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单词 well
释义

well1

adverbbetter, best wɛlwɛl

  • 1In a good or satisfactory way.

    the whole team played well
    Example sentencesExamples
    • Here was a woman who had done her best to raise her family well in difficult circumstances.
    • He's got a good all-round game, he volleys well and people don't give him a lot of credit for that.
    • Sparky would make an ideal family pet as he responds well to praise and attention and is friendly towards people.
    • In fact, we hit it off so well that we ended up talking for more than five hours that afternoon.
    • Given he stated it did not translate, I think he translated it quite well.
    • My mash was creamy and tasty, and the leeks complemented the hotpot well.
    • You can tell when the team has played well or badly by the atmosphere in every pub, club, shop, office and factory.
    • Remember that red onions store less well than white, so use them first.
    • Ensure you get plenty of sleep, eat well, and take breaks between exam and study periods.
    • We think we have modernised quite well in this town and in the county.
    • Davies says music is taught well in Orkney and he links that to the fact that almost every child goes to the local high school.
    • Does the ability to play the keyboard or bat well on a cricket team really matter?
    • What the committee saw in fact was a course which stood up remarkably well to the almost unrelenting rain.
    • I do not want the outcome of a big game coming down to how well the ref tosses up the ball.
    • Both teams started well then hit a trouble patch, and both are working on next-to-nothing budgets.
    • The ciabatta, crisp and coated in garlic was an excellent accompaniment and mixed well with the coulee.
    • I'll say upfront that I really don't function well without regular quality sleep.
    • With the Community Hall progressing well, local clubs are planning for the future.
    • I have been sleeping well the last few nights and my mood has been pretty good.
    • Lessons are well planned and build well on what pupils have learnt before.
    Synonyms
    skilfully, with skill, ably, competently, proficiently, adeptly, adroitly, deftly, dexterously, effectively, expertly, with expertise, admirably, excellently, consummately, professionally
    1. 1.1 In a way that is appropriate to the facts or circumstances.
      you did well to come and tell me
      as submodifier, in combination a well-timed exit
      Example sentencesExamples
      • What function is performed by standing rules in judicial review, and how well do the rules serve that function?
      • You hold your own in an argument because you are always well armed with the facts.
      • As the global economy itself starts to grow we are well positioned to take advantage of the upturn.
      • He reckons he'll fit in well, despite the fact that he isn't an especially strong candidate.
      • She turned out to be alright and she integrated herself into the pack quite well.
      • People would do well not to listen to anyone behaving like a contented frog.
      • It draws from existing case law and fits well within good human resources practice.
      • The personnel may change but Simon has been a constant and it's his vision that other venues would do well to follow.
      • For now, however, users would do well to exercise extreme caution in updating their machines.
      • It suited these people too well personally and politically to do anything else.
      • In fact, it works well to lean down on your arm and use your weight to help yourself pivot.
      • The aim of the fund is to be well positioned to take advantage of positive market movements at any time.
      • I think you've had some excellent advice above and you'd do well to follow it.
      • Part-time football hasn't been a hindrance at this club and many others would do well to follow suit.
      • The desert sheep is an interesting breed, well adapted to local conditions.
      • The private investor in north London has a stake in a unique firm and you would do well to follow him in.
      • By my observation a daily routine works well for people who work at home.
      • It is setting an example that Bradford council would do well to follow.
      • The authors who undertake succeeding volumes will do well to follow the lead set by Stanley Hall.
      • In fact he adapted so well that he was to spend the next twenty seven and a half years in the Police Force.
      Synonyms
      satisfactorily, in a satisfactory manner/way, nicely, correctly, rightly, properly, fittingly, suitably, aptly, appropriately
    2. 1.2 So as to have a fortunate outcome.
      his campaign was not going well
      Example sentencesExamples
      • They knew which teams were doing well and which players were on form.
      • Why are firms doing quite well when the economy is doing rather badly?
      • This should be a very tough contest as both teams have performed well during the year.
      • Egg, Morgan Stanley and Tesco Personal Finance also fared well, with four stars each.
      • I've always run really well in practice, and I have been fortunate to qualify well.
      • Once a month they will get the chance to sell shares that are not doing well and buy profitable ones.
      • You can't know how well you will perform under stress until you encounter it.
      • Their last album did extraordinarily well, and now people are looking to them to be the future of music.
      • And the fact that things are going so well on the football front has made settling in a lot easier.
      • We compare quite well with other services in the South West on this issue.
      • If Fernando has done well there is praise, if he had been booked or cost Rangers a goal there is criticism and a tantrum.
      • Britain is doing quite well at reducing emissions, concedes John Whitelegg of the SEI.
      • I think once people start wearing them around and start blogging about them, they'll sell quite well.
      • Although I'm not very good at musical instruments it worked out quite well.
      • The first phase has sold well, and profits from this will be realised in the second half.
      • The gaming done, I began my performance of festive music, which seemed to go down quite well.
      • He thought that if my baby was born now, at 36 weeks, it would fare quite well.
      • Obviously it would have been a disappointment had I not gotten the job, but luckily things worked out well.
      • The truth is that if companies do well and grow their profits over time, their shares will increase in value.
      • Fortunately, it's worked out well and been a financial success, but did we know that going in?
    3. 1.3 In a kind way.
      the animals will remain loyal to humans if treated well
      Example sentencesExamples
      • He has promised that if anything should happen to me, he will try to ensure sure that you are well treated.
      • I'm delighted that he is going to have a lovely semi-retirement with owners who will treat him well.
      • That's where he also learned that a good horse trainer knows you have to treat horses well.
      • He recognized early on that employees will be diligent at their jobs if they are treated well.
      • I was impressed with how well he treats the little guys and thought you might like to know.
      • They treated him well, taking him to a hospital where he was given food and three operations.
      • Here we see people who are treated so well, and so much happiness is brought into their lives.
      • If you want to be treated well, then very sweetly but firmly demand the respect you want.
      • The note further explained he was content because his colleagues had treated him well.
      • Workhouses that existed in Rochdale at that time were small and inmates were treated well.
      • I wanted to give something back to the community that has treated me so well.
      • If we want to keep the crew we have, we have to treat them well and stay competitive, and that's not free.
      • They said that as he was the only son, just like his uncle, he must be treated especially well.
      • He went on to say how well he had been treated in hospital and thanked me as a member of the team who had treated him.
      • We all like people to treat us well, to acknowledge us, to talk to us, to bond with us.
      • That's their job, and if they want to stay employed, they will treat customers well.
      • I think as a general rule as a society we wish to treat animals well, we wish to be humane.
      • I have been treated so well by Mike over the years and I just wanted to return the favour.
      • They will want to be treated properly and well at the nearest hospital.
      • People treat me well because they know who my father is and they know what he can do for them.
      Synonyms
      decently, fairly, civilly, politely, genially, kindly, in a kind/kindly way, generously, hospitably
      respectably, honestly
    4. 1.4 With praise or approval.
      people spoke well of him
      the film was quite well reviewed at the time
      Example sentencesExamples
      • This is a major relief organisation working across India and which is extremely well respected.
      • The real deal is to explain why such stories should be so well received by the people of Taiwan.
      • It was at a television show that Muthoni's mother spoke well of her daughter's abilities after attending a special school where music was well factored.
      • I recount this simple event not to promote the fact that I am well thought of by a few patients.
      • You need to be tough to win this race and many well touted thoroughbreds have been found out by the mile and a half.
      • At no time did the partisans of the opposition speak well of Joseph Smith.
      • Mr Harding is not only of good character, and a number of people have spoken well of him.
      • It is hard to fault him for the conduct that caused the public to think well of him.
      Synonyms
      admiringly, highly, approvingly, favourably, appreciatively, warmly, enthusiastically, glowingly, with admiration, with praise, with approbation
    5. 1.5 With equanimity.
      she took it very well, all things considered
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Christine took the bad news well enough but the rest of the Top 9 contestants were devastated to see their fellow singer sent home.
      • The way to get a promotion is to take criticism well, but most people don't know they don't do it well.
    6. 1.6 Profitably; advantageously.
      she would marry well or not at all
      Example sentencesExamples
      • She had been considered very attractive when she was younger, and had married well at the time.
      • Olga predicated that it would him and myself who would marry well into St Petersburg society.
      • Men controlled the fates of women, whose expected aim in life was to marry well.
      • They were a family line who seemed to have specialised in marrying well.
    7. 1.7 In a condition of prosperity or comfort.
      they lived well and were generous with their money
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Death will still bring us peace, but the challenge is how to live this life well, not waste time preparing for the next.
      • We want to live well, but we want all to live well, and so we have to help each other.
      • We depend on those things, and they set the benchmark for how well we live in this country.
      • The two contenders have said we have to take their hand if we're to live well and live safely.
      • You must honor William's memory by living well until sadly fate decrees it is your time to leave this world.
      • He lives well in Covent Garden and owns a substantial hoard of art himself.
      • Hers was a career that spanned some seven decades and, most of all, a life well lived.
      • But the truth is that he is a fine person who enjoys life and lives it well.
      • Both have suffered with their health in recent years but live happily and remarkably well.
      • But that meant rents were cheap and people like me could live well and do our art.
      • It does not see that a nation being prosperous is about individual citizens living well.
      • He lived well and also lived it up, going to all the dances run by the pipe band.
      • By living well within his means, he's made sure that he's always got money left over at the end of each month.
      • People won't be inspired to learn Mandarin because a lot of them are already living well.
      • No other writer or thinker had said precisely what he says about what it is to live well.
      • The environmental project must succeed if we are to live well on this beautiful world of ours.
      • It somewhat reminds him of New York but it is nowhere near as expensive to live well.
      • We see more of the association between being good and living well in section 17.
      • He lives well in Notting Hill and can often be seen out dining with Stephen Fry or fellow former players.
      • You see, although he earns a good wage, he likes to live well and parties hard.
      Synonyms
      comfortably, in comfort, in (the lap of) luxury, in ease, splendidly, prosperously, without hardship
    8. 1.8archaic Luckily; opportunely.
      hail fellow, well met
      Example sentencesExamples
      • He is a jolly well-met fellow, like clubmen generally are, but perfectly honorable and straightforward.
      • Will it be a case of hail, hail fellow well met from the Broomloan slopes?
      • He was "hail, fellow, well met" with everyone the moment he reached town.

