engulf
verb /ɪnˈɡʌlf/
/ɪnˈɡʌlf/
(formal)Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they engulf | /ɪnˈɡʌlf/ /ɪnˈɡʌlf/ |
| he / she / it engulfs | /ɪnˈɡʌlfs/ /ɪnˈɡʌlfs/ |
| past simple engulfed | /ɪnˈɡʌlft/ /ɪnˈɡʌlft/ |
| past participle engulfed | /ɪnˈɡʌlft/ /ɪnˈɡʌlft/ |
| -ing form engulfing | /ɪnˈɡʌlfɪŋ/ /ɪnˈɡʌlfɪŋ/ |
- engulf somebody/something to surround or to cover somebody/something completely
- He was engulfed by a crowd of reporters.
- The vehicle was engulfed in flames.
- engulf somebody/something to affect somebody/something very strongly
- Fear engulfed her.
Word Originmid 16th cent. (formerly also as ingulf): from en-, in- ‘in, on’ + gulf.