Dictionary Thesaurus Word Dynamo Quotes Reference Translator Spanish

Well

[wel]

Example Sentences Origin

Wells Fargo® Banking www.wellsfargo.com We can help you make small changes to increase savings. Learn more.

Well Definition Dictionary.com Find Definitions For Any Word.Get Your Free Dictionary.com Toolbar.

Ads

adverb

in a good or satisfactory manner: Business is going well.

thoroughly, carefully, or soundly: to shake well before using; listen well.

in a moral or proper manner: to behave well.

commendably, meritoriously, or excellently: a difficult task well done.

with propriety, justice, or reason: I could not well refuse.

EXPAND

adequately or sufficiently: Think well before you act.

to a considerable extent or degree: a sum well over the amount agreed upon.

with great or intimate knowledge: to know a person well.

certainly; without doubt: I anger easily, as you well know.

10.

with good nature; without rancor: He took the joke well.

COLLAPSE

adjective

11.

in good health; sound in body and mind: Are you well? He is not a well man.

12.

satisfactory, pleasing, or good: All is well with us.

13.

proper, fitting, or gratifying: It is well that you didn't go.

14.

in a satisfactory position; well-off: I am very well as I am.

:10

:09

:08

:07

:06

:05

:04

:03

:02

:01

Well is always a great word to know.

So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:

a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question.

a fool or simpleton; ninny.

LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...

interjection

15.

(used to express surprise, reproof, etc.): Well! There's no need to shout.

16.

(used to introduce a sentence, resume a conversation, etc.): Well, who would have thought he could do it?

noun

17.

well-being; good fortune; success: to wish well to someone.

Idioms

18.

as well,

in addition; also; too: She insisted on directing the play and on producing it as well.

equally: The town grew as well because of its location as because of its superb climate.

19.

as well as, as much or as truly as; equally as: Joan is witty as well as intelligent.

20.

leave well enough alone, avoid changing something that is satisfactory.

Origin:
before 900; Middle English, Old English wel(l) (adj. and adv.); cognate with Dutch wel, German wohl, Old Norse vel, Gothic waila

Synonyms
3. properly, correctly. 4. skillfully, adeptly, accurately, efficiently. 5. suitably. 6. fully, amply. 7. rather, quite. 11. healthy, hale, hearty. 12. fine. 13. suitable, befitting, appropriate. 14. fortunate, happy.

Antonyms
3. poorly, badly. 11. ill, sick.

Usage note
See good.

Example Sentences

Eating well is important, and these are good tips.

It is only in the last four hundred years that the well-rigged, ocean-going, sailing ship has developed.

As for the piano-violin, it fell into a probably well-deserved obscurity.

EXPAND

Dictionary.com Unabridged

noun

a hole drilled or bored into the earth to obtain water, petroleum, natural gas, brine, or sulfur.

a spring or natural source of water.

an apparent reservoir or a source of human feelings, emotions, energy, etc.: He was a well of gentleness and courtesy.

a container, receptacle, or reservoir for a liquid: the well of ink in a fountain pen.

any sunken or deep, enclosed space, as a shaft for air or light, stairs, or an elevator, extending vertically through the floors of a building.

EXPAND

Nautical.

a part of a weather deck between two superstructures, extending from one side of a vessel to the other.

a compartment or enclosure around a ship's pumps to make them easily accessible and protect them from being damaged by the cargo.

a hollow compartment, recessed area, or depression for holding a specific item or items, as fish in the bottom of a boat or the retracted wheels of an airplane in flight.

any shaft dug or bored into the earth, as for storage space or a mine.

COLLAPSE

verb (used without object)

to rise, spring, or gush, as water, from the earth or some other source (often followed by up, out, or forth): Tears welled up in my eyes.

verb (used with object)

10.

to send welling up or forth: a fountain welling its pure water.

adjective

11.

like, of, resembling, from, or used in connection with a well.

Origin:
before 900; (noun) Middle English well(e), Old English wylle, wella, welle; cognate with German Welle wave; (v.) Middle English wellen, Old English wellan (cognate with Dutch wellen, Old Norse vella); both noun and v. ultimately akin to weallan to boil

Synonyms
3. store, fund, mine, fount.

contraction of we will.