  • 2In a thorough manner.

    add the mustard and lemon juice and mix well
    Example sentencesExamples
    • Gently stir together the first six ingredients with a pinch of salt until well mixed.
    • Tim stirred it well, to mix in all the little left behind bits of fried chicken, garlic and breadcrumbs.
    • Open the can of milk and pour into the whipped cream; mix well and then fold in the egg whites.
    • The pectin didn't blend well into the liquid, so to get rid of any lumps, I used a hand blender.
    • Fold together with a wooden spoon until the fish is well mixed through.
    • When the vegetables have softened, add all the peas and stir them well into the vegetable mix.
    • Purée and pass through a fine sieve, combine with the potato purée, mix well and place in a piping bag.
    • Mix all the ingredients well before adding only enough water to make the mixture moist.
    • Stir in the pasta, season with salt and pepper, and mix it well with the tomatoes and herbs.
    • Dissolve one cup of washing soda in a litre of hot water and add the soap solution, mixing well.
    • Mix well - no dry ingredients should be visible and the mixture should be quite firm.
    • The waste matter would have to be chopped and mixed fairly well in the earth.
    • Most cookbooks get over this difficult stage by saying mix thoroughly and knead well.
    • Combine mandarins, egg mixture, almonds and baking powder in a large bowl and mix well.
    • Warm the rum in a small saucepan and add to the fruit, mix well and let the mixture stand for at least a day but up to three.
    • Add some finely ground sweet almonds and mix well to form a smooth, easy to spread paste.
    • Stir in the rice and break up any clumps so that all the grains get coated individually and everything mixes up well.
    • Mix well and spray thoroughly over both sides of the foliage and onto the offending pest.
    • Wash basmati well to get rid of the extra starch and give it a good stir when you add it to the water.
    • Fold in the mayonnaise and sour cream, season to taste and mix gently but well.
    Synonyms
    thoroughly, completely, efficiently, rigorously, effectively, conscientiously, industriously, carefully
    carefully, closely, attentively, rigorously, in depth, exhaustively, from top to bottom, minutely, in detail, meticulously, scrupulously, assiduously, conscientiously, painstakingly, methodically, completely, comprehensively, fully, to the fullest extent, intensively, extensively
    1. 2.1 To a great extent or degree (often used for emphasis)
      the visit had been planned well in advance
      as submodifier, in combination a well-loved colleague
      a well-deserved reputation
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The annual school tour plans are well underway and parents will be notified in due course.
      • All of these roadworks were planned well before the holding of a referendum was considered and decided upon.
      • Plans to extend the fishery are well advanced and it is hoped to commence work in the next few weeks.
      • The engine temperature shot up to well over 100 degrees and I had no choice but to bring the car into the pits.
      • We rate our job satisfaction well below those in most other western countries rate theirs.
      • The fact that well over a thousand people signed your petition shows it struck a chord with your readers.
      • That plan appeared to be well on course until a flurry of wickets shortly after tea had West Indies wobbling.
      • They worship a great force, an entity, which could probably be well likened to Mother Nature.
      • From that moment on I vowed to plan my costume well in advance and put a little thought into it.
      • The key to planning a holiday for a large party is to book well in advance to ensure you all fly together and stay in the same hotel.
      • ‘You're supposed to travel along it,’ said a small boy with a raspy voice that was well out of proportion with his body size.
      • I thought given the circumstances it was best to keep you well anesthetized during your ordeal.
      • Many of the impacts of human activities are well documented and understood.
      • It was a fabulous gig, and the fans were so revved up by the event that we all must have stayed up well past 11.35 pm.
      • I have not been informed and clearly witnesses have to be told well in advance so they can plan around the dates.
      • The text is well illustrated with plans and many photographs of the exterior of the complex.
      • They had travelled south from York to seek fame and fortune, and seemed well on the way to finding both.
      • He lost his highly-paid job with a Fortune 500 and was unemployed for well over a year.
      • Mr Waters was happy to see that preparations for the arrival of the birds are well in hand.
      • With extension plans well underway, work is expected to be completed by the end of next year.
      Synonyms
      considerably, very much, greatly, to a great/marked extent/degree, a great deal, markedly, decidedly, substantially, easily, comfortably, materially, significantly, signally
      informal seriously
    2. 2.2 Intimately; closely.
      he knew my father very well
      Example sentencesExamples
      • People who are well versed in hip-hop understand the need for diversity in the culture.
      • They also explain the reason for their joy to Van der Post's interpreter, a man I know quite well.
      • works of the seven, he adopts the more personal stance of one well versed in the arts.
      • They know the area well which is an advantage in trying to predict the weather.
      • I was a policeman in Bradford from 1959 to 1961 so got to know the centre of the city quite well.
      • It was a very long casting process and I met Will very early on so we already knew each other quite well by the time it came to filming.
      • We had to go for an interview and induction, but I know Manchester quite well so it will be easy to give directions.
      • My point of order is that the Prime Minister knows full well the process of approvals.
      • I, and many people who knew him well, were saddened when we heard of his violent death.
      • Likewise, don't help yourself to drink unless you know your hosts extremely well.
      • The thing to remember is that I knew all these people well for all my adult life up to that point.
      • It's a hospital I know well as I spent quite a few weeks there over a number of years when I was very young.
      • I left not long after the meal was complete, having said hello to most of the people I knew well.
      • I used to know Charles Clarke quite well 10 years ago, before he entered parliament.
      • We got to know each other quite well, and started seeing each other outside of work.
      • I am fortunate to have a spouse that knows me well, and supports me in every way.
      • I was extremely well versed in the history of intoxication in relation to creativity.
      Synonyms
      harmoniously, agreeably, pleasantly, nicely, happily, politely, amicably, amiably, affably, genially, peaceably
      informal famously
      intimately, thoroughly, fully, deeply, profoundly, personally
    3. 2.3British informal as submodifier Very; extremely.
      he was well out of order
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Last time around poor selection decisions and an even poorer campaign meant they were well out of the running.
      • I asked him a few questions - it became clear that he was well out of his depth.
      • But this is well out of line, according to a spokesman for the premium rate watchdog, ICSTIS.
      • I can accept the thieving but to set fire to it is well out of order.
      • ‘All the furniture is well out of the way, it's just a shell now until it goes down and dries out,’ he said.
      • He strode to his office, not sure where else he could go at the moment, the situation was well out of his hands.
      • This house on the Uxbridge Road was the perfect place for them to compose their music as it isn't overlooked by any other houses and is well out of earshot of the neighbours.
      • I thought it was well dodgy and I hope they get one back against them in Turin.
      • I realised my daughter was well out of the way and my only thought was to get out.
      • Taking holding costs and dividends into account, the Government is well out of pocket.
      • However there was a feeling that we were well out of order in doing so.
      • Fingers crossed, this should have worked, and it should now all look well pretty and grooved out.
      • And railways especially were well out of fashion.
      • And with the sun behind us, we knew we were well out of sight - drifting south, with a pack of dark shapes circling our feet.
      • The hook was well out of shape and the nylon was chewed to nearly half its original diameter.
      • In any event, an appeal against the order of 3 March 2000 is well out of time, the parties have acted in the meantime on the basis that the order was not under challenge, and it would be wrong, now, to extend time.
      • The hotel was well out of the centre in a slightly grotty area, and so there wasn't much to see in the immediate vicinity, but in any case I wanted to work on the act for the night.
      • The £525m Barchester offered for the group was well out of reach for the other bidders.
      • A 15 per cent council tax rise is well out of order, especially if it includes spending £2.7 million on an art museum.
      • ‘The incident involving the car tyres is well out of his professional character and conduct,’ he said.
    4. 2.4with submodifier Used as an intensifier.
      I should jolly well hope so
      Example sentencesExamples
      • His advantage is that they are his own; he created them so he will bloody well use them.
      • This shows us both that we can do better, and that we bloody well should.
      • Drop your Salient right now and bang your head against the nearest wall until it ruddy well hurts!
      • I knew bloody well there must be a telex, and I went to the Armenian foreign ministry.
      • Works bloody well: I can now take a heavy day and feel all right the next morning.
      • If it means to override freedom of expression, then it can bloody well go on the record and say so.
      • You like whatever you bloody well like, darling, and don't you dare apologise for it!
      • He knew he had to tell her… he knew why she hated him so much, and he bloody well deserved it!
      • After the fifth attempt he decided just to get it over with and whatever noises in the background could damn well stay there.
      • Two people who love each other want to get married, then bloody well get married!
      • The ties were a disgrace, mind, but if we have to wear dusky pink to get a result then we bloody well will.
      • To which my response is, Yes, it bloody well would be a good idea to find out what science can tell us about emotion.
      • Which is the only Starbucks I've ever felt inclined to go into, and it was bloody well closed.
      • A classic remark - and for the record, yes it bloody well did hurt and it still does!
      • If you're watching tv at 10 in the morning on a working day you bloody well shouldn't be.
      • At this point, Brash should have told Dallow to bloody well look it up for himself.
      • They knew bloody well that these people were doing harmful things to innocent people.

  • 3with modal Very probably; in all likelihood.

    being short of breath may well be the first sign of asthma
    Example sentencesExamples
    • The declining fortunes of the male soul singer may well be the late Barry White's most lasting legacy.
    • This suggests the plans may well go ahead at a later date, something which we are dead against and always will be.
    • In my opinion that excessive number could well be the main reason for most of the school's problems.
    • He would probably deny this, but it might well be a way of hiding his red-eyed blushes, and sparing ours.
    • By the time you read this, we may well know the outcome of the US presidential race.
    • In that way a far healthier outcome could well be achieved from all points of view in the long run.
    • This may well have been the reason for the girls being chosen to represent their school.
    • Consolidation may well benefit shareholders of the acquired company in the short-term.
    • Had any of these been converted the outcome could well have been a different story.
    • Mind you whatever the outcome it could well be one of the games of the entire year.
    • Indicators of what is possible and what is required may well follow from the results of a strategic assessment.
    • If so, the risk of litigation might well discourage the practice of defensive hacking even if it should be legal.
    • In those circumstances our accountant may well find himself open to offers from criminals.
    • The results may be within the margin of error, but the outcome could well be determined by the margin of litigation.
    • That, at least to some extent, may well be no more than a reflection of my lack of expertise in this field.
    • These may well be the same birds at times congregating on flooded pits at Tottenhill on the fen borders.
    • There may well have been reasons for this omission in the context of the entire trial.
    • The outcome of the match may well be determined by how quiet Ferdinand can keep the effusive Jermain Defoe.
    • While not the finished article, the Scottish bid team believe they are well on the way to giving the same assurance.
    • In doing this the Methodists may well be returning to what was probably the role of religion for centuries.
    • In such cases, luck plays a part and it might well decide the outcome of the match!
    • The outcome of that duel may well settle the series, and on current evidence there is only one winner.
    Synonyms
    quite possibly, conceivably, quite likely, probably
    undoubtedly, certainly, unquestionably
    justifiably, reasonably
    1. 3.1 Without difficulty.
      she could well afford to pay for the reception herself
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Many people who are well able to afford meat prefer lentils, which form an excellent food without any meat.
      • I think he could well win, provided his relationship with Michelle doesn't degenerate.
      • Does it make sense to give each of us a subsidy, when we can perfectly well afford the full price?
      • They could well afford it, given the umpteen millions they rake in from the motoring public.
      • The couple can well afford to pay the fine, but should probably get rid of their lax driver.
      • Siguenza was educated at home, his father being well able to provide the education his son needed.
      Synonyms
      easily, comfortably, readily, with ease, without difficulty, effortlessly
    2. 3.2 With good reason.
      ‘What are we doing here?’ ‘You may well ask.’
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Why, you may well ask, does The Register class vagueness of this order as a clarification?
      • Merchants could well balk at supporting incompatible payment operations.
      • Your Lordship has well in mind the degree to which the arguments found favour and to which they did not.
adjectivebetter, best wɛlwɛl

  • 1predicative In good health; free or recovered from illness.

