Dwell \Dwell\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Dwelled}, usually contracted into {Dwelt} (?); p. pr. & vb. n. {Dwelling}.] [OE. dwellen, dwelien, to err, linger, AS. dwellan to deceive, hinder, delay, dwelian to err; akin to Icel. dvelja to delay, tarry, Sw. dv["a]ljas to dwell, Dan. dv[ae]le to linger, and to E. dull. See {Dull}, and cf. {Dwale}.] 1. To delay; to linger. [Obs.]
2. To abide; to remain; to continue.
I 'll rather dwell in my necessity. --Shak.
Thy soul was like a star and dwelt apart. --Wordsworth.
3. To abide as a permanent resident, or for a time; to live in a place; to reside.
The parish in which I was born, dwell, and have possessions. --Peacham.
The poor man dwells in a humble cottage near the hall where the lord of the domain resides. --C. J. Smith.
{To dwell in}, to abide in (a place); hence, to depend on. ``My hopes in heaven to dwell.'' --Shak.
{To dwell on} or {To dwell upon}, to continue long on or in; to remain absorbed with; to stick to; to make much of; as, to dwell upon a subject; a singer dwells on a note.
They stand at a distance, dwelling on his looks and language, fixed in amazement. --Buckminster.
Syn: To inhabit; live; abide; sojourn; reside; continue; stay; rest.
On the first day of class, Runnels tells his charges something they probably already knew but never really dwelled on: that they are slaves to technology.
I think it's an event that needs to be remembered but not dwelled upon," said Ron Thompson, 34, a lifelong Dallas resident making his first visit to Dealey Plaza.
His address also dwelled on Mr. Dukakis's mother and his late father, whom he described as arriving at Ellis Island with $25 in his pocket.
Gorbachev told reporters at a Kremlin signing ceremony that his morning one-on-one meeting with Reagan dwelled on economic questions.
Friday's hearing, held in cooperation with the Senate Finance Committee, dwelled on the health insurance component.