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# engulf

verb (engulf, engulfs, engulfed, engulfing)

«engulf» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To engulf something is to cover or surround it completely, like a wave, flames or fog swallowing it up. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/engulf/#m1)
2. If a feeling engulfs you, it suddenly fills you completely: «Panic engulfed him». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/engulf/#m2)

### In the lessons

In geography and science it describes floods, lava, sandstorms or fire covering an area; in biology, a white blood cell can engulf a germ to destroy it. In stories it creates a dramatic picture of something being swallowed or overwhelmed. Phrases: «engulfed in flames», «engulfed by the sea», «engulfed by fear».

### Examples

- Flames engulfed the old barn. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/engulf/#x1)
- A huge wave engulfed the sandcastle. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/engulf/#x2)
- Thick fog engulfed the town overnight. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/engulf/#x3)
- Lava from the volcano engulfed the village. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/engulf/#x4)
- A wave of sadness engulfed her when her dog died. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/engulf/#x5)
- White blood cells engulf germs and destroy them. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/engulf/#x6)
- The crowd engulfed the singer as she left the stage. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/engulf/#x7)

### Note

Regular verb: engulfed, engulfing. Often passive: «engulfed in/by». Stronger than «cover»: it means completely surrounded or swallowed.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «engulf» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/engulf/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«engulf» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/engulf.html) on Mova free.