed in a box, the uncovering of which by means of a pedal produces increased sound. -- Swell shark (Zoöl.), a small shark (Scyllium ventricosum) of the west coast of North America, which takes in air when caught, and swells up like a swellfish.

Swell, a. 

 Having the characteristics of a person of rank and importance; showy; dandified; distinguished; as, a swell person; a swell neighborhood.  [1913 Webster]

Swell mob. See under Mob. [Slang]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Swell, v., n., & adj.
--v. (past part. swollen or swelled)
1 intr. & tr. grow or cause to grow bigger or louder or more intense; expand; increase in force or intensity.
2 intr. (often foll. by up) & tr. rise or raise up from the surrounding surface.
3 intr. (foll. by out) bulge.
4 intr. (of the heart as the seat of emotion) feel full of joy, pride, relief, etc.
5 intr. (foll. by with) be hardly able to restrain (pride etc.).
--n.
1 an act or the state of swelling.
2 the heaving of the sea with waves that do not break, e.g. after a storm.
3 a a crescendo. b a mechanism in an organ etc. for obtaining a crescendo or diminuendo.
4 colloq. a person of distinction or of dashing or fashionable appearance.
5 a protuberant part.
--adj.
1 esp. US colloq. fine, splendid, excellent.
2 colloq. smart, fashionable.

Idiom

swell-box Mus. a box in which organ-pipes are enclosed, with a shutter for controlling the sound-level. swelled (or swollen) head colloq. conceit. swell-organ Mus. a section of an organ with pipes in a swell-box.

Derivative

swellish adj.

