billowyadj.
/ˈbɪləʊi/, U.S. /ˈbɪləwi/ 1. Characterized by billows.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > wave > [adjective] > full of
wawy1412
waving1552
wavous1581
wavy1593
fluctuous1599
billowyc1615
undosous1623
curly1796
c1615 G. Chapman tr. Homer Odysses v. 345 The billowie ocean.
1798 Anti-Jacobin 21 May 220/2 Biscay's billowy Bay.
1865 A. Geikie Scenery & Geol. Scotl. ii. 75 Crests and troughs of a billowy sea.
2. Of, pertaining to, or of the nature of billows.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > wave > types of waves > [adjective] > billow
billowy1791
billow-like1851
1791 G. Huddesford Salmagundi i. 24 And elevate his trembling mast Above the billowy precipice.
1860 J. Tyndall Glaciers of Alps i. §4. 36 The..horizon of the lake presented a billowy tumultuous appearance.
1884 W. C. Smith Kildrostan 87 The bounding sea, And billowy roll of life.
3. transferred. Cf. billow n. 3.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > violent action or operation > [adjective] > erupting violently > of the nature of a violent surge
floodgatea1616
billowy1726
1726 J. Thomson Winter 11 O'er th' unhappy Flocks..The billowy Tempest whelms.
1789 S. T. Coleridge Nose On billowy flames of fire I float.
1847 L. Hunt Men, Women, & Bks. I. viii. 133 The great blue billowy domains of heather.
Compounds
In combinations (adverbial and parasynthetic).
ΚΠ
1855 R. Browning Last Ride Together iii, in Men & Women I. 185 Some western cloud All billowy-bosomed.
1876 A. C. Swinburne Erechtheus (ed. 2) 45 Broad strength of billowy-beating war.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1887; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.c1615