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Billowing - Meaning, Definition & English Examples

Billowing describes something swelling, puffing, or flowing outward in a large, rolling motion, often used for smoke, clouds, or fabric moving gracefully in the wind. It suggests volume and movement.

billowing

/ˈbɪloʊɪŋ/ /ˈbɪləʊɪŋ/

Definition:

Swelling or fluttering outward, like fabric or smoke in the wind.

Synonyms:

Swirling, undulating, surging, puffing

Part of Speech:

Adjective, verb (present participle)

Antonyms:

Flattened, still

Common Collocations:

Billowing clouds, billowing sails, billowing smoke

Derivatives:

Billow (noun/verb), billowed (past tense)

Usage Tips:

Use "billowing" to describe something expanding outward with movement, often fabric or smoke.

Common Phrases:

Billowing in the wind, billowing like a sail, billowing out behind her

Etymology:

From Old Norse "bylgja" (wave), influenced by Middle English "belwen" (to swell).

Examples:

  • 1. The curtains were billowing in the breeze from the open window.
  • 2. Smoke rose in billowing clouds from the campfire.
  • 3. Her dress was billowing as she ran through the field.
  • 4. The ship's sails were billowing against the blue sky.

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