    I don't feel very well
    it would be some time before Sarah was completely well
    attributive informal I am not a well man
    Example sentencesExamples
    • It was very brave of her to come to York as she is not a well lady.
    • Mason Brown took remedial action, prescribed his own cure and is now completely well.
    • The Melbourne show was a month or so before he was given the diagnosis of his cancer, but it was apparent that he wasn't a well man.
    • It has also correctly labelled as disease free most, but not all, of the well people.
    • Dear Husband, I write these few lines hoping to find you well as it leaves us at present.
    • He is not particularly well at the moment.
    • He's still not well but the slower pace of life is getting rid of his stress.
    • Betty gave him cardboard boxes and cotton wool but always told him that when the bird was well, he would have to let it go.
    • He assumed that his best friend was in a cell very much like this one and hoped that he was well.
    • We extend the best wishes of everyone to Wendy Bryant and hope that she gets well soon.
    • While everyone hopes she will be found safe and well, the likelihood now is that she may not have survived.
    • She is indeed very well, thank you.
    • Get well wishes were sent to Mary Foyle who is recovering after her recent illness.
    • He's not a well man, you know, and his most consistently highly-paid gig has just upped and sacked him.
    • To most people, she looks perfectly well, but in fact she came close to death due to her illness.
    • I'm very well, thank you.
    • It was 30 years too late but he was still alive and well and hoped to provide for his children.
    • I hope Pauric gets well soon and can keep that Old Fair Day going for many more years.
    • Of course, Agassi is alive and well and has we hope a good many decades of health and happiness left.
    • Symptoms are often overlooked, as they are mild and commonly experienced by well people.
    Synonyms
    healthy, in good health, all right, fine, fit, fighting fit, as fit as a fiddle, as fit as a flea, robust, strong, vigorous, blooming, thriving, bursting with health, in rude health, hale, hale and hearty, hearty, in good shape, in excellent shape, in good condition, in tip-top condition, in good trim, in fine fettle, sound, sound in body and limb
    informal in the pink, up to snuff
    1. 1.1 In a satisfactory state or position.
      I do hope all is well with you and your family
      Example sentencesExamples
      • I hope all's well down there in sunny -, and that you can find some time to write back.
      • I wish them all well and hope to see them all at some of the clubs in the future.
      • It's just over a mile in all, and I arrive back wheezing for breath but alive and well.
      • It was great to know that this beautiful bird is alive and well again in the area.
      • Fortunately, they were found safe and well in Wigan town centre the following day.
      • I wish Scott and Caroline and Lorna well and I hope they get away with it for ever.
      • We wish St. Declan's well and hope they will retain this flag for many years to come.
      • We wish him well and let us hope his first game against the Dubs ends in success.
      • Not my business but I do wish you well and I hope you have pleasant experiences in your learnings
      • To this I wish Cllr Clarke well and hope she will help to carry on the Town Council's good name and work.
      • Hope all is well and that my mugshot has not caused too many upturned stomachs out there.
      • If we'd gone home at the end of the meal, all would probably have been well.
      • Pat is wished well and it is hoped his new venture will prove a great success.
      • All would have been well except Emma decided that she had to have something to eat.
      • Shruti's performance received a standing ovation from critics, artists and well wishers.
      • We wish them all well for May and hope they enjoy the next few months of preparation.
      • Friends of the Kildare town man wish him well and hope to see him out and about soon.
      • He too wished him well and expressed a hope that he would enjoy and long and healthy retirement.
      • Hope you're all well, though, and that you have a Happy and Prosperous New year.
      • Coun Francis wished the clerk well and he praised him for putting the council on a firm financial footing.
      Synonyms
      satisfactory, all right, fine, in order, as it should be, acceptable
      informal OK, fine and dandy, hunky-dory
      North American &amp Australian/New Zealand informal jake
      British informal, dated tickety-boo

  • 2predicative Sensible; advisable.

    it would be well to know just what this suggestion entails
    Example sentencesExamples
    • But would it not be well to limit grand juries to the investigation of felons, and leave misdemeanors to inferior courts?
    • Only--if we decide to buy, it would be well to be moved in and settled before winter.
    Synonyms
    advisable, sensible, prudent, politic, commonsensical, wise, canny, judicious, shrewd, expedient, provident, recommended, advantageous, beneficial, profitable, gainful, desirable
    a good idea
exclamationwɛlwɛl

  • 1Used to express a range of emotions including surprise, anger, resignation, or relief.

    Well, really! The manners of some people!
    Example sentencesExamples
    • Ah well Paul, work provides my car when I need one, although buying one wouldn't be a stretch by any means.
    • Does this automatically make me want to call for a ban on smoking - well, believe it or not, it doesn't.
    • Oh well what a cunning plan and who do you think that it is that unintentionally ruins the plan for him?
    • When you cannot have the real thing, well, the best reproduction will have to do.
    • You can tell when people really got it or, well, that's not for me, and you always get a bit of that.
    • The message some of the Record's readers might take from the story is: well, it serves him right.
    • Perhaps she thought by leaving it to the last minute I would have to accept it and, well, I did.
    • If I could look back and say, well, there was always the yacht - that would be something.
    • Too busy partying and making money to settle down and have family, they seem to say, well, you'll be sorry!
    • Ah well, let's hope those of us who suffer from the winter blues will buck up soon.
    • That sounds arrogant but I liked the part, and I thought, well, who's he gonna get?
    • In my memory, he talked about nothing but himself - well, false modesty has never been his style.
    1. 1.1 Used when pausing to consider one's next words, to mark the resumption or end of a conversation, etc.
      well, I suppose I could fit you in at 3.45
      well, cheers, Tom—I must fly
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The driver gets decent seat adjustment, so it is a case of settling back to enjoy, well, a very pleasant ride.
      • Well, duped is too strong a word for it, but mislead seems a bit, well, too innocent.
      • It would have been rude if I had turned round and said something, well, rude.
      • Damian knows his science, and science is important to, well, everything now.
      • They have come here, in the depths of winter, because - well, because they want to.
      • At the time, it was considered a shabby place to live, because, well, we were a shabby family.
      • A company has been formed to do just that but negotiations are, well, slow.
      • If this sounds like it could lead to sappy and sentimental situations, well, it does.
      • The reason I had such bad withdrawal symptoms from bread must be because I was, well, addicted.
      • Whether snapped in Times Square or Tiananmen Square, they always look, well, square.
    2. 1.2 Used to indicate that one is waiting for an answer or explanation from someone.
      Well? You promised to tell me all about it
      Example sentencesExamples
      • For what it's worth, it reads: would you hit a lady - well, would the lady hit me back?
      • If you don't think it is a good idea, well, what other ideas have you got?
      • Have you finished reading Harry Potter yet? Well, have you?
      • "Well, where do they come from then?"

Usage

The adverb well is often used in combination with past participles to form adjectival compounds: well adjusted, well intentioned, well known, and so on. As far as hyphenation is concerned, the general stylistic principle is that if the adjectival compound is placed attributively (i.e. it comes before the noun), it should be hyphenated (a well-intentioned remark) but that if it is placed predicatively (i.e. standing alone after the verb), it should not be hyphenated (her remarks were well intentioned). In this dictionary the unhyphenated form is generally the only one given, although the hyphenated form may be seen in illustrative examples

Phrases

  • as well

    • 1In addition; too.

      the museum provides hours of fun and a few surprises as well
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Some of my boys and some of the girls as well threw me a little surprise party on Saturday.
      • Me and Eric walked into the living and I was surprised to see that my mum was here as well.
      • I have phoned the council on numerous times and other people have made complaints as well.
      • Not only did this come as a surprise to her, but the rest of the school as well.
      • The association meets on Saturdays but the new funding means it could open on Sundays as well.
      • We are at the bottom in West Yorkshire and nationally we are quite low as well.
      • To continue in the competition, the bands to have to impress the judges and the audience as well.
      • These fish are not only amazingly well camouflaged but to me are surprisingly small as well.
      • Add a smoulder of darker shadow to the outer area of the eyelid and sweep a little below the lower lash line as well.
      • The doctors took her into theatre to drain fluid off her lungs, and her kidneys are failing as well.
      Synonyms
      too, also, in addition, additionally, into the bargain, besides, furthermore, moreover, to boot
      together with, in addition to, along with, besides, plus, and, coupled with, with, over and above, on top of, over and beyond, not to mention, to say nothing of, let alone

    • 2With equal reason or an equally good result.

