dwell
Americanverb (used without object)
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to live or stay as a permanent resident; reside.
-
to live or continue in a given condition or state.
to dwell in happiness.
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to linger over, emphasize, or ponder in thought, speech, or writing (often followed by on orupon ).
to dwell on a particular point in an argument.
-
(of a moving tool or machine part) to be motionless for a certain interval during operation.
noun
verb
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formal to live as a permanent resident
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to live (in a specified state)
to dwell in poverty
noun
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a regular pause in the operation of a machine
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a flat or constant-radius portion on a linear or rotary cam enabling the cam follower to remain static for a brief time
Other Word Forms
- dweller noun
- outdwell verb (used with object)
- predwell verb (used without object)
Etymology
Origin of dwell
First recorded before 900; Middle English dwellen “to lead astray; stun; abide,” Old English dwellan “to lead or go astray; hinder”; cognate with Old Norse dvelja
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
There are so many implications of the Gorton and Denton by-election that are essential to understand, but it's best first to dwell on the winner: the Greens.
From BBC
The 22-year-old said it was important not to dwell on England's stuttering group stage campaign and move on.
From Barron's
Word from within the camp refuses to dwell too much on muddled selection or lack of depth.
From BBC
This is coming from a respected AI leader who often, and even in this essay, dismisses “doomers” who dwell too much on fears.
"I just need to have a moment to process. I don't want to dwell on it too much," she said.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