Usage note
See contraction.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source

Link To Well

Collins

World English Dictionary

well¹ (wɛl)

—*adv* (preceded by could, might, or may) (preceded by may or might) , better, best
1.	(often used in combination) in a satisfactory manner: the party went very well
2.	(often used in combination) in a good, skilful, or pleasing manner: she plays the violin well
3.	in a correct or careful manner: listen well to my words
4.	in a comfortable or prosperous manner: to live well
5.	(usually used with auxiliaries) suitably; fittingly: you can't very well say that
6.	intimately: I knew him well
7.	in a kind or favourable manner: she speaks well of you
8.	to a great or considerable extent; fully: to be well informed
9.	by a considerable margin: let me know well in advance
10.	indeed: you may well have to do it yourself
11.	informal (intensifier): well safe
12.	all very well used ironically to express discontent, dissent, etc
13.	as well
	a. in addition; too
	b. with equal effect: you might as well come
	c. just as well preferable or advisable: it would be just as well if you paid me now
14.	as well as in addition to
15.	just leave well alone, just leave well enough alone to refrain from interfering with something that is satisfactory
16.	well and good used to indicate calm acceptance, as of a decision: if you accept my offer, well and good
17.	well up in well acquainted with (a particular subject); knowledgeable about

—*adj*
18.	(when prenominal, usually used with a negative) in good health: I'm very well, thank you; he's not a well man
19.	satisfactory, agreeable, or pleasing
20.	prudent; advisable: it would be well to make no comment
21.	prosperous or comfortable
22.	fortunate or happy: it is well that you agreed to go

—*interj*
23.	a. an expression of surprise, indignation, or reproof
	b. an expression of anticipation in waiting for an answer or remark

—*sentence connector*
24.	an expression used to preface a remark, gain time, etc: well, I don't think I will come

[Old English wel; related to Old High German wala, wola (German wohl), Old Norse val, Gothic waila]

well² (wɛl)

—n
1.	a hole or shaft that is excavated, drilled, bored, or cut into the earth so as to tap a supply of water, oil, gas, etc
2.	a natural pool where ground water comes to the surface
3.	a. a cavity, space, or vessel used to contain a liquid
	b. (in combination): an inkwell
4.	an open shaft through the floors of a building, such as one used for a staircase
5.	a deep enclosed space in a building or between buildings that is open to the sky to permit light and air to enter
6.	a. a bulkheaded compartment built around a ship's pumps for protection and ease of access
	b. another word for cockpit
7.	a perforated tank in the hold of a fishing boat for keeping caught fish alive
8.	(in England) the open space in the centre of a law court
9.	a source, esp one that provides a continuous supply: he is a well of knowledge

—vb
10.	to flow or cause to flow upwards or outwards: tears welled from her eyes

[Old English wella; related to Old High German wella (German Welle wave), Old Norse vella boiling heat]

we'll (wiːl)

—*contraction of*
	we will or we shall

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source

Etymonline

Word Origin & History

well

"in a satisfactory manner," O.E. wel, common Gmc. (cf. O.S. wela, O.N. vel, O.Fris. wel, Du. wel, O.H.G. wela, Ger. wohl, Goth. waila "well"), from PIE *wel-, *wol- (cf. Skt. prati varam "at will," O.C.S. vole "well," Welsh gwell "better," L. velle "to wish, will," O.E. willan "to wish;" see

EXPAND

will (v.)). Also used as an interjection and an expression of surprise in O.E. Well-to-do "prosperous" is recorded from 1825.

well

"to spring, rise, gush," O.E. wiellan (Anglian wællan), causative of weallan "to boil, bubble up" (class VII strong verb; past tense weoll, pp. weallen), from P.Gmc. *wal-, *wel- "roll" (cf. O.S. wallan, O.N. vella, O.Fris. walla, O.H.G. wallan, Ger. wallen, Goth. wulan "to bubble, boil"), from

PIE base *wel- "to turn, roll" (see vulva), on notion of "roiling or bubbling water."

well

"hole dug for water, spring of water," O.E. wielle (W.Saxon), welle (Anglian), from wiellan (see well (v.)).

COLLAPSE

American Heritage

Science Dictionary

well (wěl) Pronunciation Key
A deep hole or shaft sunk into the Earth to tap a liquid or gaseous substance such as water, oil, gas, or brine. If the substance is not under sufficient pressure to flow freely from the well, it must be pumped or raised mechanically to the surface. Water or pressurized gas is sometimes pumped into a nonproducing oil well to push petroleum resources out of underground reservoirs. See also artesian well.

Easton

Bible Dictionary

Well definition

(Heb. beer), to be distinguished from a fountain (Heb. 'ain). A "beer" was a deep shaft, bored far under the rocky surface by the art of man, which contained water which percolated through the strata in its sides. Such wells were those of Jacob and Beersheba, etc. (see Gen. 21:19, 25, 30, 31; 24:11; 26:15, 18-25, 32, etc.). In the Pentateuch this word beer, so rendered, occurs twenty-five times.

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
Cite This Source

American Heritage

Idioms & Phrases

well

In addition to the idioms beginning with well, also see alive and kicking (well); all's well that ends well; all very well; as well; as well as; augur well for; damn well; do well; full well; get well; hanged for a sheep, might as well be; leave well enough alone; only too (well); sit well with; think a lot (well) of; to a fare-thee-well; very well; wear well.