      I may as well have a look
      Example sentencesExamples
      • I got the form to apply for the temporary youth worker job and frankly it might as well be written in Dutch.
      • It's a sad song, sure, but it may as well be Celine Dion for all the personal meaning it has for me.
      • That was only a decade and a bit ago, and yet it may as well have been a lifetime.
      • Lastly, if the site or journal is too obscure, I may as well go post on some random message board.
      • If it gives way on every issue that crops up, it may as well board up the Town Hall and let the vandals take over.
      • It would simply involve creating such an abundance that the price of such goods may as well be zero.
      • If the top golfers are saying they may as well all pack up their bags for the next ten years it's a tragedy and very sad.
      • At home I lie gasping and read the Arabian Nights, but I may as well read the day's news.
      • Wallace's work is heroic, but he may as well be trying to empty the North Sea with a spoon.
      • Which might seem reasonable to some, but from my point of view it may as well be taking place on Mars.
      1. 2.1Sensible, appropriate, or desirable.
        it would be as well to let him go
        Example sentencesExamples
        • All of which seems to say, if you're going to be 100, you may as well enjoy it while you can.
        • The idea was that nothing very much happened in the summer, so you may as well cut your losses and run.
        • It keeps in the freezer very well, so you may as well just buy it now if you plan to use it in any recipes.
        • We may as well take advantage of reduced traffic to tend to other aspects of our lives.
        • So you may as well get used to the idea of assuming some sort of online identity now.
        • Thing is, you see, if you have to drive into town to lunch, you might just as well shop there.
        • There'll be something else to panic about later, I might as well have a little tiny rest.
        • If you're going to have tempura, you might as well have it in a proper Japanese restaurant.
        • They realise that they may as well get a job sooner rather than wait another couple of years.
        • If they are going to bother to print such an amazing fact, they may as well say why it is amazing.

  • as well as

    • And in addition; and also.

      a shop that sold books as well as newspapers
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Technical advances once more brought about new aesthetic possibilities as well as contradictions.
      • The bounty of the Amazon can be accounted for only if we consider time as well as space.
      • Student access to computer stations allows students to apply online to the college as well as apply for financial aid.
      • The teachers interviewed used many of the strategies mentioned by Krashen and Terrell, as well as many they did not mention.
      • The design files can also be shared globally, for open-source hardware as well as software problem-solving.
      • Each school kit contains materials for up to 80 children, as well as teaching supplies.
      • She is well behaved and will sit and give you her paw as well as obey basic commands.
      • A new enterprise in a new land would require much capital as well as credit.
      • The kicks are delivered with great force and at toe, ankle and lower shin heights as well as into the mid leg range.
      • Characteristics of the studied strains indicating the presence of the 17 virulence factors as well as the eae type.

  • as well he (or she etc.) might (or may)

    • Used to convey the speaker's opinion that a reaction is appropriate or unsurprising.

      she sounded rather chipper, as well she might, given her bright prospects
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Q put down his newspaper and looked mighty puzzled as well he might with this highly unusual - and therefore highly suspect - request.
      • The young woman looks doubtful, as well she might.
      • He takes his music very seriously, as well he might.
      • Glint came in, looking tired out, and as well she might, trying to keep up with the three children.
      • In fact, he looks luminously happy throughout - as well he might be, as tonight's crowd are hugely enthusiastic, with frequent standing ovations between songs.
      • He was clutching the two Oscars he'd just won for Braveheart and he looked extremely pleased with himself, as well he might.
      • He looks at her suspiciously while doing so, as well he might.
      • Rembrandt has a quizzical, jesting expression, as well he may, in view of his wondrous hat and slashed leather jerkin, ornate with glass beads.
      • The prime minister looked worn and tense at his press conference yesterday, as well he might.
      • Steve apologised to his family, as well he might.

  • be well away

    • informal Having made considerable or easy progress.

      if we got Terry to do that, we'd be well away
      Example sentencesExamples
      • I was well away after 2 glasses of wine with my meal, don't know what the matter was, I'm no lightweight!
      • Had the Bulldogs beaten the North West Leopards and managed a win instead of a draw against Griquas, the Bulldogs would have been well away - but, that's sport.
      • Flash In The Pan, Buffed, and Recapitalize were well away in a very open field of 13, with favorite Sir Dex trapped wide toward the rear.
      • Mummify and Walk On Air were well away, with Studebaker also on the pace.
      • She adds: ‘By the evening I was well away, it was amazing.’
      • The shoots will be well away as soon as they are under the ground, giving the plant a head start and guaranteeing lots of delicious spuds.

  • be well in with

    • informal Have a good relationship with (someone in a position of influence or authority)

      you're well in with O'Brien aren't you
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Several of his owners have stuck with him; not surprisingly, he is well in with the footballing owners.
      • Absolutely up to him whom he allows on his land, and I'm sure he is well in with the rest of the Cheshire Aristocracy, but, m'Lord, nine acres ain't exactly an ‘estate’ - it is a very nice garden with a home paddock and hopefully a bit of woodland.
      • Then it was cross-town motorcycle delivery, and by the time we got to skydiving delivery I reckoned I was well in with the company.
      • Unfortunately, the other player involved was well in with the manager, his blue-eyed boy, and I was the one who was ostracised.
      • Crito mentions that he is well in with the warder.

  • be well out of

    • informal Be fortunate to be no longer involved in (a situation).

      Example sentencesExamples
      • The kids were well out of it, double sharp, and Mattie… It was the only time I acted without thinking.
      • Given Libeskind's unhappy experiences since, maybe that was one project Viñoly was well out of.

  • (all) well and good

    • Used to express acceptance of a first statement before introducing a contradictory or confirming second statement.

      that's all well and good, but why didn't he phone her to say so?
      Example sentencesExamples
      • I do not expect the person who I have quoted here to come around to my way of thinking, though of course that would be well and good.
      • Style is all well and good for a debut, but second albums require more substance and further expansion.
      • Producing a commercial product is not the principal concern, though if there is a commercial outcome that will be well and good.
      • I accept that cricket must find ways of bringing in the cash to survive and if this ploy succeeds all so well and good, but I have my reservations.
      • All well and good, but I really can't see why people are bending over backwards (or forwards, in our case) for him.
      • Learning from history is well and good, but such talk illustrates the dangers of learning from the wrong history.
      • All very well and good, but that approach hasn't helped those who trust her with their portfolios.
      • All well and good, but this opportunity comes with a huge caveat.
      • If Inzy wins this challenge, it's well and good, otherwise Ganguly can as well be sure that the one-day series is wrapped up.
      • Moral high grounds, for instance, are well and good, and all else being equal of course we'd like to have them.

  • well and truly

    • Completely.

      Leith was well and truly rattled
      Example sentencesExamples
      • As any gambler will tell you, when your luck is out, it's well and truly out.
      • Spring is sprung and the tourist season is well and truly under way in the North York Moors National Park.
      • There's definitely a copy at work, but the one here was well and truly out of date.
      • We're well and truly all mixed up now and it's a case of trying to get to know everyone again.
      • The game was now well and truly over as a contest although Harps never gave up the chase.
      • The clash of the news titans is well and truly on, and the stakes are high for everyone involved.
      • Even now, when the worst is well and truly behind us, it still makes me go cold just to write those words.
      • Sadly, those in a position to help here have, as we all know, dropped the ball well and truly.
      • The big-spending days which followed promotion are well and truly in the past.
      • The days of authors being separated from the marketing machine are well and truly over.

  • well enough

    • To a reasonable degree.

      he liked Isobel well enough, but wouldn't want to make a close friend of her
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Whatever it is you pursue, try to do it just well enough to remain in the middle third of the field.
      • He did well enough at school to get into a good university and he studied hard and graduated with flying colours.
      • I can sing well enough, especially when there's someone around to make the music for me.
      • While everyone performs well enough, it is only in the closing arias that the opera comes alive.
      • He was fit enough and well enough to put up a very good performance, but Barry felt he just ran flat from the home turn.
      • Sure enough they started well enough and at half-time looked likely for the win.
      • He also seems to think I should understand this well enough to provide some kind of commentary.
      • Sorry, this list started off well enough, but just got sort of out of control.
      • Her previous two albums did well enough but failed to really penetrate into the mainstream.
      • Malton began well enough but having gained a three-point lead then let the game slip away.

  • well worth

    • Certainly worth.

      Salzburg is well worth a visit
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The firewall requires a bit of study and time to configure but I think it's well worth the effort.
      • Still on a nautical theme, the Tall Ship at Glasgow Harbour is well worth a look.
      • Club meetings are held on the second Monday of every month and are well worth going to.
      • So when they do speak out, it is worth noting that they have a serious concern well worth listening to.
      • The climb is well worth the view as the Pike looks west to Manchester city centre and east to the Pennines.
      • But if you can handle the pace, the rewards are well worth it.
      • The book is well worth reading and you can make up your own minds.
      • A short train journey to the north, Blair Atholl and Atholl Castle are well worth a visit.
      • The nachos were a big hit at the table and for the price that we paid, the portion was well worth it.
      • The hotel has a number of special offers at various times of the year that are well worth investigating.

Origin

Old English wel(l), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wel and German wohl; probably also to the verb will1. Vowel lengthening in Middle English gave rise to the current Scots form weel.

  • The well meaning ‘in a good way’ and well ‘shaft giving access to water’ are different Old English words. The first provides the first half of welfare (Middle English). The start of welcome (Old English), on the other hand, is from another Old English element, wil- meaning ‘pleasure’—welcome originally meant ‘a person whose arrival is pleasing’. Wealth (Middle English) has a basic sense of ‘well-being’, being formed from well in the same way that health (Old English) is formed from hale (see wassail). The title of Shakespeare's comedy All's Well that Ends Well was already an old saying when he wrote the play at the beginning of the 17th century. The first record of the proverb is as early as 1250. People have been well endowed only since the 1950s, but men could be well-hung in the early 17th century. At this time it meant ‘having large ears’ as well as ‘having a large penis’. The well you get water from is Old English wella ‘spring of water’, of Germanic origin, from a base meaning ‘boil, bubble up’,

Rhymes

Adele, Aix-la-Chapelle, aquarelle, artel, au naturel, bagatelle, béchamel, befell, bell, belle, boatel, Brunel, Cadell, carousel, cartel, cell, Chanel, chanterelle, clientele, Clonmel, compel, Cornell, crime passionnel, dell, demoiselle, dispel, dwell, el, ell, Estelle, excel, expel, farewell, fell, Fidel, fontanelle, foretell, Gabrielle, gazelle, gel, Giselle, hell, hotel, impel, knell, lapel, mademoiselle, maître d'hôtel, Manuel, marcel, matériel, mesdemoiselles, Michel, Michelle, Miguel, misspell, morel, moschatel, Moselle, motel, muscatel, nacelle, Nell, Nobel, Noel, organelle, outsell, Parnell, pell-mell, personnel, propel, quell, quenelle, rappel, Raquel, Ravel, rebel, repel, Rochelle, Sahel, sardelle, sell, shell, show-and-tell, smell, Snell, spell, spinel, swell, tell, undersell, vielle, villanelle, yell

well2

noun wɛlwɛl

  • 1A shaft sunk into the ground to obtain water, oil, or gas.

