WHELM

whelm. Whelm, v.t. to cover, bury, destroy, turn down

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Whelm (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Whelmed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Whelming.] [[OE. whelmen to turn over, akin to OE. whelven, AS. whelfan, hwylfan, in �whylfan, �whelfan, to overwhelm, cover over; akin to OS. bihwelbian, D. welven to arch, G. wölben, OHG. welben, Icel. hvelfa to overturn; cf. Gr. � bosom, a hollow, a gulf.]] 1. 1. To cover with water or other fluid; to cover by immersion in something that envelops on all sides; to overwhelm; to ingulf.
She is my prize, or ocean whelm them all! Shak. The whelming billow and the faithless oar. Gay. 2. 2. Fig.: To cover completely, as if with water; to immerse; to overcome; as, to whelm one in sorrows. “The whelming weight of crime.” J. H. Newman.
3. 3. To throw (something) over a thing so as to cover it. Mortimer.