Engulf

  • 1Engulf — En*gulf , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Engulfed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Engulfing}.] [Pref. en + gulf: cf. OF. engolfer. Cf. {Ingulf}.] To absorb or swallow up as in a gulf. [1913 Webster] It quite engulfs all human thought. Young. Syn: See {Absorb}. [1913… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2engulf — I verb absorb, annihilate, bury, consume, deluge, destroy, devour, drown, entomb, exterminate, immerse, inundate, liquidate, overcome, overwhelm, submerge, submerse, swallow up II index immerse (plunge into), inundate, overcome ( …

    Law dictionary

  • 3engulf — 1550s, from EN (Cf. en ) (1) make, put in + GULF (Cf. gulf). Related: Engulfed; engulfing …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 4engulf — [v] absorb, overwhelm bury, consume, deluge, drown, encompass, engross, envelop, flood, imbibe, immerse, inundate, overflow, overrun, overwhelm, plunge, submerge, swallow up, swamp, whelm; concepts 169,172,256 …

    New thesaurus

  • 5engulf — ► VERB ▪ (of a natural force) sweep over so as to completely surround or cover. DERIVATIVES engulfment noun …

    English terms dictionary

  • 6engulf — [en gulf′, ingulf′] vt. [ EN 1 + GULF] 1. to swallow up; overwhelm 2. to plunge, as into a gulf …

    English World dictionary

  • 7engulf — Ingulf In*gulf , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Ingulfed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Ingulfing}.] [Cf. {Engulf}.] [Written also {engulf}.] To swallow up or overwhelm in, or as in, a gulf; to cast into a gulf. See {Engulf}. [1913 Webster] A river large . . . Passed… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 8engulf — UK [ɪnˈɡʌlf] / US verb [transitive] Word forms engulf : present tense I/you/we/they engulf he/she/it engulfs present participle engulfing past tense engulfed past participle engulfed 1) to cover or surround something in a way that harms or… …

    English dictionary

  • 9engulf — v. (D; tr.) to engulf in * * * [ɪn gʌlf] (D; tr.) to engulf in …

    Combinatory dictionary

  • 10engulf — transitive verb Date: 1555 1. to flow over and enclose ; overwhelm < the mounting seas threatened to engulf the island > 2. to take in (food) by or as if by flowing over and enclosing • engulfment noun …

    New Collegiate Dictionary