whelm
pronunciation
How to pronounce whelm in British English: UK [welm]
How to pronounce whelm in American English: US [hwɛlm, wɛlm]
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- Verb:
- overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli
Word Origin
- whelm (v.)
- early 14c., probably from a parallel form of Old English -hwielfan (West Saxon), -hwelfan (Mercian), in ahwelfan "cover over;" probably altered by association with Old English helmian "to cover," from Proto-Germanic *hwalbjan, from PIE *kwelp- "to arch" (see gulf (n.)).
Example
- 1. We whelm with tears at this time .
- 2. Don 't over whelm yourself by looking at your entire resume -- yet .