well

A1 Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled weell

US /ˈwɛʊ̯/ UK /ˈwɛl/ See IPA manual

adv Freq #54

Meanings

1

adv
In a good, skilful, or satisfactory way.

The children behaved well at the party.
2

adv
To a great extent or degree.

The film was well over budget.
3

adv
Thoroughly or closely.

We knew them well after years of friendship.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · in a good, skilful, or... good

2 adv · to a great extent or degree. considerably

3 adv · thoroughly or closely. intimately

More look see so

Word family

Forms welledwellingwells

Derived forms ashwellatwellbakewellbothwellbracewellcaldwellcalwellcamberwellcardwellcherwellchigwellcrookwell

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”).

*welH- Proto-Indo-European welle Middle English wielle Old English *wallijā Proto-West Germanic *wallijǭ Proto-Germanic

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Topics

Describing Qualities

# well

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** adv
**IPA (US):** ˈwɛʊ̯
**IPA (UK):** ˈwɛl
**Frequency rank:** 54

## Meanings
1. In a good, skilful, or satisfactory way.
2. To a great extent or degree.
3. Thoroughly or closely.

## Examples
- The children behaved well at the party.
- The film was well over budget.
- We knew them well after years of friendship.

## Synonyms
- look
- see
- so

## Derived Forms
- ashwell
- atwell
- bakewell
- bothwell
- bracewell
- caldwell
- calwell
- camberwell
- cardwell
- cherwell
- chigwell
- crookwell

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *welH-
- Root: welle
- Root: wielle
- Root: *wallijā
- Root: *wallijǭ

## 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”).

## AI Etymology
Well is 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”). In present-day use, it can mean in a good, skilful, or satisfactory way, or to a great extent or degree.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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