INTUMESCE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does intumesce mean? 

• INTUMESCE (verb)
  The verb INTUMESCE has 2 senses:

1. move upwards in bubbles, as from the effect of heating; also used metaphorically

2. expand abnormally

  Familiarity information: INTUMESCE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INTUMESCE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they intumesce    ... he / she / it intumesces   
Past simple: intumesced   
Past participle: intumesced   
-ing form: intumescing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Move upwards in bubbles, as from the effect of heating; also used metaphorically

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

bubble up; intumesce

Context example:

Marx's ideas have bubbled up in many places in Latin America

Hypernyms (to "intumesce" is one way to...):

come up; rise; rise up; surface (come to the surface)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Expand abnormally

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

intumesce; swell; swell up; tumefy; tumesce

Context example:

The bellies of the starving children are swelling

Hypernyms (to "intumesce" is one way to...):

expand (become larger in size or volume or quantity)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "intumesce"):

distend (swell from or as if from internal pressure)

belly; belly out (swell out or bulge out)

blow up; puff; puff out; puff up (to swell or cause to enlarge)

bloat (become bloated or swollen or puff up)

blister; vesicate (get blistered)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

intumescence; intumescency (swelling up with blood or other fluids (as with congestion))