swollen Meaning, Definition & Usage

1. verb increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity
   swell.
   
   • The music swelled to a crescendo
2. verb become filled with pride, arrogance, or anger
   puff up; swell.
   
   • The mother was swelling with importance when she spoke of her son
3. verb expand abnormally
   swell up; swell; intumesce; tumefy; tumesce.
   
   • The bellies of the starving children are swelling
4. verb come up (as of feelings and thoughts, or other ephemeral things)
   swell; well up.
   
   • Strong emotions welled up
   • Smoke swelled from it
5. verb come up, as of a liquid
   swell; well.
   
   • Tears well in her eyes
   • the currents well up
6. verb cause to become swollen
   swell.
   
   • The water swells the wood
7. adjective satellite characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
   swollen-headed; egotistic; conceited; self-conceited; vain; egotistical.
   
   • a conceited fool
   • an attitude of self-conceited arrogance
   • an egotistical disregard of others
   • so swollen by victory that he was unfit for normal duty
   • growing ever more swollen-headed and arbitrary
   • vain about her clothes

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