Etymology

OE swellan f. Gmc

THESAURUS

Swell

Babylonian, Beau Brummel, Brahman, Corinthian, OK, accent, accent mark, accrue, accumulate, ace-high, add to, advance, aggrandize, amplify, anthill, appreciate, archduke, aristocrat, armiger, augment, awake the dead, awe-inspiring, awful, bad, bag, balloon, bang-up, bar, barbaric, baron, baronet, barrow, be poised, beau, belly, belly out, bilge, billow, blade, blast, blast the ear, bloat, bloatedness, bloating, blood, blow up, blowing up, blue blood, boil, bonzer, boom, boost, bore, bosom, boss, bouge, boulevardier, brae, braw, break, breakers, breed, broaden, broadening, bug, build, build up, bulge, bulk, bulk out, bully, bump, bunion, but good, butte, cancel, carbuncle, character, chic, choir, chop, choppiness, chopping sea, classy, claviature, clothes-conscious, clotheshorse, cock, comb, comber, console, cool, corking, corn, cosmopolitan, count, coxcomb, crackerjack, crash, crescendo, custos, cyst, dab, dabster, daimio, dandy, dapper, dash, dashing, deafen, delicious, deluxe, develop, diastole, dilatation, dilate, dilation, din, direct, dirty water, distend, distension, dot, down, dressed to advantage, dressed to kill, dropsy, drumlin, ducky, dude, duke, dune, eagre, earl, ebb and flow, echo, edema, eighty-eight, elaborate, elegant, enlarge, enlargement, esquire, expand, expansion, expression mark, exquisite, extend, extension, extravagant, fab, fancy, fashion plate, fashionable, fatten, fell, fermata, fidget, fill out, fill the air, fine, fine and dandy, fine gentleman, fingerboard, first-class, first-rate, flatulence, flatulency, flatus, flip out, flutter, foothills, fop, freak out on, fribble, fullness, furuncle, gain, gain strength, gallant, gassiness, gear, genteel, gentleman, get ahead, get high on, glorious, glow, go pitapat, go up, goggle, grand, grand duke, grandee, grandiose, gravity wave, great, greaten, groovy, ground swell, grow, have the fidgets, have the shakes, hear, heave, heavy, heavy sea, heavy swell, hidalgo, hike, hike up, hill, hillock, hold, hot, huff, hummock, hunky-dory, imposing, impressive, increase, inflate, inflation, intensify, intensity, intumescence, ivories, jack-a-dandy, jackanapes, jam-up, jaunty, jerk, just dandy, keen, key signature, keyboard, keys, knob, knoll, lace-curtain, lady-killer, laird, landgrave, lead, lift, ligature, look big, lop, lord, lordling, loudishness, loudness, lounge lizard, lump, luxurious, macaroni, magnate, magnificent, magnifico, magnify, majestic, man-about-town, manual, margrave, mark, marquis, marvy, masher, master, mean, measure, meteorism, metronomic mark, modish, molehill, monticle, monticule, moor, mound, mount, multiply, mushroom, natty, neat, nifty, nob, nobby, noble, nobleman, notation, okay, optimate, organ manual, out of sight, overdevelop, overdistend, overdraw, overexpand, overextend, overstrain, overstretch, palatial, palpitate, palsgrave, pant, past master, patrician, pause, peachy, peachy-keen, peacock, peak, peal, pedals, peer, piano keys, pimple, plush, pock, pontificate, pooch, pop, popple, posh, pouch, pout, presa, princely, pro, proliferate, proud, puff, puff up, puffiness, puffing, pump, pump up, puppy, pustule, put on, put on airs, put on side, quake, quaver, quiver, raise, rarefy, rattle the windows, recherche, rend the air, rend the ears, resound, riffle, ring, ripping, ripple, rise, rise and fall, rising, ritz it, ritzy, rock the sky, roll, roller, rough water, round out, rum, run up, sand dune, scend, scrumptious, sea, sebaceous cyst, segno, seigneur, seignior, send, shake, sharp, shiver, shoot up, sign, signature, silk-stocking, slap-up, sleek, slur, smart, smash, smashing, smug, snazzy, snowball, soigne, soignee, solid, solo, something else, sonority, sonorousness, sophisticated, spark, spectacular, spiffing, spiffy, splendacious, splendid, splendiferous, split the eardrums, split the ears, sport, spread, spruce, squire, squirm, startle the echoes, stately, step up, strain, strengthen, stretch, stretching, stun, stunning, style-conscious, stylish, sufflate, sumptuous, super, superb, superfancy, superfine, surf, surge, surge of sound, swagger, swank, swanky, swell it, swell out, swell with emotion, swellage, swelling, swollenness, symbol, tempo mark, terrific, thoroughbred, thrill, thrill to, thrilling, throb, thunder, tidal bore, tidal wave, tide wave, tie, time signature, tingle, tingle with excitement, toss, toss and turn, tough, tremble, tricksy, trig, trim, trough, tsunami, tumble, tumefaction, tumefy, tumescence, tumidity, tumidness, tumor, turgescence, turgescency, turgidity, turgidness, turn on to, twist and turn, twitch, twitter, tympanism, tympany, undulate, undulation, up, upper-cruster, vinculum, viscount, volume, waldgrave, water wave, wave, wavelet, wax, well-dressed, well-groomed, wen, white horses, whitecaps, whiz, widen, wiggle, windiness, wizard, wonderful, wriggle, writhe

ROGET THESAURUS

Swell

Feeling

VB feel, receive an impression, be impressed with, entertain feeling, harbor feeling, cherish feeling, respond, catch the flame, catch the infection, enter the spirit of, bear, suffer, support, sustain, endure, thole, aby, abide, experience, taste, prove, labor under, smart under, bear the brunt of, brave, stand, swell, glow, warm, flush, blush, change color, mantle, turn color, turn pale, turn red, turn black in the face, tingle, thrill, heave, pant, throb, palpitate, go pitapat, tremble, quiver, flutter, twitter, shake, be agitated, be excited, look blue, look black, wince, draw a deep breath, impress.

Fop

N 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, fine lady, coquette, flirt, vamp.

Expansion

N expansion, increase of size, enlargement, extension, augmentation, amplification, ampliation, aggrandizement, spread, increment, growth, development, pullulation, swell, dilation, rarefaction, turgescence, turgidness, turgidity, dispansion, obesity, hydrocephalus, hydrophthalmus, dropsy, tumefaction, intumescence, swelling, tumor, diastole, distension, puffing, puffiness, inflation, pandiculation, dilatability, expansibility, germination, growth, upgrowth, accretion, budding, gemmation, overgrowth, overdistension, hypertrophy, tympany, bulb, plumper, superiority of size, big bang, Hubble constant, expanded larger, &c (large), swollen, expansive, wide open, wide spread, flabelliform, overgrown, exaggerated, bloated, fat, turgid, tumid, hypertrophied, dropsical, pot bellied, swag bellied, edematous, oedematous, obese, puffy, pursy, blowzy, bigswoln, distended, patulous, bulbous, full blown, full grown, full formed, big, abdominous, enchymatous, rhipidate, tumefacient, tumefying.

