well up
English
Etymology 1
Verb
well up (third-person singular simple present wells up, present participle welling up, simple past and past participle welled up) (intransitive)
- To gradually or steadily flow upwards or outwards so as to begin to fill or overflow something.
- Oil was welling up out of the borehole.
- As soon as I heard news of his death, tears started to well up in my eyes.
- (figurative, by extension, chiefly of an emotion) To accumulate within one, to the point of overwhelming one.
- Emotion welled up inside me.
Translations
to flow upwards or outwards
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(of an emotion) to accumulate, to the point of overwhelming
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Etymology 2
Adjective
well up (comparative more well up, superlative most well up)
- (colloquial) Well versed; well acquainted (in or on).
- How well up are you on algebra?