"swells" in the noun sense
1. swell, crestless wave
the undulating movement of the surface of the open sea
2. swell
a rounded elevation (especially one on an ocean floor)
3. swell
a crescendo followed by a decrescendo
4. dandy, dude, fop, gallant, sheik, beau, swell, fashion plate, clotheshorse
a man who is much concerned with his dress and appearance
"swells" in the verb sense
1. swell
increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity
"The music swelled to a crescendo"
2. swell, puff up
become filled with pride, arrogance, or anger
"The mother was swelling with importance when she spoke of her son"
3. swell, swell up, intumesce, tumefy, tumesce
expand abnormally
"The bellies of the starving children are swelling"
4. well up, swell
come up (as of feelings and thoughts, or other ephemeral things
"Strong emotions welled up"
"Smoke swelled from it"
5. well, swell
come up, as of a liquid
"Tears well in her eyes"
"the currents well up"
6. swell
cause to become swollen
"The water swells the wood"
Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)
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