    Example sentencesExamples
    • The water available in villages is drawn from wells sunk in tanks and lakes.
    • Even today, across many remote areas of the United States, wind-powered pumps draw water from wells to fill livestock watering troughs.
    • Different concentrations of ground water nitrate were obtained by drilling irrigation wells into two aquifers.
    • The water system has meant improved health among residents, who now need to spend less time carrying water from wells distant from their homes.
    • The residents said they depended on rain water or untreated water from wells and were sometimes forced to walk long distances in search of the commodity.
    • On the arid plains of northern China, the depletion of shallow reservoirs has forced people to sink wells into aquifers more than 1 km below the surface.
    • Water companies have hundreds of different sources from rivers and reservoirs to ground water supplies and wells.
    • Water flooding involves drilling water injection wells in a reservoir and pumping water into the field to push the oil towards the oil producing well bores.
    • Considerations are now in progress to allocate a budget to drill 401 bore water wells for consumers and farmers.
    • A geothermal heating system harvests local energy from the site by drawing water from forty wells extending four-hundred feet below ground level.
    • In India, more farmers now provide their own water via wells and pumps than rely on the government's irrigation system, which is based on a network of canals.
    • One of the major advantages of a rig this size is that it can drill large diameter water wells, up to 500 mm to depths of 500 metres.
    • Water for human consumption was traditionally obtained from wells, ponds, or rivers.
    • Although present in air, helium is commercially obtained from natural gas wells where it occurs in concentrations of between one and seven percent of the natural gas.
    • Results also show that 90 percent of those who participated in the study use their wells for drinking water.
    • To ensure a reliable water supply for their garden and the house he sank two wells.
    • New water wells and treatment facilities are in the progress of being constructed in addition to new delivery pipes being installed.
    • Most drinking water comes from municipal reservoirs, but people in isolated areas get their drinking water from wells.
    • Today, industrial energy moves water from wells beneath the earth, from river channels and over hills.
    • Water from the wells is piped up to ground level where exchangers heat and cool it as needed.
    Synonyms
    borehole, spring, waterhole, bore, shaft
    1. 1.1archaic A water spring or fountain.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • A gurgling well sprang from the foot of the altar, saving the townspeople from dying of thirst.
      • By a gurgling well stood a handsome peasant woman with red arms, pouring water into the milk that she was going to carry to the city.
    2. 1.2Wellsin place names A place where there are mineral springs.
      Tunbridge Wells
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Tenbury Wells is a small ancient market town situated in the very north west of Worcestershire on the A456, close to the borders of Herefordshire and Shropshire.
      • Tenbury had the ‘Wells’ added to its name in the mid 19th century to help promote the Mineral Water Wells that had been found in the town from 1840 onwards.
      • The springs gave birth to the town and while Llandrindod Wells itself cannot be said to have been in existence much longer than a hundred years, there are landmarks in its development that span two or three centuries.
    3. 1.3 A depression made to hold liquid.
      put the flour on a flat surface and make a well to hold the eggs
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Form the mixture into a mound and create a well in the center.
      • The released liquids are gathered in wells specifically designed for that purpose.
      • Later on we saw other wells that were simply depressions in rock with water coming from an unknown source, green with cress, and perhaps housed in a 19th Century hut.
      • Make a well in the middle, add the oil, treacle and enough milk to combine and make a soft dough.
      • One of the challenges in this process has been filling the femtoliter wells with liquid.
      • Mix thoroughly with a fork, make a well in the center and set aside.
      • The antibody was added to all wells of the plate.
      • Make a well in the center of the batter and add the pumpkin.
      • Spoon the purée onto a serving dish, leaving a well in the centre.
      • There is no doubt that the observation of precipitation in the very small wells of the plates in question was subjective, and there is no doubt scope for differences of genuinely held opinions.
      • In the final step, the investigator cuts plugs to fit the wells of an agarose electrophoresis gel.
      • Put the flour in a bowl and make a well in the centre.
      • A small amount is withdrawn from each tube and loaded into separate wells of a polyacrylamide gel.
      • Stir in the dried yeast, then make a well in the centre.

  • 2A plentiful source or supply.

    she could feel a deep well of sympathy and compassion
    Example sentencesExamples
    • But our members have made it clear their deep well of goodwill is running dry.
    • Wlodek is a gentle man with laughing eyes, but there is a deep well of emotion when he talks.
    • It is another job that requires individuals to plumb deep wells of patience.
    • It reminded me of all I had abandoned and have since fallen into a well of depression.
    • Everywhere I've been I've found a deep well of energy and idealism.
    • This originative source is a well from which very different kinds of poems can be drawn up.
    • The Royal Navy in those years was a deep well of talent, creativity and confidence.
    • It proves that beneath the showmanship, there is real talent and a deep well of genuine feeling.
    • The city was flush with new wealth and a bottomless well of optimism.
    • At times optimism fails and I fall face first into the deep well of despair.
    • The split was far from amicable and plunged the normally perky star into a well of depression and self-doubt.
    • Similarly, many monochrome paintings are at once flat planes and deep wells of color.
    • Do they visit in empathy, or is it something deep within the deepest well of their own ego that sends them on their mission?
    • Of course, not every theater company has such deep wells of musical talent on hand.
    • Do not tar them all with the same brush for there was a deep well of opinion in favour of the motion.
    • It would be a shame if we were discouraging emerging scholars from reaching deeper into the bookstacks, from sending their buckets down deeper into the wells of knowledge.
    • Caught in a web of feeling and confusion, Joe is drawn into ever deeper wells of irrationality as the aftermath of the incident unfolds.
    • They might be great for the economy, or we could be running out public funding wells dry.
    • Conservatives tend to see this as detached from the deep theological wells of the tradition.
    • There are deep wells of poverty in both which are a living reproach to their political representatives.
    Synonyms
    source, supply, wellspring, fount, fountainhead, reservoir, mine, fund, bank, repository, storehouse, treasury

  • 3An enclosed space in the middle of a building, giving room for stairs or a lift, or to allow light or ventilation.

    Example sentencesExamples
    • She places the pots in her home's window wells and covers them with leaves.
    • It is pulled inside and set in place before the front center console, lighted front door step wells and rear ‘kick guards’ are installed.
    • Using tinted glazing and deep, light-diffusing wells can help to compensate for this shortcoming, though neither is really a remedy.
    • Inspect and clean gutters, leaders, window wells and drains of all leaves and debris and make sure gutters are firmly secure to the house.
    • You can apply insecticide around doors, windows, and vents, outside stairwells, window wells, along foundation, under lip of siding.
    • During the night a shell had fallen into the well of the building in which she and her husband had their flat.
    • White skylight wells - set above exposed rafters - bounce and diffuse sunlight into the room below, reinforcing the open, airy feeling.
    • Skylights threw wells of illumination down through the still air into the hall, spotlighting the black and white tiled floor.
    • Hundreds of builders work like ants to construct walls, foundations, stairs, lift wells.
    • Window wells and stairwells can present problems.
    • A train of skylights with tangerine wells sprays color into an otherwise routine hallway.
    • A video taken on April 8, 2000 shows leaking in the window wells on the north face.
    • The city provided sandbags and sand at its public works yard, he said, noting most people trying to prevent water from coming in through basement window wells needed relatively few sandbags.
    • It took four years and over £1m to build the Midland, its six storeys arranged in a figure of eight around two wells, allowing as much natural light to the interior as possible.
    1. 3.1British The place in a law court where the clerks and ushers sit.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Other copies of which are available in the well of the court for any member of the public who wishes to read it.
      • Also, only members of the bar are to be seated inside the rail and in the well of the Court.
      • To summarize, spoken language interpreters are stationed in the well of the courtroom only when there is a NES witness involved.

  • 4US A shelf beneath the counter of a bar on which bottles of alcohol are stored within easy reach of the person serving.

    you would have never heard of the label of the gin in the well in average bars
    Example sentencesExamples
    • Well drinks are poured 'out of the well', a 'speed rack' of stock liquors kept at the bartender's station.
    • The clear glass bottle features a thick bottom for an enriched, specialty look, while the long body and short neck creates an aesthetically taller appearance that also functions easily in the bartenders’ well.
    • Because the well holds your average liquor, and is easily accessed, most drinks are made from that location of the bar.
    1. 4.1as modifier Denoting or made with the relatively inexpensive brands of alcohol stored in the well of a bar.
      happy hour is from 4 to 7 p.m. weekdays, with $4 well drinks and draft beers
      Compare with call (sense 10 of the noun)
      three shots of well tequila
      Example sentencesExamples
      • I had Tanqueray and my friend was drinking well vodka.
      • Also, get draft beers and well drinks for $3.
      • To ease the week's woes, it's $2 off all draft beer and well spirits and $4 for a glass of house red or white wine.
      • Wine, beer, and well drinks are all on us.
      • You receive a tumbler with 2 cubes in it full of well gin, and a can of tonic.
      • Drink specials, including small pitchers of beer for $4.25 and well drinks for $3.75, also are available.
      • My ONLY qualm is that the $5 martini's are made with well vodka.
      • I think I've been back once on a Wednesday for their $1 well drink special.
      • The free drink was a well drink or a beer, not bad.

