dwell / dwel/ • v. (past and past part. dwelled or dwelt / dwelt/ ) [intr.] 1. formal live in or at a specified place: groups of gypsies still dwell in these caves.2. (dwell on/upon) think, speak, or write at length about (a particular subject, esp. one that is a source of unhappiness, anxiety, or dissatisfaction): I've got better things to do than dwell on the past. ∎  (dwell on/upon) (of one's eyes or attention) linger on (a particular object or place): she let her eyes dwell on them for a moment.• n. technical a slight regular pause in the motion of a machine.DERIVATIVES: dwell·er n. [in comb.] city-dwellers.

dwell †lead astray OE.; †tarry, delay; continue in a place or state XII; have one's abode XIII; spend time on XVI. OE. dwellan, pt. dwealde lead astray, corr. to OS. bidwellian hinder, MDu. dwellen stun, perplex, OHG. twellen delay, harass, ON. dvelja trans. delay, intr. and refl. tarry, stay; f. Gmc. *dwel- *dwal- *dwul-. The sense ‘abide, stay’ was adopted from ON.