Whelm
/wɛlm/noun
To submerge or engulf completely.
Did you know?The word 'whelm' is linked to a time when it was often associated with drowning and destruction, evoking images of chaotic waters swallowing everything in their path.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*whelmōną
“to cover or overwhelm, often implying danger or threat.”
Old English
OE
hwelfian
“to turn over or to cover, suggesting a sense of overwhelming force.”
Middle English
ME
whelmen
“to turn over, submerge, or engulf, particularly in a watery context.”
Modern English
English
whelm
“to engulf or cover completely, especially by water or emotion.”