Etymology From Middle English wel, wal, wol, wele, from Old English wel (“well, abundantly, very, very easily, very much, fully, quite, nearly”), from Proto-Germanic *wela, *wala (“well”, literally “as wished, as desired”), from Proto-Indo-European *welh₁- (“wish, desire”). Cognates Cognate with Yola vella, waal, wel, well, wull (“well”), Cimbrian boll, bóol (“well”), Dutch wel (“well”), German wohl, wol, woll (“well”), Danish, Icelandic, Norwegian Bokmål, and Norwegian Nynorsk vel (“well”), Faroese væl (“well”), Swedish väl, waͤl (“well”), Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌰 (waila, “well”). Related to will.
In the lightness of my heart I sang catches of songs as my horse gayly bore me along the well-remembered road.1852, Mrs M.A. Thompson, “The Tutor's Daughter”, in Graham's American Monthly Magazine of Literature, Art, and Fashion, page 266:
A chap named Eleazir Kendrick and I had chummed in together the summer afore and built a fish-weir and shanty at Setuckit Point, down Orham way. For a spell we done pretty well. Then there came a reg'lar terror of a sou'wester same as you don't get one summer in a thousand, and blowed the shanty flat and ripped about half of the weir poles out of the sand.1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
Plastics are energy-rich substances, which is why many of them burn so readily. Any organism that could unlock and use that energy would do well in the Anthropocene. Terrestrial bacteria and fungi which can manage this trick are already familiar to experts in the field.2013 July 20, “Welcome to the plastisphere”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:
Cook the potatoes well to ensure they aren't tough.
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We’re well beat now.
I was well looked after by close relations.
Carried somehow, somewhither, for some reason, on these surging floods, were these travelers,[…]. Even such a boat as the Mount Vernon offered a total deck space so cramped as to leave secrecy or privacy well out of the question, even had the motley and democratic assemblage of passengers been disposed to accord either.1910, Emerson Hough, chapter II, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
His overall color was similar to that of a well-boiled lobster.1957 July, Randall Garrett, “The Best Policy”, in Astounding Science Fiction:
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To a significant degree.
That author is well known.
A monument well worth seeing
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Indeed, some readers may feel that I am beating a horse now already well dead. But in fact, that dead horse is still being driven daily through the pages of introductory textbooks.1995 Feb, Luke Timothy Johnson, “The New Testament and the examined life: Thoughts on teaching”, in The Christian Century, volume 112, number 4, page 108:
Energy markets demonstrated in the 1970s and 1980s that they were well capable of adapting to a perceived scarcity.2000, Colin Robinson, “Energy Economists and Economic Liberalism”, in Energy Journal, volume 21, number 2, page 1:
neither of us was paying attention to any damn imaginary scoring judges -- we were both well content, if a little fatigued.2006, Spider Robinson, Callahan's legacy:
That guy rocks! I think he's called Matthew Lillard or sommat but he is well cool in Scream.1999, Drummond Pearson, “What Ash are doing right now...”, in alt.music.ash (Usenet):
Hey Dude / FIFA 2003 is well wicked, I've got FIFA 2002 on PS2, David Beckham on Xbox and Football Manager on Xbox too, out of all pf^([sic]) them FIFA 2003 is easliy^([sic]) the best.2002, jibaili, “FIFA 2003 How is it?”, in microsoft.public.xbox (Usenet):
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Hey, you should've seen it, it was well good.2003, Steve Eddy, Empower, Book 2:
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In a desirable manner; so as one could wish; satisfactorily; favourably; advantageously.
I'm glad Joe got fired last week. I think we're well rid of him.
Whatever now the omen prove, It boded well to you.1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe: A Tragedy. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcomb] for Henry Herringman, […], published 1676, →OCLC, (please specify the page number):
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Know / In measure what the mind may well contain.1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
October 10, 1714, Alexander Pope, letter to Joseph Addison All the world speaks well of you.
My Son Johnny, named ſo after his Uncle, was at the Grammar School, and a towardly Child. My daughter Betty (who is now well married, and has Children) was then at her Needle-Work.1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author, by a Lucky Accident, Finds Means to Leave Blefuscu; and, after Some Difficulties, Returns Safe to his Native Country.”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part I (A Voyage to Lilliput), page 147:
Etymology From Middle English wel, wal, wol, wele, from Old English wel (“well, abundantly, very, very easily, very much, fully, quite, nearly”), from Proto-Germanic *wela, *wala (“well”, literally “as wished, as desired”), from Proto-Indo-European *welh₁- (“wish, desire”). Cognates Cognate with Yola vella, waal, wel, well, wull (“well”), Cimbrian boll, bóol (“well”), Dutch wel (“well”), German wohl, wol, woll (“well”), Danish, Icelandic, Norwegian Bokmål, and Norwegian Nynorsk vel (“well”), Faroese væl (“well”), Swedish väl, waͤl (“well”), Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌰 (waila, “well”). Related to will.
