Definition

1. Verb:
   • To live in a place; to reside: "dwell" primarily means to live somewhere as a home or habitat.
   • To think, speak, or write at length about a particular subject, especially one that is a source of worry or unhappiness: "dwell" also means to focus one's attention on something persistently, often in a negative or obsessive way.
   • (Technical) To pause; to remain for a time: In a technical context, "dwell" can refer to a regular, brief pause in a machine's operation.

Usage and Examples

• Verb (to live/reside):

  • These tribes dwell deep in the rainforest.
  • The spirit is said to dwell in that ancient tree.

• Verb (to think/speak at length):

  • It's not healthy to dwell on your regrets.
  • The speaker dwelt on the importance of education for over an hour.

Advanced Usage

• "to dwell in/on/upon": This is the standard construction. Use "in" for physical residence and "on/upon" for mental focus.

  • He dwells in a small cottage. (Physical residence)
  • She dwells upon every minor detail. (Mental focus)

• "to dwell within": A more formal or literary way to say something exists inside a place or person.

  • A great passion dwells within her.

Variants and Related Words

• Dweller (n): A person or animal that lives in a particular place.
  • City dwellers often face traffic problems.
• Dwelling (n): A house, apartment, or other place of residence; a home.
  • They built a simple dwelling in the woods.

Synonyms

• Reside: To live in a particular place.
• Inhabit: To live in or occupy a place.
• Linger (on): To spend a long time on something.
• Brood (over): To think deeply about something that makes one unhappy.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Dwell on/upon: To think, speak, or write about something for a long time.
  • The report dwells upon the causes of the economic crisis.

Related Idioms

• Dwell in the past: To think too much about past events and not focus on the present.
  • You can't move forward if you constantly dwell in the past.
• Dwell on the negative: To focus excessively on bad or unhappy things.
  • Try to be optimistic and not dwell on the negative.

Verb

1. come back to
   • Don't dwell on the past
   • She is always harping on the same old things
2. exist or be situated within
   • Strange notions inhabited her mind
3. inhabit or live in; be an inhabitant of
   • People lived in Africa millions of years ago
   • The people inhabited the islands that are now deserted
   • this kind of fish dwells near the bottom of the ocean
   • deer are populating the woods
4. originate (in)
   • The problems dwell in the social injustices in this country
5. think moodily or anxiously about something