well-constructedadj.

Brit.

/ˌwɛlkənˈstrʌktᵻd/, U.S.

/ˌwɛlkənˈstrəktᵻd/

Origin: Formed within English, by derivation. Etymons: well adv., construct v., -ed suffix¹.

Etymology: < well adv. + construct v. + -ed suffix¹.

1. Properly or skilfully constructed or put together.

ΘΚΠ

the world > existence and causation > creation > [adjective] > created or produced > formed or constructed > well

well-buildedc1330

compact1430

well-composed1485

well built?c1525

well-compacted1548

well-constituted1584

well-constructed1646

thorough-made1649

well-constructed1785

1646 R. Baillie Answer to Declar. 14 in Hist. Vindic. Govt. Church of Scotl. That measure of power, which in a reformed and well constructed Church doth..belong to the civill Magistrate in reference to Religion and causes Ecclesiasticall.

1732 A. de la Mottraye Voyages ii. 118/2 The Great Bridge of Thorn is a bold and well Constructed Piece.

1785 W. Cowper Tirocinium in Task 523 If shrewd, and of a well-constructed brain.

1858 W. Greener Gunnery in 1858 331 There is no possibility of a breech-loader ever shooting equal to a well-constructed muzzle loader.

1893 W. S. Gilbert Utopia (Limited) i. 25 Oh admirable art! Oh neatly-planned intention! Oh happy intervention—Oh well-constructed plot!

1915 A. J. Balfour in M. Gilbert Winston S. Churchill (1972) III. Compan. ii. 1281 Well-constructed trenches.

2003 Oxoniensia 67 216 The wall on Brasenose Lane is of well-constructed ashlar.

†2. Properly interpreted or construed. Cf. construct v. 4. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > meaning > explanation, exposition > interpretation > particular interpretation, construction > [adjective]

interpretable1649

construable1657

well-constructed1657

constructivea1680

constructional1737

1657 G. Hutcheson Expos. John 28 Christs working will be well constructed, and tend to edification when his Word and working are compared together, as the disciples are led to do.

Derivatives

well-conˈstructedness n.

ΘΚΠ

the world > existence and causation > creation > [noun] > construction > poor construction or well-constructedness

malconstruction1809

misconstruction1819

well-builtness1899

well-constructedness1975

1975 Stud. Eng. Lit.: Eng. Number (Tokyo) 138 The defect of Mr. Halliburton's well-constructed volume, it seems to me, lies in its well-constructedness.

2009 W. H. Beale Learning from Lang. v. 88 The success of the discourse will depend..upon its well-constructedness.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2014; most recently modified version published online December 2021).

a. Formed by construction; usually with qualification, as well-constructed.

ΘΚΠ

the world > existence and causation > creation > [adjective] > created or produced > formed or constructed

wroughtOE

confecta1398

combinedc14..

complosec1420

made1428

counterfeit1463

edificatec1470

construct?a1475

featuredc1500

compact1531

fashioned1535

conflate1541

confectedc1550

framed1565

timbered1570

constitute1589

compacted1598

fact1600

coagulate1610

quilted1617

coagulated1633

conflated1652

composititious1657

made-up1677

compactilea1682

constructed1785

put-together1848

compaginate1877