  • 5Physics
    A region of minimum potential.

    a gravity well
    Example sentencesExamples
    • Quantum wells consist of a thin sheet of crystalline semiconductor sandwiched between two sheets of another semiconductor.
    • Faced with the new electric fields introduced by the sound wave, the electrons and holes in the quantum well seek out their respective points of minimum energy in the presence of the fields.
    • Sandwiched in the middle of the semiconductor are two layers of quantum wells in which the electrons and holes are created and confined to a 2D world.
    • In effect the neutrons are caught in a vertical potential well: gravity pulls down, while atoms in the surface of the mirror push up.
verb wɛlwɛl
often well up

  • 1no object, with adverbial (of a liquid) rise up to the surface and spill or be about to spill.

    tears were beginning to well up in her eyes
    Example sentencesExamples
    • It felt weird because when I bid Dad goodbye, I would usually have a sting in the bridge of my nose and tears would start welling up in my eyes.
    • It provides strong evidence for the main mechanism of continental drift - that is, spreading of the sea floor as new material wells up from the mantle.
    • She laughed softly until tears welled in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.
    • Morning loomed through the cloud of condensation that welled up out of Dan's sleeping bag, a breathing cave if ever there was one.
    • Then, abandoning her pride, she let the tears that had welled up, flow freely.
    • As he thought the name, a single tear welled up and rolled down the Ursine's brown muzzle.
    • Tears welled up in his eyes, and Javan let them stream down his cheeks.
    • The oil is thought to have welled up from a small boat which sank on Monday after heavy rain caused the water level to rise.
    • The new cut on her hand glinted in the light, as the beads of blood welled up to the surface.
    • We're both quiet again, but I can feel angry tears welling up and starting to spill down my cheeks.
    • More oil and air welled up, and it was clear from other debris that the submarine was finished.
    • Her vision blurred slightly with a sudden flow of tears that welled up in her eyes and she blinked them away.
    • The researchers think the water welled up from beneath the planet's surface about five million years ago.
    • Tears welled up in Mother's eyes, and I saw for the first time, her as a person.
    • Blood welled from the cut and dripped onto the front of her healer's robe.
    • She just wanted to get out of there and she could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, threatening to spill over onto her cheeks.
    • Blood welled upon around the angry wound and spilled over the skin's jagged edges.
    • His eyes welled with tears as they rushed down his cheeks like waterfall.
    • The pressure within the crust hadn't increased, as would be expected when molten rock wells up from below.
    • Now we left Mankind behind and raced back to a time when the earth cracked open and molten lava welled out, at the end of the distant Mesozoic Age.
    Synonyms
    flow, stream, run, rush, gush, course, roll, cascade, flood, surge, rise, spurt, spout, squirt, jet
    ooze, seep, trickle
    burst, issue, discharge
    spill, overflow, brim over
    rare disembogue
    1. 1.1 (of an emotion) develop and become more intense.
      all the old bitterness began to well up inside her again
      Example sentencesExamples
      • A sinking feeling of despair welled up within her, threatening to swamp her completely.
      • A feeling of rebellion welled up inside of her and she wanted nothing more to do then slam her door and lock herself in.
      • Fury welled up inside my heart and began to push out through my throat.
      • His breath came in quick, shallow gasps as anxiety and panic welled up inside him.
      • Paul was taken aback by the fatherly protective instincts that seemed to well up from deep inside him.
      • Avril held onto his hand her eyes pleading with sadness welling inside.
      • She leaned against the wall, anger and sadness welling up inside her as she thought about what had happened.
      • The intense feeling welled up within her and shone from her eyes like dark beacons.
      • That might have been me, I thought, alarmed by the unsavory jealousy welling up inside.
      • Emotion welled up inside her, and tears slowly coursed their way down her cheeks.
      • Feeling irritation welling up inside of me, I jerked my arm free of her grasp and walked towards the cart to do just that.
      • He nodded and you could see confidence welling up inside him.
      • Anger was welling up inside of me as this family continued to use offensive language towards their relative.
      • As the Birdwoman stood in front of the window admiring the dress, an urge started to well up inside her.
      • One could sense the drama welling up blocks away from the auditorium at Sacramento State.
      • I look around at the paper walls and feel frustration welling up inside me - I want to cry, but nothing comes, I'm numb to it all.
      • Rage welled up inside of me and all I could see was red.
      • A week passed, and Enzo couldn't contain the excitement welling up inside of him.
      • Faith heard his door close and sighed deeply from the happiness welling up inside of her.
      • Each time she thought of his name, a mix of pleasure and anticipation welled up inside her.

Origin

Old English wella, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wel and German Welle 'a wave'.

adv..1
phr.
noun.1
 
 

well1

adverbwelwɛl

  • 1In a good or satisfactory way.

    the whole team played well
    Example sentencesExamples
    • We think we have modernised quite well in this town and in the county.
    • Remember that red onions store less well than white, so use them first.
    • The ciabatta, crisp and coated in garlic was an excellent accompaniment and mixed well with the coulee.
    • I have been sleeping well the last few nights and my mood has been pretty good.
    • Both teams started well then hit a trouble patch, and both are working on next-to-nothing budgets.
    • You can tell when the team has played well or badly by the atmosphere in every pub, club, shop, office and factory.
    • I do not want the outcome of a big game coming down to how well the ref tosses up the ball.
    • I'll say upfront that I really don't function well without regular quality sleep.
    • Does the ability to play the keyboard or bat well on a cricket team really matter?
    • With the Community Hall progressing well, local clubs are planning for the future.
    • Ensure you get plenty of sleep, eat well, and take breaks between exam and study periods.
    • Given he stated it did not translate, I think he translated it quite well.
    • My mash was creamy and tasty, and the leeks complemented the hotpot well.
    • Sparky would make an ideal family pet as he responds well to praise and attention and is friendly towards people.
    • What the committee saw in fact was a course which stood up remarkably well to the almost unrelenting rain.
    • Lessons are well planned and build well on what pupils have learnt before.
    • Davies says music is taught well in Orkney and he links that to the fact that almost every child goes to the local high school.
    • Here was a woman who had done her best to raise her family well in difficult circumstances.
    • He's got a good all-round game, he volleys well and people don't give him a lot of credit for that.
    • In fact, we hit it off so well that we ended up talking for more than five hours that afternoon.
    Synonyms
    skilfully, with skill, ably, competently, proficiently, adeptly, adroitly, deftly, dexterously, effectively, expertly, with expertise, admirably, excellently, consummately, professionally
    1. 1.1 In a way that is appropriate to the facts or circumstances.
      you did well to come and tell me
      as submodifier, in combination a well-timed exit
      Example sentencesExamples
      • By my observation a daily routine works well for people who work at home.
      • The aim of the fund is to be well positioned to take advantage of positive market movements at any time.
      • In fact he adapted so well that he was to spend the next twenty seven and a half years in the Police Force.
      • For now, however, users would do well to exercise extreme caution in updating their machines.
      • In fact, it works well to lean down on your arm and use your weight to help yourself pivot.
      • It is setting an example that Bradford council would do well to follow.
      • I think you've had some excellent advice above and you'd do well to follow it.
      • What function is performed by standing rules in judicial review, and how well do the rules serve that function?
      • The personnel may change but Simon has been a constant and it's his vision that other venues would do well to follow.
      • She turned out to be alright and she integrated herself into the pack quite well.
      • It suited these people too well personally and politically to do anything else.
      • The authors who undertake succeeding volumes will do well to follow the lead set by Stanley Hall.
      • It draws from existing case law and fits well within good human resources practice.
      • You hold your own in an argument because you are always well armed with the facts.
      • The desert sheep is an interesting breed, well adapted to local conditions.
      • He reckons he'll fit in well, despite the fact that he isn't an especially strong candidate.
      • As the global economy itself starts to grow we are well positioned to take advantage of the upturn.
      • People would do well not to listen to anyone behaving like a contented frog.
      • Part-time football hasn't been a hindrance at this club and many others would do well to follow suit.
      • The private investor in north London has a stake in a unique firm and you would do well to follow him in.
      Synonyms
      satisfactorily, in a satisfactory manner, in a satisfactory way, nicely, correctly, rightly, properly, fittingly, suitably, aptly, appropriately
    2. 1.2 So as to have a fortunate outcome.
      his campaign did not go well
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Once a month they will get the chance to sell shares that are not doing well and buy profitable ones.
      • If Fernando has done well there is praise, if he had been booked or cost Rangers a goal there is criticism and a tantrum.
      • They knew which teams were doing well and which players were on form.
      • The first phase has sold well, and profits from this will be realised in the second half.
      • You can't know how well you will perform under stress until you encounter it.
      • This should be a very tough contest as both teams have performed well during the year.
      • I think once people start wearing them around and start blogging about them, they'll sell quite well.
      • Why are firms doing quite well when the economy is doing rather badly?
      • Fortunately, it's worked out well and been a financial success, but did we know that going in?
      • Egg, Morgan Stanley and Tesco Personal Finance also fared well, with four stars each.
      • Britain is doing quite well at reducing emissions, concedes John Whitelegg of the SEI.
      • Obviously it would have been a disappointment had I not gotten the job, but luckily things worked out well.
      • He thought that if my baby was born now, at 36 weeks, it would fare quite well.
      • Although I'm not very good at musical instruments it worked out quite well.
      • We compare quite well with other services in the South West on this issue.
      • I've always run really well in practice, and I have been fortunate to qualify well.
      • And the fact that things are going so well on the football front has made settling in a lot easier.
      • Their last album did extraordinarily well, and now people are looking to them to be the future of music.
      • The gaming done, I began my performance of festive music, which seemed to go down quite well.
      • The truth is that if companies do well and grow their profits over time, their shares will increase in value.
    3. 1.3 In a kind way.
      the animals will remain loyal to humans if treated well
      Example sentencesExamples
      • I have been treated so well by Mike over the years and I just wanted to return the favour.
      • I was impressed with how well he treats the little guys and thought you might like to know.
      • We all like people to treat us well, to acknowledge us, to talk to us, to bond with us.
      • People treat me well because they know who my father is and they know what he can do for them.
      • They said that as he was the only son, just like his uncle, he must be treated especially well.
      • Workhouses that existed in Rochdale at that time were small and inmates were treated well.
      • They will want to be treated properly and well at the nearest hospital.
      • He recognized early on that employees will be diligent at their jobs if they are treated well.
      • The note further explained he was content because his colleagues had treated him well.
      • He has promised that if anything should happen to me, he will try to ensure sure that you are well treated.
      • Here we see people who are treated so well, and so much happiness is brought into their lives.
      • He went on to say how well he had been treated in hospital and thanked me as a member of the team who had treated him.
      • I wanted to give something back to the community that has treated me so well.
      • They treated him well, taking him to a hospital where he was given food and three operations.
      • I'm delighted that he is going to have a lovely semi-retirement with owners who will treat him well.
      • That's their job, and if they want to stay employed, they will treat customers well.
      • That's where he also learned that a good horse trainer knows you have to treat horses well.
      • I think as a general rule as a society we wish to treat animals well, we wish to be humane.
      • If we want to keep the crew we have, we have to treat them well and stay competitive, and that's not free.
      • If you want to be treated well, then very sweetly but firmly demand the respect you want.
      Synonyms
      decently, fairly, civilly, politely, genially, kindly, in a kind way, in a kindly way, generously, hospitably
    4. 1.4 With praise or approval.
      people spoke well of him
      the film was quite well reviewed at the time
      Example sentencesExamples
      • This is a major relief organisation working across India and which is extremely well respected.
      • It is hard to fault him for the conduct that caused the public to think well of him.
      • Mr Harding is not only of good character, and a number of people have spoken well of him.
      • You need to be tough to win this race and many well touted thoroughbreds have been found out by the mile and a half.
      • At no time did the partisans of the opposition speak well of Joseph Smith.
      • It was at a television show that Muthoni's mother spoke well of her daughter's abilities after attending a special school where music was well factored.
      • I recount this simple event not to promote the fact that I am well thought of by a few patients.
      • The real deal is to explain why such stories should be so well received by the people of Taiwan.
      Synonyms
      admiringly, highly, approvingly, favourably, appreciatively, warmly, enthusiastically, glowingly, with admiration, with praise, with approbation
    5. 1.5 With equanimity.
      she took it very well, all things considered
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Christine took the bad news well enough but the rest of the Top 9 contestants were devastated to see their fellow singer sent home.
      • The way to get a promotion is to take criticism well, but most people don't know they don't do it well.
    6. 1.6 Profitably; advantageously.
      she would marry well or not at all
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Men controlled the fates of women, whose expected aim in life was to marry well.
      • They were a family line who seemed to have specialised in marrying well.
      • She had been considered very attractive when she was younger, and had married well at the time.
      • Olga predicated that it would him and myself who would marry well into St Petersburg society.
    7. 1.7 In a condition of prosperity or comfort.
      they lived well and were generous with their money
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The two contenders have said we have to take their hand if we're to live well and live safely.
      • He lived well and also lived it up, going to all the dances run by the pipe band.
      • We depend on those things, and they set the benchmark for how well we live in this country.
      • We see more of the association between being good and living well in section 17.
      • He lives well in Notting Hill and can often be seen out dining with Stephen Fry or fellow former players.
      • But that meant rents were cheap and people like me could live well and do our art.
      • Both have suffered with their health in recent years but live happily and remarkably well.
      • We want to live well, but we want all to live well, and so we have to help each other.
      • He lives well in Covent Garden and owns a substantial hoard of art himself.
      • Death will still bring us peace, but the challenge is how to live this life well, not waste time preparing for the next.
      • No other writer or thinker had said precisely what he says about what it is to live well.
      • But the truth is that he is a fine person who enjoys life and lives it well.
      • The environmental project must succeed if we are to live well on this beautiful world of ours.
      • By living well within his means, he's made sure that he's always got money left over at the end of each month.
      • Hers was a career that spanned some seven decades and, most of all, a life well lived.
      • People won't be inspired to learn Mandarin because a lot of them are already living well.
      • You see, although he earns a good wage, he likes to live well and parties hard.
      • You must honor William's memory by living well until sadly fate decrees it is your time to leave this world.
      • It somewhat reminds him of New York but it is nowhere near as expensive to live well.
      • It does not see that a nation being prosperous is about individual citizens living well.
      Synonyms
      comfortably, in comfort, in luxury, in the lap of luxury, in ease, splendidly, prosperously, without hardship
    8. 1.8archaic Luckily; opportunely.
      hail fellow, well met
      Example sentencesExamples
      • He is a jolly well-met fellow, like clubmen generally are, but perfectly honorable and straightforward.
      • He was "hail, fellow, well met" with everyone the moment he reached town.
      • Will it be a case of hail, hail fellow well met from the Broomloan slopes?

