Dwell
/dwɛl/
Definitions
2 meaningsTo reside or live in a particular place; to make one's home.
/dwɛl/
To live in a place.
Many families dwell in this neighborhood.
💡 Simply: Think of it like this: Dwelling means you're living somewhere, like your house or apartment. You dwell there! So if you move into a new house, you're now dwelling there.
👶 For kids: To live somewhere, like your house!
More Examples
They have dwelt in the same house for over fifty years.
The ancient spirits dwell in the forest.
How It's Used
"The family dwells in a small cottage by the lake."
"He dwelt in the shadows of the old castle."
To think or speak about something for a long time, especially something negative or upsetting.
/dwɛl/
To focus on a specific thought or topic.
She refused to dwell on the loss of her job.
💡 Simply: Imagine you can't stop thinking about something, like when you mess up on a test. If you can't stop thinking about it, you're dwelling on it. It's when you keep replaying something in your mind.
👶 For kids: To think a lot about something, especially if it's a sad or bad thought.
More Examples
It's not healthy to dwell on past failures.
He dwells on the possibilities of the future.
How It's Used
"He tends to dwell on his past mistakes."
"Don't dwell on negative thoughts."
Idioms & expressions
dwell on something
To spend too much time thinking or talking about something, usually something negative or unpleasant.
"It's not healthy to dwell on the mistakes of the past."
From Old English *dweallan* meaning 'to err, wander, delay', which evolved to signify 'to remain' or 'to live' in a place, reflecting a sense of settling or residing.
Historically, 'dwell' was often used in religious and literary contexts to describe a place of residence or to refer to the presence of a spiritual entity. For example, 'God dwells in the hearts of the faithful'.
Memory tip
Imagine your *well* is the place where you *dwell*.