well

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   In a good, skilful, or satisfactory way.

   The children behaved well at the party.

2. 2
   adv

   To a great extent or degree.

   The film was well over budget.

3. 3
   adv

   Thoroughly or closely.

   We knew them well after years of friendship.

4. 4
   verb

   to rise or flow from a source, especially as a liquid or a strong feeling

   Tears began to well in her eyes.

Multiword verbs with well

• well up Phrasal verb A1

  to rise or gather until something begins to fill or overflow, especially tears in the eyes

Appears in

Simplified etymology

The adverb well and the noun well are separate Old English words. The water source comes from Old English wella, "spring of water," a Germanic word derived from a base meaning "boil" or "bubble up"; the adverbial word later contributed to welfare and wealth.

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”).

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary