0 past simple and past participle of smoulder
2 If a problem or unpleasant situation smoulders, it continues to exist and may become worse at any time:
The dispute is still smouldering, five years after the negotiations began.
3 If a strong emotion smoulders, it exists, but is prevented from being expressed:
4 A person who smoulders has strong sexual or romantic feelings but does not express them:
Slightly plump and rather short in stature with a face framed by unkempt raven hair and eyes encircled by deep, dark shadows, she smouldered with seething earthiness and volcanic temperament.
For some months, this opposition smouldered.
It burned for two weeks and smouldered for 6 months.
Elsewhere, however, the rebellion, which had been put down by rapidity of action rather than sheer weight of numbers, still smouldered.
The fire smouldered and eventually burned through the wall to the school next door.
When not in use, the fire in the samovar pipe faintly smouldered.
It smouldered and caused the fire.
It has just smouldered on for 12 months and it has now reached an area of 200 square miles from that initial outbreak.
