Pronunciation: [wˈɛld ˈʌp] (IPA) 
The phrase "welled up" means to fill up or overflow with a liquid, often tears. The spelling of "welled up" is a combination of the verb "well" and the preposition "up". The phonetic transcription of "welled up" is /wɛld ʌp/. The first part of the word, "welled", is pronounced as /wɛld/, with a short e sound and a voiced L sound. The second part, "up", is pronounced as /ʌp/, with a short U sound and a voiceless P sound.
The phrase "welled up" is commonly used to describe a powerful and intense emotional response that brings tears to one's eyes. It refers to the sudden outpouring of emotions, often making the eyes fill with tears, due to sadness, joy, empathy, or any other deeply moving experience. This phrase is derived from the image of emotions rising intensely within a person, similar to a wellspring, and overflowing like water from a well.
When one's emotions well up, it implies a rapid and spontaneous reaction, often catching the individual off guard. This can happen when encountering a heartwarming gesture, witnessing a touching scene, or experiencing a profound realization. It reflects an emotional intensity that surpasses what words can adequately express, compelling tears to form in response to the overwhelming feelings at hand.
The phrase "welled up" often demonstrates the authentic and involuntary nature of the emotional response. It reinforces the idea that such intense emotions cannot be easily contained or concealed but naturally manifest physically through tears. It also emphasizes the nonverbal nature of this emotional release, since tears play a significant role in expressing and processing these feelings.
"Welled up" serves as a vivid description of the uncontrollable surging of emotions in a person, conveying the depth and strength of their reaction to a particular stimulus.
The term "welled up" is a phrasal verb that consists of the verb "well" and the adverb "up". "Well" in this context means to rise or surge, usually with a liquid substance, while "up" is used to indicate the upward direction. The phrasal verb "welled up" originated from the Middle English word "wellen", which meant "to surge or boil". This Middle English term derives from the Old English word "weallan", which had a similar meaning. Over time, "well" evolved to encompass not only the act of boiling or surging, but also the act of rising or overflowing with emotions. Therefore, when used figuratively, "welled up" refers to emotions rising or surging within a person, often to the point of becoming noticeable or overwhelming.