VB become larger &c (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, be larger than, surpass, render larger &c (large), expand, spread, extend, aggrandize, distend, develop, amplify, spread out, widen, magnify, rarefy, inflate, puff, blow up, stuff, pad, cram, exaggerate, fatten.

Nobility

N nobility, rank, condition, distinction, optimacy, blood, pur sang, birth, high descent, order, quality, gentility, blue blood of Castile, ancien regime, high life, haute monde, upper classes, upper ten thousand, the four hundred, elite, aristocracy, great folks, fashionable world, 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, gentry, gentlefolk, squirarchy, better sort magnates, primates, optimates, pantisocracy, king, atheling, prince, duke, marquis, marquisate, earl, viscount, baron, thane, banneret, baronet, baronetcy, knight, knighthood, count, armiger, laird, signior, seignior, esquire, boyar, margrave, vavasour, emir, ameer, scherif, sharif, effendi, wali, sahib, chevalier, maharaja, nawab, palsgrave, pasha, rajah, waldgrave, princess, begum, duchess, marchioness, countess, lady, dame, memsahib, Do$a, maharani, rani, personage of distinction, man of distinction, personage of rank, man of rank, personage of mark, man of mark, notables, notabilities, celebrity, bigwig, magnate, great man, star, superstar, big bug, big gun, great gun, gilded rooster, magni nominis umbra, every inch a king, noble, exalted, of rank, princely, titled, patrician, aristocratic, high-, well-born, of gentle blood, genteel, comme il faut, gentlemanlike, courtly, highly respectable, in high quarters, Adel sitzt im Gemuthe nicht im Gebluete, adelig und edel sind zweierlei, noblesse oblige.

Insolence

VB be insolent, bluster, vapor, swagger, swell, give oneself airs, snap one's fingers, kick up a dust, swear, rap out oaths, roister, arrogate, assume, presume, make bold, make free, take a liberty, give an inch and take an ell, domineer, bully, dictate, hector, lord it over, traiter de haut en bas, regarder de haut en bas, exact, snub, huff, beard, fly in the face of, put to the blush, bear down, beat down, browbeat, intimidate, trample down, tread down, trample under foot, dragoon, ride roughshod over, out face, outlook, outstare, outbrazen, outbrave, stare out of countenance, brazen out, lay down the law, teach one's grandmother to suck eggs, assume a lofty bearing, talk big, look big, put on big looks, act the grand seigneur, mount the high horse, ride the high horse, toss the head, carry, with a high hand, tempt Providence, want snuffing.

Convexity

N convexity, prominence, projection, swelling, gibbosity, bilge, bulge, protuberance, protrusion, camber, cahot, thank-ye-ma'am, swell, intumescence, tumour, tumor, tubercle, tuberosity, excrescence, hump, hunch, bunch, boss, embossment, hub, hubble, tooth, knob, elbow, process, apophysis, condyle, bulb, node, nodule, nodosity, tongue, dorsum, bump, clump, sugar loaf, bow, mamelon, molar, belly, corporation, pot belly, gut, withers, back, shoulder, lip, flange, pimple, zit, wen, wheel, papula, pustule, pock, proud flesh, growth, sarcoma, caruncle, corn, wart, pappiloma, furuncle, polypus, fungus, fungosity, exostosis, bleb, blister, blain, boil, airbubble, blob, papule, verruca, papilla, nipple, teat, tit, titty, boob, knocker, pap, breast, dug, mammilla, proboscis, nose, neb, beak, snout, nozzle, schnoz, peg, button, stud, ridge, rib, jutty, trunnion, snag, cupola, dome, arch, balcony, eaves, pilaster, relief, relievo, cameo, bassorilievo, mezzorilevo, altorivievo, low relief, bas relief, high relief, hill, cape, promontory, mull, forehead, foreland, point of land, mole, jetty, hummock, ledge, spur, naze, ness, convex, prominent, protuberant, projecting, bossed, embossed, bossy, nodular, bunchy, clavate, clavated, claviform, hummocky, moutonne, mammiliform, papulous, papilose, hemispheric, bulbous, bowed, arched, bold, bellied, tuberous, tuberculous, tumous, cornute, odontoid, lentiform, lenticular, gibbous, club shaped, hubby, hubbly, knobby, papillose, saddle-shaped, selliform, subclavate, torose, ventricose, verrucose, salient, in relief, raised, repousse, bloated, (expanded).

