v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Whelmed p. pr. & vb. n. Whelming. ] [ OE. whelmen to turn over, akin to OE. whelven, AS. whelfan, hwylfan, in &unr_;whylfan, &unr_;whelfan, to overwhelm, cover over; akin to OS. bihwelbian, D. welven to arch, G. wölben, OHG. welben, Icel. hvelfa to overturn; cf. Gr. &unr_; bosom, a hollow, a gulf. ] [ 1913 Webster ]
1. To cover with water or other fluid; to cover by immersion in something that envelops on all sides; to overwhelm; to ingulf. [ 1913 Webster ]
She is my prize, or ocean whelm them all! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
The whelming billow and the faithless oar. Gay. [ 1913 Webster ]
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. [ 1913 Webster ]
3. To throw (something) over a thing so as to cover it. [ Obs. ] Mortimer. [ 1913 Webster ]