Dictionary

forswallow en · VERB

Etymology

From Middle English forswolewen, forswoluwen, forswolȝen, forswalȝen, forswelȝen, from Old English forswelgan, forswilgan (“to swallow up, devour, consume, absorb”), from Proto-Germanic *farswelganą, *fraswelganą (“to devour”), from Proto-Germanic *fra- + *swelganą (“to swallow”), equivalent to for- + swallow. Cognate with Dutch verzwelgen (“to engulf, swallow up”), Middle Low German vorswelgen (“to swallow up”), Middle High German verswelgen (“to swallow up”). More at for-, swallow.

Meanings

1. (obsolete, transitive) To swallow up; devour utterly; engulf.

Forms