archaic or poetic/literary <古, 诗/文>
with obj.
1- engulf, submerge, or bury (someone or something)淹没, 湮灭, 掩埋：
a swimmer whelmed in a raging storm.
被狂风暴雨淹没了的游泳者。
1.1
- no obj. with adverbial of direction flow or heap up abundantly泛滥, 溢出：
the brook whelmed up from its source.
溪水从源头处沽沽涌出。
- an act or instance of flowing or heaping up abundantly; a surge泛滥, 溢出; 汹涌起伏：
the whelm of the tide.
潮水的汹涌。
词源
Middle English: representing an Old English form parallel to hwelfan 'overturn (a vessel)'.