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In good health.
I've been sick, but now I'm well.
I've always been a healthy, fit woman, but right now I really don't feel very well.
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Mr. Peng said that the world-famous scientist, Sven Hedin, was kidnapped by troops under General Ma in south Sinkiang, but was released later, and is believed to be safe and well at Akosu.1934 July 14, “Sinkiang Chief Predicts Early Suppression of Rebels”, in The China Weekly Review, volume 69, number 7, →OCLC, page 257:
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Highly satisfactory
Everything well with you?
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Good, content.
“How are you?” — “I'm well, thank you!”
Paulina. As she liu'd peerelesse, So her dead likenesse I doe well beleeue Excells what euer yet you look'd vpon, Or hand of Man hath done: therefore I keepe it Louely, apart. But here it is: prepare To see the Life as liuely mock'd, as euer Still Sleepe mock'd Death: behold, and say 'tis well.c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii]:
In this respect it would be well for you to depart from the standard format and to indicate why you did what you did.2014, Tom Mitchell, Assoc. Prof., “Psych 308/309 GUIDE FOR WRITING PROJECT REPORT”, in Academic website, archived from the original on 04 Dec 2014:
When executing bone scan protocols, it is well for one to be aware of how key deviations from optimal technique can degrade image quality.2004 September 1, Sleiman Y. Naddaf, MD with B. David Collier, MD, Abdelhamid H. Elgazzar, MD, and Magdy M. Khalil, MSc, “Technical Errors in Planar Bone Scanning”, in Kathy S. Thomas, editor, Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology, volume 32, number 3, Society of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging, archived from the original on 23 Apr 2021, page 149:
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On leaving the operating table it is well to put the patient in a bed previously warmed and supplied with hot cans.1897, National Association of Railway Surgeons, Railway surgeon, page 191:
This wahoo tastes val.1984, Peter A. Smith, Fred M. Barritt, Bermewjan Vurds, Island Press:
Drunk, like, a gallon of orange mindral. Tasted wel.2013 September 5, James Burton, “Burton's Banter: Our rich dialogue — as moreish as a cold burr...”, in The Bermuda Sun, archived from the original on 12 Dec 2022:
Etymology From Middle English wel, wal, wol, wele, from Old English wel (“well, abundantly, very, very easily, very much, fully, quite, nearly”), from Proto-Germanic *wela, *wala (“well”, literally “as wished, as desired”), from Proto-Indo-European *welh₁- (“wish, desire”). Cognates Cognate with Yola vella, waal, wel, well, wull (“well”), Cimbrian boll, bóol (“well”), Dutch wel (“well”), German wohl, wol, woll (“well”), Danish, Icelandic, Norwegian Bokmål, and Norwegian Nynorsk vel (“well”), Faroese væl (“well”), Swedish väl, waͤl (“well”), Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌰 (waila, “well”). Related to will.
“So, what have you been doing?” “Well, we went for a picnic; and then it started raining, so we came home early.”
A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF KINK HISTORY Do we know how kinky practices began? Do we know who the first kinky people were? Well, no.2005, Annabelle du Fouet, “The murky world from whence it all came” (chapter 2), in Weather Balloons Make Rotten Sex Toys, Ellora's Cave, →ISBN, page 32:
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Well, I am sorry. — It’s okay, Anna.2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)
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Used as a hedge.
“The car is broken.” “Well, we could walk to the movies instead.”
“I didn't like the music.” “Well, I thought it was good.”
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I forgot to pack the tent! Well, I guess we’re sleeping under the stars tonight.
“Well,” I says, “I cal’late a body could get used to Tophet if he stayed there long enough.” ¶ She flared up; the least mite of a slam at Doctor Wool was enough to set her going.1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter V, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
If gold pleased the conqueror, well, That gold should be the one thing The conqueror henceforth should lack.1936, Robert Frost, “The Vindictives”, in A Further Range:
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Expressing reluctance to say something.
“Well,” I answered, at first with uncertainty, then with inspiration, “he would do splendidly to lead your cotillon, if you think of having one.” ¶ “So you do not dance, Mr. Crocker?” ¶ I was somewhat set back by her perspicuity.1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
It was a bit... well, too loud.
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An exclamation of sarcastic surprise (often doubled or tripled and in a lowering intonation).
Well, well, well, what do we have here?
