pret. dwelled, usually contracted into dwelt.

To abide as a permanent resident, or to inhabit for a time; to live in a place; to have aé é habitation for some time or permanence. God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem. Genesis 9:27. Dwell imports a residence of some continuance. We use abide for the resting of a night or an hour; but we never say, he dwelt in a place a day or a night. Dwell may signify a residence for life or for a much shorter period, but not for a day. In scripture, it denotes a residence of seven days during the feast of tabernacles. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days. Leviticus 23:42. The word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. John 1:74.

To be in any state or condition; to continue. To dwell in doubtful joy.

To continue; to be fixed in attention; to hang upon with fondness. The attentive queen dwelt on his accents. They stand at a distance, dwelling on his looks and language, fixed in amazement.

To continue long; as, to dwell on a subject, in speaking, debate or writing; to dwell on a note in music. Dwell, as a verb transitive, is not used. We who dwell this wild, in Milton, is not a legitimate phrase.