sweal

verb

ˈswēl,

especially before pause or consonant -ēəl

-ed/-ing/-s

intransitive verb

1

chiefly dialectal, of a candle : to melt away : gutter

2

chiefly dialectal : to waste away

transitive verb

chiefly dialectal : burn

Word History

Etymology

Middle English swailen, sweilen, swelen, partly from Old English swelan (vi) to burn; partly from Old English swǣlan (vt) to cause to burn

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!