swellen

Low German

Etymology

From Old Saxon swellan, from Proto-Germanic *swellaną. Compare Dutch zwellen, English swell, German schwellen, Northern Sami svälla.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsvɛlən/, [ˈsvɛl̩n]

Verb

swellen

1. (intransitive) to swell up; to bulge

Conjugation

Conjugation of swellen (class 3 strong verb)

infinitive	swellen
indicative	present	preterite
1st person singular	swell	swull
2nd person singular	swells(t)	swulls(t)
3rd person singular	swell(t)	swull
plural	swellt, swellen	swullen
imperative	present	—
singular	swell
plural	swellt
participle	present	past
	swellen	(e)swullen, geswullen
Note: This conjugation is one of many; neither its grammar nor spelling apply to all dialects.

Derived terms

• afswellen
• answellen
• toswellen
• Swellen

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch *swellan, from Proto-Germanic *swellaną.

Verb

swellen

1. to swell

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Descendants

• Dutch: zwellen
• Limburgish: zwèlle

Further reading

• “swellen”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “swellen (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page I

Middle English

Alternative forms

• swelle, swell, swallen, swellyn, swellin

Etymology

From Old English swellan, from Proto-West Germanic *swellan, from Proto-Germanic *swellaną.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈswɛlən/

Verb

swellen

1. To swell; to grow or become bigger or stronger:
   1. To become overweight or chubby.
   2. To display visible signs of pregnancy.
   3. (medicine) To become swollen due to illness or injury.
   4. To become distended or excrescent.
2. To experience intense emotions:
   1. To become prideful or vain.
   2. (rare) To become distressed, worried, or concerned.
3. To rise, to go above its previous position.
4. (euphemistic) To become gassy or windy.
5. (rare, euphemistic) To become aroused.
6. (rare) To enliven; to make more lively.

Conjugation

Conjugation of swellen (strong class 3 or weak in -ed)

infinitive	(to) swellen, swelle
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	swelle	swal, swelled
2nd-person singular	swellest	swolle, swal, swelledest
3rd-person singular	swelleth	swal, swelled
subjunctive singular	swelle	swolle1, swelled1
imperative singular		—
plural2	swellen, swelle	swollen, swolle, swelleden, swellede
imperative plural	swelleth, swelle	—
participles	swellynge, swellende	swollen, swolle, swelled, yswolle

¹Replaced by the indicative in later Middle English.
²Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Related terms

• swelle
• swellynge

Descendants

• English: swell
• Scots: swell, swall

References

• “swellen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-07-09.

West Frisian

Noun

swellen

1. plural of swel