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Definition of billow
1 : wave; especially : a great wave or surge of water the rolling billows of the sea
2 : a rolling mass (as of flame or smoke) that resembles a high wave Billows of smoke poured out of the building. billows of fog
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Examples of billow in a Sentence
Billows of smoke poured out of the burning building.
the rolling billows of the sea
Recent Examples of billow from the Web
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However, there are also more colorful takes, like turquoise and gold, or even riffs on Sienna marble with billows of yellows, purples, reds, and blues.
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At 7:50 p.m., as an audience of 1,500 gazed up at a St. Petersburg drawing room rendered in Technicolor reds and blues, a thundering detonation flashed from orchestra row GG, followed by billows of ashen smoke.
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Most are crowned with billows of frosting: The higher the peaks, the more crowd-pleasing the result.
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All chicken soups are alike at the start: a dead bird in water, boiling flesh, a billow of steam, grains of salt in the cook’s palm.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'billow'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of billow
Old Norse bylgja; akin to Old High German balg bag — more at belly
billow
Definition of billow
intransitive verb
1 : to rise or roll in waves or surges the billowing sea
2 : to bulge or swell out (as through action of the wind) billowing clouds … the flags … billowed out in pride … — G. B. Oxnam
transitive verb
: to cause to billow a field of burning grass billowing thick black clouds of smoke into the sky — Donald Windham
Examples of billow in a Sentence
the curtains in the open windows billowed in the summer wind
Recent Examples of billow from the Web
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Volunteer firefighter Joe Robinson tweeted a photo of the blaze, which shows smoke billowing in the distance.
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Although intimidating looking Kuznetsov is old and suffers from a variety of issues, including a breakdown in the Bay of Biscay and issuing huge pillars of billowing black smoke.
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A scrapyard fire on North Tryon Street has produced billowing black smoke visible from throughout uptown Charlotte on Monday afternoon.
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Baez depicts Laveau as a vision of abundance, defined by the billowing kinks of her hair, which fill the 61/2 -foot-tall gouache and graphite picture to its wavy edges.
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North Kansas City Police Department Three-alarm fire at furniture store Billowing smoke from a three-alarm fire near Crown Center was seen as far away as Olathe and Kansas City International Airport.
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Thick smoke could be seen billowing in the distance.
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Holmes said the scene was chaos as black plumes of smoke billowed from beneath the bridge.
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A 911 caller reported hearing a blast and a fire alarm at the institute about 9 p.m. Firefighters saw light smoke billowing from the building, said San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokeswoman Monica Muñoz.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'billow'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of billow
see 1billow
BILLOW Defined for English Language Learners
billow
playDefinition of billow for English Language Learners
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: a moving cloud or mass of smoke, steam, etc.
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: a large wave
billow
Definition of billow for English Language Learners
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: to move as a large cloud or mass
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: to be pushed outward by air
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: to rise or roll in waves
BILLOW Defined for Kids
Definition of billow for Students
1 : a large wave … the billows rose and fell unbroken. — Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island
2 : a moving cloud or mass (as of smoke or flame)
Definition of billow for Students
billowed
;billowing
1 : to rise or roll in large waves the billowing ocean
2 : to move as a large cloud or mass Smoke billowed from the chimney.
3 : to bulge or swell out Sails billowed in the breeze.
Learn More about billow
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for billow Spanish Central: Translation of billow Nglish: Translation of billow for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of billow for Arabic speakers
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