To rise or be driven into waves or billows; to heave; as, in tempest, the ocean swells into waves.

To be elated; to rise arrogantly.

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.

An oceanic water wave with a wavelength on the order of 30 m or more and a wave height of approximately 2 m or less that may travel great distances from its source.

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.

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.

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.

To aggravate; to heighten.

To be puffed up or bloated; as, to swell with pride.

To act in a pompous, ostentatious, or arrogant manner; to strut; to look big.

To raise to arrogance; to puff up; to inflate; as, to be swelled with pride or haughtiness.

become filled with pride, arrogance, or anger; "The mother was swelling with importance when she spoke of her son"

To protuberate; to bulge out; as, a cask swells in the middle.

Increase or augmentation in bulk; protuberance.

A thickening or enlarged place in an ore body or vein.

to become distended or puffed up Swelling an abnormal bodily protuberance or localized enlargement

To augment gradually in force or loudness, as the sound of a note.

A gradual ascent, or rounded elevation, of land; as, an extensive plain abounding with little swells.

A gradual expansion in thickness of the plate from the original thickness due to the absorption of solvents.

The exact thickness at the binding edge of a book. to top

To be inflated; to belly; as, the sails swell.

To grow upon the view; to become larger; to expand.

expand abnormally; "The bellies of the starving children are swelling"