  • 2In a thorough manner.

    add the mustard and lemon juice and mix well
    Example sentencesExamples
    • Add some finely ground sweet almonds and mix well to form a smooth, easy to spread paste.
    • Open the can of milk and pour into the whipped cream; mix well and then fold in the egg whites.
    • Stir in the pasta, season with salt and pepper, and mix it well with the tomatoes and herbs.
    • Mix well - no dry ingredients should be visible and the mixture should be quite firm.
    • Warm the rum in a small saucepan and add to the fruit, mix well and let the mixture stand for at least a day but up to three.
    • Mix well and spray thoroughly over both sides of the foliage and onto the offending pest.
    • When the vegetables have softened, add all the peas and stir them well into the vegetable mix.
    • The pectin didn't blend well into the liquid, so to get rid of any lumps, I used a hand blender.
    • Tim stirred it well, to mix in all the little left behind bits of fried chicken, garlic and breadcrumbs.
    • The waste matter would have to be chopped and mixed fairly well in the earth.
    • Purée and pass through a fine sieve, combine with the potato purée, mix well and place in a piping bag.
    • Most cookbooks get over this difficult stage by saying mix thoroughly and knead well.
    • Wash basmati well to get rid of the extra starch and give it a good stir when you add it to the water.
    • Stir in the rice and break up any clumps so that all the grains get coated individually and everything mixes up well.
    • Mix all the ingredients well before adding only enough water to make the mixture moist.
    • Combine mandarins, egg mixture, almonds and baking powder in a large bowl and mix well.
    • Dissolve one cup of washing soda in a litre of hot water and add the soap solution, mixing well.
    • Gently stir together the first six ingredients with a pinch of salt until well mixed.
    • Fold in the mayonnaise and sour cream, season to taste and mix gently but well.
    • Fold together with a wooden spoon until the fish is well mixed through.
    Synonyms
    thoroughly, completely, efficiently, rigorously, effectively, conscientiously, industriously, carefully
    carefully, closely, attentively, rigorously, in depth, exhaustively, from top to bottom, minutely, in detail, meticulously, scrupulously, assiduously, conscientiously, painstakingly, methodically, completely, comprehensively, fully, to the fullest extent, intensively, extensively
    1. 2.1 To a great extent or degree (often used for emphasis)
      the visit had been planned well in advance
      as submodifier, in combination a well-loved mother
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The text is well illustrated with plans and many photographs of the exterior of the complex.
      • With extension plans well underway, work is expected to be completed by the end of next year.
      • Mr Waters was happy to see that preparations for the arrival of the birds are well in hand.
      • He lost his highly-paid job with a Fortune 500 and was unemployed for well over a year.
      • I thought given the circumstances it was best to keep you well anesthetized during your ordeal.
      • It was a fabulous gig, and the fans were so revved up by the event that we all must have stayed up well past 11.35 pm.
      • The annual school tour plans are well underway and parents will be notified in due course.
      • They had travelled south from York to seek fame and fortune, and seemed well on the way to finding both.
      • The fact that well over a thousand people signed your petition shows it struck a chord with your readers.
      • All of these roadworks were planned well before the holding of a referendum was considered and decided upon.
      • Many of the impacts of human activities are well documented and understood.
      • They worship a great force, an entity, which could probably be well likened to Mother Nature.
      • We rate our job satisfaction well below those in most other western countries rate theirs.
      • The key to planning a holiday for a large party is to book well in advance to ensure you all fly together and stay in the same hotel.
      • I have not been informed and clearly witnesses have to be told well in advance so they can plan around the dates.
      • That plan appeared to be well on course until a flurry of wickets shortly after tea had West Indies wobbling.
      • From that moment on I vowed to plan my costume well in advance and put a little thought into it.
      • ‘You're supposed to travel along it,’ said a small boy with a raspy voice that was well out of proportion with his body size.
      • The engine temperature shot up to well over 100 degrees and I had no choice but to bring the car into the pits.
      • Plans to extend the fishery are well advanced and it is hoped to commence work in the next few weeks.
      Synonyms
      considerably, very much, greatly, to a great degree, to a great extent, to a marked degree, to a marked extent, a great deal, markedly, decidedly, substantially, easily, comfortably, materially, significantly, signally
    2. 2.2 Intimately; closely.
      he knew my father very well
      Example sentencesExamples
      • People who are well versed in hip-hop understand the need for diversity in the culture.
      • It was a very long casting process and I met Will very early on so we already knew each other quite well by the time it came to filming.
      • I used to know Charles Clarke quite well 10 years ago, before he entered parliament.
      • I am fortunate to have a spouse that knows me well, and supports me in every way.
      • It's a hospital I know well as I spent quite a few weeks there over a number of years when I was very young.
      • I, and many people who knew him well, were saddened when we heard of his violent death.
      • My point of order is that the Prime Minister knows full well the process of approvals.
      • I was extremely well versed in the history of intoxication in relation to creativity.
      • works of the seven, he adopts the more personal stance of one well versed in the arts.
      • Likewise, don't help yourself to drink unless you know your hosts extremely well.
      • They also explain the reason for their joy to Van der Post's interpreter, a man I know quite well.
      • The thing to remember is that I knew all these people well for all my adult life up to that point.
      • I was a policeman in Bradford from 1959 to 1961 so got to know the centre of the city quite well.
      • We had to go for an interview and induction, but I know Manchester quite well so it will be easy to give directions.
      • They know the area well which is an advantage in trying to predict the weather.
      • We got to know each other quite well, and started seeing each other outside of work.
      • I left not long after the meal was complete, having said hello to most of the people I knew well.
      Synonyms
      harmoniously, agreeably, pleasantly, nicely, happily, politely, amicably, amiably, affably, genially, peaceably
      intimately, thoroughly, fully, deeply, profoundly, personally
    3. 2.3British informal as submodifier Very; extremely.
      he was well out of order
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The hook was well out of shape and the nylon was chewed to nearly half its original diameter.
      • I realised my daughter was well out of the way and my only thought was to get out.
      • I thought it was well dodgy and I hope they get one back against them in Turin.
      • The hotel was well out of the centre in a slightly grotty area, and so there wasn't much to see in the immediate vicinity, but in any case I wanted to work on the act for the night.
      • ‘All the furniture is well out of the way, it's just a shell now until it goes down and dries out,’ he said.
      • He strode to his office, not sure where else he could go at the moment, the situation was well out of his hands.
      • And with the sun behind us, we knew we were well out of sight - drifting south, with a pack of dark shapes circling our feet.
      • The £525m Barchester offered for the group was well out of reach for the other bidders.
      • Last time around poor selection decisions and an even poorer campaign meant they were well out of the running.
      • This house on the Uxbridge Road was the perfect place for them to compose their music as it isn't overlooked by any other houses and is well out of earshot of the neighbours.
      • Taking holding costs and dividends into account, the Government is well out of pocket.
      • However there was a feeling that we were well out of order in doing so.
      • A 15 per cent council tax rise is well out of order, especially if it includes spending £2.7 million on an art museum.
      • I asked him a few questions - it became clear that he was well out of his depth.
      • In any event, an appeal against the order of 3 March 2000 is well out of time, the parties have acted in the meantime on the basis that the order was not under challenge, and it would be wrong, now, to extend time.
      • ‘The incident involving the car tyres is well out of his professional character and conduct,’ he said.
      • But this is well out of line, according to a spokesman for the premium rate watchdog, ICSTIS.
      • And railways especially were well out of fashion.
      • I can accept the thieving but to set fire to it is well out of order.
      • Fingers crossed, this should have worked, and it should now all look well pretty and grooved out.
    4. 2.4with submodifier Used as an intensifier.
      I should damn well hope so
      Example sentencesExamples
      • They knew bloody well that these people were doing harmful things to innocent people.
      • Drop your Salient right now and bang your head against the nearest wall until it ruddy well hurts!
      • The ties were a disgrace, mind, but if we have to wear dusky pink to get a result then we bloody well will.
      • Two people who love each other want to get married, then bloody well get married!
      • His advantage is that they are his own; he created them so he will bloody well use them.
      • This shows us both that we can do better, and that we bloody well should.
      • If it means to override freedom of expression, then it can bloody well go on the record and say so.
      • After the fifth attempt he decided just to get it over with and whatever noises in the background could damn well stay there.
      • He knew he had to tell her… he knew why she hated him so much, and he bloody well deserved it!
      • At this point, Brash should have told Dallow to bloody well look it up for himself.
      • You like whatever you bloody well like, darling, and don't you dare apologise for it!
      • To which my response is, Yes, it bloody well would be a good idea to find out what science can tell us about emotion.
      • A classic remark - and for the record, yes it bloody well did hurt and it still does!
      • Works bloody well: I can now take a heavy day and feel all right the next morning.
      • Which is the only Starbucks I've ever felt inclined to go into, and it was bloody well closed.
      • If you're watching tv at 10 in the morning on a working day you bloody well shouldn't be.
      • I knew bloody well there must be a telex, and I went to the Armenian foreign ministry.

