dwell

[dwel]

verb (used without object)

dwelt, dwelled, dwelling. 

1. to live or stay as a permanent resident; reside.

2. to live or continue in a given condition or state.

   to dwell in happiness.

3. 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.

4. (of a moving tool or machine part) to be motionless for a certain interval during operation.

noun

1. Machinery.

   1. a flat or cylindrical area on a cam for maintaining a follower in a certain position during part of a cycle.

   2. a period in a cycle in the operation of a machine or engine during which a given part remains motionless.

dwell

/ dwɛl /

verb

1. formal,  to live as a permanent resident

2. to live (in a specified state)

   to dwell in poverty

noun

1. a regular pause in the operation of a machine

2. 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)

Word History and Origins

Origin of dwell¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of dwell¹

Old English dwellan to seduce, get lost; related to Old Saxon bidwellian to prevent, Old Norse dvelja, Old High German twellen to prevent

Example Sentences

Speaking of not making sense: I don’t really want to dwell on this one, do you?

From Salon

For him it was just something that happened when he was younger, nothing to dwell on.

From BBC

“People dwell on the dangers, and yes, they’re there,” Brown said, adding that there are risks in a normal, daily car commute.

From Los Angeles Times

That resonated with Maiava, who had a tendency to dwell on mistakes.

From Los Angeles Times

"We were pretty calm, we knew what we had to do. We couldn't dwell too much on the French game and we trained really well. It paid off."

From BBC

Related Words

• bide 
• exist 
• hole up 
• inhabit 
• reside 
• squat