The Collaborative International Dictionary
Whelm \Whelm\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Whelmed; p. pr. & vb. n. Whelming.] [OE. whelmen to turn over, akin to OE. whelven, AS. whelfan, hwylfan, in ?whylfan, ?whelfan, to overwhelm, cover over; akin to OS. bihwelbian, D. welven to arch, G. w["o]lben, OHG. welben, Icel. hvelfa to overturn; cf. Gr. ? bosom, a hollow, a gulf.]
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To cover with water or other fluid; to cover by immersion in something that envelops on all sides; to overwhelm; to ingulf.
She is my prize, or ocean whelm them all!
--Shak.The whelming billow and the faithless oar.
--Gay. Fig.: To cover completely, as if with water; to immerse; to overcome; as, to whelm one in sorrows. ``The whelming weight of crime.''
--J. H. Newman.To throw (something) over a thing so as to cover it. [Obs.]
--Mortimer.
Wiktionary
vb. (en-past of: whelm)
Usage examples of "whelmed".
And everywhere on Mithgar, Elves were whelmed unto their knees, all Elves upon Mithgar without exception, stunned by the disembodied deathcry of hundreds and hundreds of their kindred in the moment of their dying, their passing like a ghastly wind blowing chill through the very souls of all Elvenkind.
Yet as they passed through the Dalgor March, unexpected fog rolled o'er them, and Foul Folk rose up out from the clutches of the fen and whelmed into them.
Raulin's little rumor preceded us to that last tavern, and I'd like to be settled in again before whelmed warbands start dropping swords-first into our laps looking for Dwaer.
Thinking themselves safe with the hastily whelmed forces of Brostos massed between them and the brigand army of Bloodblade, the red-cloaked knights of Maerlin were still fetching out their best blades and brightest armor when barges grated against their docks and the warriors of Bloodblade stormed ashore, spitting everything that moved on their spears—and greeting the indignantly charging knights with volleys of heavy crossbow quarrels, whistling storms of death that slew hundreds in the space of a few breaths.
Blackgult had whelmed a few hundred men from the fragments of his own old baronial forces—but if the news that Bloodblade had taken Maerlin was true, that meant the Regent of Aglirta commanded just enough men to guard the stables of Castle Maerlin, and keep safe the horses of the would-be usurper.
He whelmed a paltry force in arms to meet Blood-blade, but we've heard nothing yet of how either fared.
He whelmed the city with fire and might until no shelter was left, and then the blizzard came.
Sean nodded, but he was beginning to feel over whelmed with the enormity of what he was undertaking.