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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Whelm \Whelm\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Whelmed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Whelming}.] [OE. whelmen to turn over, akin to OE. whelven,
AS. whelfan, hwylfan, in ?whylfan, ?whelfan, to overwhelm,
cover over; akin to OS. bihwelbian, D. welven to arch, G.
w["o]lben, OHG. welben, Icel. hvelfa to overturn; cf. Gr. ?
bosom, a hollow, a gulf.]
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1. To cover with water or other fluid; to cover by immersion
in something that envelops on all sides; to overwhelm; to
ingulf.
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She is my prize, or ocean whelm them all! --Shak.
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The whelming billow and the faithless oar. --Gay.
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2. Fig.: To cover completely, as if with water; to immerse;
to overcome; as, to whelm one in sorrows. "The whelming
weight of crime." --J. H. Newman.
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3. To throw (something) over a thing so as to cover it.
[Obs.] --Mortimer.
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