Ground swell

Ground swell
Swell Swell, n. 1. The act of swelling. [1913 Webster]

2. Gradual increase. Specifically: (a) Increase or augmentation in bulk; protuberance. (b) Increase in height; elevation; rise. [1913 Webster]

Little River affords navigation during a swell to within three miles of the Miami. --Jefferson. [1913 Webster] (c) Increase of force, intensity, or volume of sound. [1913 Webster]

Music arose with its voluptuous swell. --Byron. [1913 Webster] (d) Increase of power in style, or of rhetorical force. [1913 Webster]

The swell and subsidence of his periods. --Landor. [1913 Webster]

3. A gradual ascent, or rounded elevation, of land; as, an extensive plain abounding with little swells. [1913 Webster]

4. 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. [1913 Webster]

The swell Of the long waves that roll in yonder bay. --Tennyson. [1913 Webster]

The gigantic swells and billows of the snow. --Hawthorne. [1913 Webster]

5. (Mus.) A gradual increase and decrease of the volume of sound; the crescendo and diminuendo combined; -- generally indicated by the sign. [1913 Webster]

6. A showy, dashing person; a dandy. [Slang] [1913 Webster]

{Ground swell}. See under {Ground}.

{Organ swell} (Mus.), a certain number of pipes inclosed in a box, the uncovering of which by means of a pedal produces increased sound.

{Swell shark} (Zo["o]l.), a small shark ({Scyllium ventricosum}) of the west coast of North America, which takes in air when caught, and swells up like a swellfish. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Ground swell — ground ground (ground), n. [OE. ground, grund, AS. grund; akin to D. grond, OS., G., Sw., & Dan. grund, Icel. grunnr bottom, Goth. grundus (in composition); perh. orig. meaning, dust, gravel, and if so perh. akin to E. grind.] 1. The surface of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • ground swell — noun 1. an obvious change of public opinion or political sentiment that occurs without leadership or overt expression there was a ground swell of antiwar sentiment • Hypernyms: ↑transition 2. a broad and deep undulation of the ocean • Syn: ↑heavy …   Useful english dictionary

  • ground swell — noun waves generated by winds a long way away, possibly arriving at shore without local winds. 2005: Year round the powerful ground swells generated in the notorious Roaring Forties 1000 kilometres to the south of Cape Leeuwin march north east… …   Wiktionary

  • ground swell — Synonyms and related words: billow, bore, breakers, chop, choppiness, chopping sea, coalition, comb, comber, communist front, dirty water, eagre, front, grass roots movement, gravity wave, heave, heavy sea, heavy swell, lift, lop, movement, peak …   Moby Thesaurus

  • ground swell — noun see groundswell 1 …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • ground·swell — /ˈgraʊndˌswɛl/ noun, pl swells [count] : a fast increase in the amount of public support for something (such as a political cause or candidate) usually + of They hope to create a groundswell of support for her candidacy. a groundswell of… …   Useful english dictionary

  • ground-swell — …   Useful english dictionary

  • ground — (ground), n. [OE. ground, grund, AS. grund; akin to D. grond, OS., G., Sw., & Dan. grund, Icel. grunnr bottom, Goth. grundus (in composition); perh. orig. meaning, dust, gravel, and if so perh. akin to E. grind.] 1. The surface of the earth; the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Ground angling — ground ground (ground), n. [OE. ground, grund, AS. grund; akin to D. grond, OS., G., Sw., & Dan. grund, Icel. grunnr bottom, Goth. grundus (in composition); perh. orig. meaning, dust, gravel, and if so perh. akin to E. grind.] 1. The surface of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Ground annual — ground ground (ground), n. [OE. ground, grund, AS. grund; akin to D. grond, OS., G., Sw., & Dan. grund, Icel. grunnr bottom, Goth. grundus (in composition); perh. orig. meaning, dust, gravel, and if so perh. akin to E. grind.] 1. The surface of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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