billow
verb /ˈbɪləʊ/
/ˈbɪləʊ/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they billow | /ˈbɪləʊ/ /ˈbɪləʊ/ |
| he / she / it billows | /ˈbɪləʊz/ /ˈbɪləʊz/ |
| past simple billowed | /ˈbɪləʊd/ /ˈbɪləʊd/ |
| past participle billowed | /ˈbɪləʊd/ /ˈbɪləʊd/ |
| -ing form billowing | /ˈbɪləʊɪŋ/ /ˈbɪləʊɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] (of a sail, skirt, etc.) to fill with air and form a round shape
- The curtains billowed in the breeze.
Extra Examples- Her dress billowed out around her.
- The sail, now unfurled, was billowing in the strong wind.
- [intransitive] if smoke, cloud, etc. billows, it rises and moves in a large mass
- A great cloud of smoke billowed out of the chimney.
- billowing clouds of dust
Word Originmid 16th cent.: from Old Norse bylgja.