billow
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Billow — Bil low, n. [Cf. Icel. bylgja billow, Dan. b[ o]lge, Sw. b[ o]lja; akin to MHG. bulge billow, bag, and to E. bulge. See {Bulge}.] 1. A great wave or surge of the sea or other water, caused usually by violent wind. [1913 Webster] Whom the winds… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
billow — [bil′ō] n. [ON bylgja: see BELLY] 1. a large wave; great swell of water 2. any large swelling mass or surge, as of smoke, sound, etc. vi. to surge, swell, or rise like or in a billow vt. to make billow or surge SYN. WAVE … English World dictionary
billow — [n] surging mass beachcomber, breaker, crest, roller, surge, swell, tide, wave; concepts 437,514 billow [v] surge balloon, belly, bloat, bounce, bulge, ebb and flow, heave, pitch, puff up, ripple, rise and fall, rise up, rock, roll, swell, toss,… … New thesaurus
Billow — Bil low, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Billowed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Billowing}.] To surge; to rise and roll in waves or surges; to undulate. The billowing snow. Prior. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
billow — ► NOUN 1) a large undulating mass of cloud, smoke, or steam. 2) archaic a large sea wave. ► VERB 1) (of fabric) fill with air and swell outwards. 2) (of smoke, cloud, or steam) move or flow outward with an undulating motion. DERIVATIVES billowy … English terms dictionary
billow — {{11}}billow (n.) 1550s, perhaps older in dialectal use, from O.N. bylgja a wave, a billow, from P.Gmc. *bulgjan (Cf. M.H.G. bulge billow, bag ), from PIE *bhelgh to swell (see BELLY (Cf. belly) (n.)). {{12}}billow (v.) 1590s, from BILLOW (Cf.… … Etymology dictionary
billow — I UK [ˈbɪləʊ] / US [ˈbɪloʊ] verb [intransitive] Word forms billow : present tense I/you/we/they billow he/she/it billows present participle billowing past tense billowed past participle billowed 1) to be filled with air and swell out like a sail… … English dictionary
billow — bil|low1 [ˈbıləu US lou] v 1.) [i]also billow out if something made of cloth billows, it moves in the wind ▪ Her long skirt billowed in the breeze. 2.) if a cloud or smoke billows, it rises in a round mass billow out of/up etc ▪ There was smoke… … Dictionary of contemporary English
billow — bil|low1 [ bılou ] verb intransitive 1. ) to be filled with air and swell out like a sail: The sheets billowed on the clothes line. billow out: His cloak billowed out behind him. 2. ) if smoke or steam billows, it rises or moves in clouds: Smoke… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
billow — I. noun Etymology: Old Norse bylgja; akin to Old High German balg bag more at belly Date: 1552 1. wave; especially a great wave or surge of water 2. a rolling mass (as of flame or smoke) that resembles a high wave • billowy adjective II … New Collegiate Dictionary
