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swell

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verb British English pronunciation: swell /swel/ 
Word Forms
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present tense
I/you/we/theyswell
he/she/itswells
present participleswelling
past tenseswelled
past participleswollen

Related dictionary definitions

  1. 1

    swell

    or

    swell up

    [intransitive] to become larger than normal, usually because of liquid collecting inside

    My ankles tend to swell when I travel by air.

    Moisture causes the timber to swell.

    1. a.
      [transitive] to make something larger than normal
      be swollen with something:

      The river was swollen with rain.

  2. 2
    [intransitive] to increase in amount or number

    Attendance figures have swollen to 37,000 this season.

    1. a.
      [transitive] to make something increase

      Holidaymakers swell the local population in summer.

  3. 3
    [intransitive] literary to become gradually louder

    The shouts swelled to a roar.

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