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An exclamation of indignance.
Well! There was no need to say that in front of my mother!
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Ireland Used as a greeting, short for "Are you well?"
Well, lads? How's things?
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Used as a question to demand an answer from someone.
Etymology From Middle English welle, from Old English wielle (“well”), from Proto-West Germanic *wallijā, from Proto-Germanic *wallijǭ (“well, swirl, wave”), from Proto-Indo-European *welH- (“to turn; wind; roll”). Cognate with West Frisian wel (“well”), Dutch wel (“well”), German Low German Well (“well”), German Welle (“wave”), Danish væld (“well; spring”), Swedish väl (“well”), Icelandic vella (“boiling; bubbling; eruption”).
A hole sunk into the ground as a source of water, oil, natural gas or other fluids.
The woman said unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John iv:11:
By the end of the tenth century, Edith's humility had inspired a cult of holy wells in Kent, Staffordshire, and Herefordshire.1999, Robert Lacey, Danny Danziger, The Year 1000: What life was like at the turn of The First Millennium, London: Abacus, published 2000, page 170:
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A place where a liquid such as water surfaces naturally; a spring.
Begin, then, sisters of the sacred well.1646 (indicated as 1645), John Milton, Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], →OCLC:
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A small depression, e.g. suitable for holding liquid or other objects.
Make a well in the dough mixture and pour in the milk.
Four fixed windows are fitted on the corridor side of the body and nine louvred air intakes on the opposite side. Rubber water drainage pipes are taken from these, and from the pantograph roof well, down the inside of the body.1960 February 23, “High-Voltage Electric Locomotive for British Railways”, in Railway Magazine, page 125:
Dan Chaucer, well of English undefyled1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 32:
A well of serious thought and pure, / Too deep for earthly light.1827, [John Keble], “St. Philip and St. James”, in The Christian Year: Thoughts in Verse for the Sundays and Holydays throughout the Year, volume II, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] [B]y W. Baxter, for J. Parker; and C[harles] and J[ohn] Rivington, […], →OCLC, page 130:
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News of the deaths of James Baldwin and Richard Bruce Nugent in 1987 seemed to signal the death of an era — an era which produced works of monumental significance for Black lesbians and gay men; works such as Giovanni's Room, Just Above My Head, and "Smoke, Lillies, and Jade." As a fledgling Black gay writer, this was the well from which I drew succor.1989 February 5, Craig G. Harris, “Your Life's All In Your Dreams And Your Dreams Are All In Your Life”, in Gay Community News, volume 16, number 29, page 9:
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Nautical, Transport A vertical, cylindrical trunk in a ship, reaching down to the lowest part of the hull, through which the bilge pumps operate.
Nautical, Transport A compartment in the middle of the hold of a fishing vessel, made tight at the sides, but having holes perforated in the bottom to let in water to keep fish alive while they are transported to market.
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Nautical, Transport A vertical passage in the stern into which an auxiliary screw propeller may be drawn up out of the water.
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Government, Military, Politics, War A hole or excavation in the earth, in mining, from which run branches or galleries.
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Architecture An opening through the floors of a building, as for a staircase or an elevator; a wellhole.
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The open space between the bench and the counsel tables in a courtroom.
Video games The playfield of Tetris and similar video games, into which the blocks fall.
Tetris, the most widely played computer game of all time, is a problem-solving puzzle game. […] The player attempts to lock the falling shape smoothly together with the shapes in the well.2005, James Paul Gee, Why Video Games are Good for Your Soul:
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Biology, Natural sciences In a microtiter plate, each of the small equal circular or square sections which serve as test tubes.
You can reposition the order of documents in the window by clicking and dragging the tabs, or you can drag a tab out of the well and view a document in its own floating window.2011, Ted LoCascio, Using Adobe InDesign CS5, Enhanced Edition, pages 2-12:
You should now have three documents open with their tabs showing in the tab well (this refers to the row of tabs for each open document in the editor), as shown in the following screenshot: […]2016, Jeff Martin, Visual Studio 2015 Cookbook, page 15:
Etymology From Middle English wellen, from a merger of Old English weallan (intransitive) and wiellan (transitive), both meaning “to boil.” Further from Proto-Germanic *wallaną and *wallijaną. Doublet of wall. Cognate with German wallen (“boil, seethe”), Danish vælde (“gush”), Norwegian Nynorsk vella and outside Germanic, with Albanian valë (“hot, boiling”).
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To issue forth, as water from the earth; to flow; to spring.
[Blood] welled from out the wound.1697, Virgil, “The Tenth Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
[Yon spring] wells softly forth.1824, William Cullen Bryant, A Forest Hymn: