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Webster 1913 Edition
Whelm
Whelm
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Whelmed
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Whelming
.] [OE.
whelmen
to turn over, akin to OE. whelven
, AS. whelfan
, hwylfan
, in [GREEK]whylfan
, [GREEK]whelfan
, to overwhelm, cover over; akin to OS. bihwelbian
, D. welven
to arch, G. wölben
, OHG. welben
, Icel. hvelfa
to overturn; cf. Gr. [GREEK] bosom, a hollow, a gulf.] 1.
To cover with water or other fluid; to cover by immersion in something that envelops on all sides; to overwhelm; to ingulf.
She is my prize, or ocean
whelm
them all! Shakespeare
The
whelming
billow and the faithless oar. Gay.
2.
Fig.: To cover completely, as if with water; to immerse; to overcome;
“The whelming weight of crime.” as, to
. whelm
one in sorrowsJ. H. Newman.
3.
To throw (something) over a thing so as to cover it.
[Obs.]
Mortimer.
Webster 1828 Edition
Whelm
WHELM
,Verb.
T.
1.
To cover with water or other fluid; to cover by immersion in something that envelops on all sides; as, to whelm a person or a company in the seas; to whelm a caravan in sand or dust.2.
To cover completely; to immerse deeply; to overburden; as, to whelm one in sorrows.3.
To throw over so as to cover. [Not used.]