Obs. Pa. pple. bollen. [Of doubtful origin; apparently repr. OE. belʓan, pa. pple. bolʓen to swell, be proud or angry = OHG. belgan to swell; the total loss of the guttural presents difficulties, but occurs also in ME. boln-e(n, a. ON. bolgna, Da. bolne to swell. Cf. also BOLLED.]
intr. To swell up (like a boil).
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 282. Auh heorte to-bollen and to-swollen, and ihouen on heih ase hul. A bleddre ibollen ful of winde.
c. 1320. Sir Beves, 2655. His flesch gan ranclen and te belle.
1664. in Pepys, Diary (1876), III. 96. [Charm against a thorn] Jesus … Was pricked both with nail and thorn; It neither wealed, nor belled, rankled, nor boned. Ibid. [Another] And he was pricked with a thorn; And it did neither bell, nor swell.
b. fig. To be puffed up or proud.
1382. Wyclif, 2 Tim. iii. 4. Men schulen be … bollun with proude thouȝtis.
c. 1450. Compl. Lover’s Life, 101. Hyt wolde aswage Bollyn hertes.
