well

Alternative forms

• wall (dialectal)
• weel, weil (Scotland)
• welp (US, informal)

Adverb

well (comparative better, superlative best)

1. (manner) Accurately, competently, satisfactorily.

   He does his job well.

   • 1852, Mrs M.A. Thompson, “The Tutor's Daughter”, in Graham's American Monthly Magazine of Literature, Art, and Fashion, page 266:

     In the lightness of my heart I sang catches of songs as my horse gayly bore me along the well-remembered road.

   • 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:

     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.

   • 2013 July 20, “Welcome to the plastisphere”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:

     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.

   • 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)

     This day is not going well.

     Audio (US):

     (file)

2. (manner) Completely, fully.

   a well done steak

   We’re well beat now.

   • 1910, Emerson Hough, chapter II, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:

     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.

3. (degree) To a significant degree.

   That author is well known.

   A monument well worth seeing

   • 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:

     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.

   • 2000, Colin Robinson, “Energy Economists and Economic Liberalism”, in Energy Journal, volume 21, number 2, page 1:

     Energy markets demonstrated in the 1970s and 1980s that they were well capable of adapting to a perceived scarcity.

   • 2006, Spider Robinson, Callahan's legacy:

     neither of us was paying attention to any damn imaginary scoring judges -- we were both well content, if a little fatigued.

4. (degree, UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, slang) Very (as a general-purpose intensifier).
   • 1999, Drummond Pearson, “What Ash are doing right now...”, in alt.music.ash (Usenet):

     That guy rocks! I think he's called Matthew Lillard or sommat but he is well cool in Scream.

   • 2002, jibaili, “FIFA 2003 How is it?”, in microsoft.public.xbox (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.

   • 2003, Steve Eddy, Empower, Book 2:

     Hey, you should've seen it, it was well good.

5. 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.

   • 1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe: A Tragedy. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcomb] for Henry Herringman, […], published 1676, →OCLC, (please specify the page number):

     Whatever now the omen prove, It boded well to you.

   • 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:

     Know / In measure what the mind may well contain.

   • October 10, 1714, Alexander Pope, letter to Joseph Addison

     All the world speaks well of you.

   • 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:

     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.

Adjective

well (comparative better or weller, superlative best or wellest)

1. In good health.

   I had been sick, but now I'm well.

   • 1934 July 14, “Sinkiang Chief Predicts Early Suppression of Rebels”, in The China Weekly Review‎, volume 69, number 7, →OCLC, page 257:

     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.

2. (hypercorrect) Good, content.

   “How are you?” — “I'm well, thank you!”

   • 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]:

     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.

3. (uncommon) Prudent; good; well-advised.
   • 2014, Tom Mitchell, Assoc. Prof., “Psych 308/309 GUIDE FOR WRITING PROJECT REPORT”, in Academic website‎, archived from the original on 2014-12-04:

     In this respect it would be well for you to depart from the standard format and to indicate why you did what you did.

   • 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 2021-04-23, page 149:

     When executing bone scan protocols, it is well for one to be aware of how key deviations from optimal technique can degrade image quality.

   • 1897, National Association of Railway Surgeons, Railway surgeon, page 191:

     On leaving the operating table it is well to put the patient in a bed previously warmed and supplied with hot cans.

4. (archaic, now chiefly Bermuda) Good to eat; tasty, delicious.
   • 1984, Peter A. Smith, Fred M. Barritt, Bermewjan Vurds, Island Press:

     This wahoo tastes val.

   • 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 2022-12-12:

     Drunk, like, a gallon of orange mindral. Tasted wel.

Interjection

well

1. Used to acknowledge a statement or situation.

   “The car is broken.” “Well, we could walk to the movies instead.”

   “I didn't like the music.” “Well, I thought it was good.”

   I forgot to pack the tent! Well, I guess we’re sleeping under the stars tonight.

   • 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter V, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:

     “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.

   • 1936, Robert Frost, “The Vindictives”, in A Further Range:

     If gold pleased the conqueror, well,
     That gold should be the one thing
     The conqueror henceforth should lack.

2. An exclamation of sarcastic surprise (often doubled or tripled and spoken in a lowering intonation).

   Well, well, well, what do we have here?

3. An exclamation of indignance.

   Well! There was no need to say that in front of my mother!

4. Used in speech to express the overcoming of reluctance to say something.
   • 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:

     “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.

   It was a bit... well... too loud.

5. Used in speech to fill gaps, particularly at the beginning of a response to a question; filled pause.

   “So what have you been doing?” “Well, we went for a picnic, and then it started raining so we came home early.”

   • 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)

     Well, I am sorry. — It’s okay, Anna.

     Audio (US):

     (file)

6. (Ireland) Used as a greeting, short for "Are you well?"

   Well lads. How's things?

7. Used as a question to demand an answer from someone reluctant to answer.

   And what do you think you're doing? ...Well?

Noun

well (plural wells)

1. A hole sunk into the ground as a source of water, oil, natural gas or other fluids.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John iv:11:

     The woman said unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep.

2. A place where a liquid such as water surfaces naturally; a spring.
   • 1646 (indicated as 1645), John Milton, Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], →OCLC:

     Begin, then, sisters of the sacred well.

3. A small depression suitable for holding liquid or other objects.

   Make a well in the dough mixture and pour in the milk.

4. (figurative) A source of supply.
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 32:

     Dan Chaucer, well of English undefyled

   • 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:

     A well of serious thought and pure, / Too deep for earthly light.

5. (nautical) A vertical, cylindrical trunk in a ship, reaching down to the lowest part of the hull, through which the bilge pumps operate.
6. (nautical) The cockpit of a sailboat.
7. (nautical) 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.
8. (nautical) A vertical passage in the stern into which an auxiliary screw propeller may be drawn up out of the water.
9. (military) A hole or excavation in the earth, in mining, from which run branches or galleries.
10. (architecture) An opening through the floors of a building, as for a staircase or an elevator; a wellhole.
11. The open space between the bench and the counsel tables in a courtroom.
12. (metalworking) The lower part of a furnace, into which the metal falls.
13. A well drink.

    They're having a special tonight: $1 wells.

14. (video games) The playfield of Tetris and similar video games, into which the blocks fall.
    • 2005, James Paul Gee, Why Video Games are Good for Your Soul:

      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.

15. (biology) In a microtiter plate, each of the small equal circular or square sections which serve as test tubes.
16. (graphical user interface) The region of an interface that contains tabs.
    • 2011, Ted LoCascio, Using Adobe InDesign CS5, Enhanced Edition, pages 2-12:

      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.

    • 2016, Jeff Martin, Visual Studio 2015 Cookbook, page 15:

      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: […]