v. i. [ OE. swelten to die, to swoon or faint, AS. sweltan to die; akin to OD. swelten to hunger, to fail, OS. sweltan to die, Icel. svelta to die, to hunger, Sw. svälta to hunger, Dan. sulte, Goth. sviltan to die. Cf. Swelter, Sweltry. ] 1. To die; to perish. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To faint; to swoon. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Night she swelt for passing joy. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To overpower, as with heat; to cause to faint; to swelter. [ Obs. or Prov. Eng. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

obs. imp. of Swell. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Sweltered p. pr. & vb. n. Sweltering. ] [ From Swelt, v. i. ] 1. To be overcome and faint with heat; to be ready to perish with heat. “Sweltered cattle.” Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To welter; to soak. [ Obs. ] Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To oppress with heat. Bentley. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To exude, like sweat. [ R. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Swelter, Swelt, v. i., and cf. Sultry. ] Suffocating with heat; oppressively hot; sultry. [ R. ] Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]