Word of the Week: whelm (WELM)
Definition
(Verb)
| 1. to turn (something, such as a dish or vessel) upside down usually to cover something : to cover or engulf completely with usually disastrous effect |
| 2. to pass or go over something so as to bury or submerge it
In Context “By the time San Jose annexed the town to expand its sewage-treatment plant in 1968, nature had already begun to reclaim the bayside. The town of 2,500 splintered, rusted and sank as groundwater was over-pumped, sea water rose on all sides and storm surges whelmed the backed-up drains.” Jennifer Wadsworth, The San Jose (California) Inside, 8 Dec. 2016 |