seething

What it means

1. not comparableFilled with unexpressed anger; in a state of being livid.
2. not comparableIn a state of extreme volatility; about to boil over; boiling, bubbling.

   There Grendel was watching his blood flow out into the seething tarn.

   1961, Norma Lorre Goodrich, “Beowulf”, in The Medieval Myths, New York: The New American Library, page 31

   1 more example

   But as the nation’s most populous state stares down a seething climate crisis, one that cranked temperatures into triple digits last fall and set off a series of infernos that exploded, into bone dry air, the rebuilding process is beginning to look different.

   2021 January 15, Debra Kamin, “Hounded by Wildfires, Californians Rethink Their Willingness to Rebuild”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

3. not comparableIn a state of unceasing and furious activity.

   Otis was unfeignedly thankful to lay down his work for a little while and escape from the seething, whining, weakly hive, impotent to help itself, but strong in its power to cripple, thwart, and annoy the sunken-eyed man, who, by official irony, was said to be “in charge” of it.

   1889, Rudyard Kipling, “The Education of Otis Yeere”, in Under the Deodars, Boston: The Greenock Press, published 1899, page 29

   Synonyms: bustling

In a sentence

There Grendel was watching his blood flow out into the seething tarn.

1961, Norma Lorre Goodrich, “Beowulf”, in The Medieval Myths, New York: The New American Library, page 31

Where it comes from

1. Middle Englishsethyng
2. Englishseething

From Middle English sethyng; equivalent to seethe + -ing.