Approbation

VB approve, approbate, think good, think much of, think well of, think highly of, esteem, value, prize, set great store by, set great store on, do justice to, appreciate, honor, hold in esteem, look up to, admire, like, be in favor of, wish Godspeed, hail, hail with satisfaction, stand up for, stick up for, uphold, hold up, countenance, sanction, clap on the back, pat on the back, keep in countenance, indorse, give credit, recommend, mark with a white mark, mark with a stone, 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, redound to the honor, redound to the praise, redound to the credit of, do credit to, deserve praise, recommend itself, pass muster, be praised, receive honorable mention, be in favor with, be in high favor with, ring with the praises of, win golden opinions, gain credit, find favor with, stand well in the opinion of, laudari a laudato viro.

River

N river, running water, jet, spirt, spurt, squirt, spout, spray, splash, rush, gush, jet d'eau, sluice, water spout, water fall, cascade, force, foss, lin, linn, ghyll, Niagara, cataract, rapids, white water, catadupe, cataclysm, debacle, inundation, deluge, chute, washout, rain, rainfall, serein, shower, scud, downpour, driving rain, drenching rain, cloudburst, hyetology, hyetography, predominance of Aquarius, reign of St. Swithin, mizzle, drizzle, stillicidum, plash, dropping, falling weather, northeaster, hurricane, typhoon, stream, course, flux, flow, profluence, effluence, defluxion, flowing, current, tide, race, coulee, spring, artesian well, fount, fountain, rill, rivulet, gill, gullet, rillet, streamlet, brooklet, branch, runnel, sike, burn, beck, creek, brook, bayou, stream, river, reach, tributary, geyser, spout, waterspout, body of water, torrent, rapids, flush, flood, swash, spring tide, high tide, full tide, bore, tidal bore, eagre, hygre, fresh, freshet, indraught, reflux, undercurrent, eddy, vortex, gurge, whirlpool, Maelstrom, regurgitation, overflow, confluence, corrivation, wave, billow, surge, swell, ripple, anerythmon gelasma, beach comber, riffle, rollers, ground swell, surf, breakers, white horses, whitecaps, rough sea, heavy sea, high seas, cross sea, long sea, short sea, chopping sea, hydrodynamics, hydraulics, hydraulicostatics, rain gauge, flowmeter, pegology, irrigation, pump, watering pot, watering cart, hydrant, syringe, garden hose, lawn spray, bhisti, mussuk, fluent, diffluent, profluent, affluent, tidal, flowing, meandering, meandry, meandrous, fluvial, fluviatile, streamy, showery, rainy, pluvial, stillicidous, stillatitious, for men may come and men may go but I go on foreve, that old man river, he just keeps rolling along.

Loudness

N loudness, power, loud noise, din, blare, clang, clangor, clatter, noise, bombilation, roar, uproar, racket, hubbub, bobbery, fracas, charivari, trumpet blast, flourish of trumpets, fanfare, tintamarre, peal, swell, blast, larum, boom, bang (explosion), resonance, vociferation, hullabaloo, lungs, Stentor, artillery, cannon, thunder, loud, sonorous, high-sounding, big-sounding, deep, full, powerful, noisy, blatant, clangorous, multisonous, thundering, deafening, trumpet-tongued, ear-splitting, ear-rending, ear-deafening, piercing, obstreperous, rackety, uproarious, enough to wake the dead, enough to wake seven sleepers, shrill &c 410 clamorous stentorian, stentorophonic, loudly, aloud, at the top of one's voice, at the top of one's lungs, lustily, in full cry, the air rings with, the deep dread-bolted thunder.

VB be loud, peal, swell, clang, boom, thunder, blare, fulminate, roar, resound, speak up, shout, bellow, rend the air, rend the skies, fill the air, din in the ear, ring in the ear, thunder in the ear, pierce the ears, split the ears, rend the ears, split the head, deafen, stun, faire le diable a quatre, make one's windows shake, rattle the windows, awaken the echoes, startle the echoes, wake the dead.