wallow
wallow
UK[ˈwɒləʊ]US[ˈwɑːloʊ]
v
(of a person or large animal) to lie or roll about slowly in deep mud or water
v
(of a boat or aircraft) to roll heavily in a rough sea or air
v
to take intense pleasure in a particular emotion or situation, especially one that is negative or self-indulgent
Etymology
The word 'wallow' originates from the Old English verb 'wealwian', meaning 'to roll'. This, in turn, is believed to be derived from a Proto-Germanic root, likely related to the concept of rolling or turning. The core semantic thread connecting its ancient and modern meanings is the physical motion of rolling, which evolved from a literal description of an animal's action in mud to a metaphorical description of a person indulging in an emotion. The sense of taking pleasure in a state, especially a negative one, developed in the 18th century, extending the idea of being immersed and moving slowly within a substance to being immersed in a feeling.
Analysis
This is a simplex word of Old English origin. The core element 'wallow' functions as a single, indivisible root.
Examples
The pigs happily wallowed in the cool, wet mud.
The damaged ship began to wallow helplessly in the enormous waves.
After the argument, he chose to wallow in self-pity instead of seeking a solution.