  • 3with modal Very probably; in all likelihood.

    being short of breath may well be the first sign of asthma
    Example sentencesExamples
    • In that way a far healthier outcome could well be achieved from all points of view in the long run.
    • The declining fortunes of the male soul singer may well be the late Barry White's most lasting legacy.
    • That, at least to some extent, may well be no more than a reflection of my lack of expertise in this field.
    • In doing this the Methodists may well be returning to what was probably the role of religion for centuries.
    • The outcome of the match may well be determined by how quiet Ferdinand can keep the effusive Jermain Defoe.
    • The outcome of that duel may well settle the series, and on current evidence there is only one winner.
    • Had any of these been converted the outcome could well have been a different story.
    • Indicators of what is possible and what is required may well follow from the results of a strategic assessment.
    • He would probably deny this, but it might well be a way of hiding his red-eyed blushes, and sparing ours.
    • While not the finished article, the Scottish bid team believe they are well on the way to giving the same assurance.
    • Consolidation may well benefit shareholders of the acquired company in the short-term.
    • This suggests the plans may well go ahead at a later date, something which we are dead against and always will be.
    • The results may be within the margin of error, but the outcome could well be determined by the margin of litigation.
    • In such cases, luck plays a part and it might well decide the outcome of the match!
    • If so, the risk of litigation might well discourage the practice of defensive hacking even if it should be legal.
    • There may well have been reasons for this omission in the context of the entire trial.
    • These may well be the same birds at times congregating on flooded pits at Tottenhill on the fen borders.
    • In my opinion that excessive number could well be the main reason for most of the school's problems.
    • This may well have been the reason for the girls being chosen to represent their school.
    • By the time you read this, we may well know the outcome of the US presidential race.
    • Mind you whatever the outcome it could well be one of the games of the entire year.
    • In those circumstances our accountant may well find himself open to offers from criminals.
    Synonyms
    quite possibly, conceivably, quite likely, probably
    1. 3.1 Without difficulty.
      she could well afford to pay for the reception herself
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The couple can well afford to pay the fine, but should probably get rid of their lax driver.
      • Many people who are well able to afford meat prefer lentils, which form an excellent food without any meat.
      • They could well afford it, given the umpteen millions they rake in from the motoring public.
      • Does it make sense to give each of us a subsidy, when we can perfectly well afford the full price?
      • Siguenza was educated at home, his father being well able to provide the education his son needed.
      • I think he could well win, provided his relationship with Michelle doesn't degenerate.
      Synonyms
      easily, comfortably, readily, with ease, without difficulty, effortlessly
    2. 3.2 With good reason.
      “What are we doing here?” “You may well ask.”
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Merchants could well balk at supporting incompatible payment operations.
      • Your Lordship has well in mind the degree to which the arguments found favour and to which they did not.
      • Why, you may well ask, does The Register class vagueness of this order as a clarification?
adjectivewelwɛl

  • 1In good health; free or recovered from illness.

    I don't feel very well
    it would be some time before Sarah was completely well
    attributive informal he was not a well man
    Example sentencesExamples
    • He assumed that his best friend was in a cell very much like this one and hoped that he was well.
    • Get well wishes were sent to Mary Foyle who is recovering after her recent illness.
    • It was 30 years too late but he was still alive and well and hoped to provide for his children.
    • I'm very well, thank you.
    • Betty gave him cardboard boxes and cotton wool but always told him that when the bird was well, he would have to let it go.
    • He's not a well man, you know, and his most consistently highly-paid gig has just upped and sacked him.
    • Of course, Agassi is alive and well and has we hope a good many decades of health and happiness left.
    • She is indeed very well, thank you.
    • It was very brave of her to come to York as she is not a well lady.
    • Mason Brown took remedial action, prescribed his own cure and is now completely well.
    • The Melbourne show was a month or so before he was given the diagnosis of his cancer, but it was apparent that he wasn't a well man.
    • He is not particularly well at the moment.
    • While everyone hopes she will be found safe and well, the likelihood now is that she may not have survived.
    • We extend the best wishes of everyone to Wendy Bryant and hope that she gets well soon.
    • I hope Pauric gets well soon and can keep that Old Fair Day going for many more years.
    • To most people, she looks perfectly well, but in fact she came close to death due to her illness.
    • He's still not well but the slower pace of life is getting rid of his stress.
    • It has also correctly labelled as disease free most, but not all, of the well people.
    • Dear Husband, I write these few lines hoping to find you well as it leaves us at present.
    • Symptoms are often overlooked, as they are mild and commonly experienced by well people.
    Synonyms
    healthy, in good health, all right, fine, fit, fighting fit, as fit as a fiddle, as fit as a flea, robust, strong, vigorous, blooming, thriving, bursting with health, in rude health, hale, hale and hearty, hearty, in good shape, in excellent shape, in good condition, in tip-top condition, in good trim, in fine fettle, sound, sound in body and limb
    1. 1.1 In a satisfactory state or position.
      all is not well in her ideal-looking town
      Example sentencesExamples
      • It's just over a mile in all, and I arrive back wheezing for breath but alive and well.
      • I wish them all well and hope to see them all at some of the clubs in the future.
      • If we'd gone home at the end of the meal, all would probably have been well.
      • To this I wish Cllr Clarke well and hope she will help to carry on the Town Council's good name and work.
      • Hope all is well and that my mugshot has not caused too many upturned stomachs out there.
      • We wish St. Declan's well and hope they will retain this flag for many years to come.
      • Shruti's performance received a standing ovation from critics, artists and well wishers.
      • We wish him well and let us hope his first game against the Dubs ends in success.
      • I wish Scott and Caroline and Lorna well and I hope they get away with it for ever.
      • Hope you're all well, though, and that you have a Happy and Prosperous New year.
      • All would have been well except Emma decided that she had to have something to eat.
      • Fortunately, they were found safe and well in Wigan town centre the following day.
      • Pat is wished well and it is hoped his new venture will prove a great success.
      • Friends of the Kildare town man wish him well and hope to see him out and about soon.
      • I hope all's well down there in sunny -, and that you can find some time to write back.
      • We wish them all well for May and hope they enjoy the next few months of preparation.
      • It was great to know that this beautiful bird is alive and well again in the area.
      • Coun Francis wished the clerk well and he praised him for putting the council on a firm financial footing.
      • He too wished him well and expressed a hope that he would enjoy and long and healthy retirement.
      • Not my business but I do wish you well and I hope you have pleasant experiences in your learnings
      Synonyms
      satisfactory, all right, fine, in order, as it should be, acceptable

  • 2Sensible; advisable.

    it would be well to know just what this suggestion entails
    Example sentencesExamples
    • But would it not be well to limit grand juries to the investigation of felons, and leave misdemeanors to inferior courts?
    • Only--if we decide to buy, it would be well to be moved in and settled before winter.
    Synonyms
    advisable, sensible, prudent, politic, commonsensical, wise, canny, judicious, shrewd, expedient, provident, recommended, advantageous, beneficial, profitable, gainful, desirable
exclamationwelwɛl

  • 1Used to express a range of emotions including surprise, anger, resignation, or relief.

    Well, really! The manners of some people!
    Example sentencesExamples
    • In my memory, he talked about nothing but himself - well, false modesty has never been his style.
    • When you cannot have the real thing, well, the best reproduction will have to do.
    • Ah well Paul, work provides my car when I need one, although buying one wouldn't be a stretch by any means.
    • That sounds arrogant but I liked the part, and I thought, well, who's he gonna get?
    • You can tell when people really got it or, well, that's not for me, and you always get a bit of that.
    • Oh well what a cunning plan and who do you think that it is that unintentionally ruins the plan for him?
    • Does this automatically make me want to call for a ban on smoking - well, believe it or not, it doesn't.
    • Ah well, let's hope those of us who suffer from the winter blues will buck up soon.
    • Too busy partying and making money to settle down and have family, they seem to say, well, you'll be sorry!
    • The message some of the Record's readers might take from the story is: well, it serves him right.
    • If I could look back and say, well, there was always the yacht - that would be something.
    • Perhaps she thought by leaving it to the last minute I would have to accept it and, well, I did.
    1. 1.1 Used when pausing to consider one's next words.
      well, I suppose I could fit you in at 3:45
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Whether snapped in Times Square or Tiananmen Square, they always look, well, square.
      • The reason I had such bad withdrawal symptoms from bread must be because I was, well, addicted.
      • Damian knows his science, and science is important to, well, everything now.
      • Well, duped is too strong a word for it, but mislead seems a bit, well, too innocent.
      • At the time, it was considered a shabby place to live, because, well, we were a shabby family.
      • They have come here, in the depths of winter, because - well, because they want to.
      • A company has been formed to do just that but negotiations are, well, slow.
      • It would have been rude if I had turned round and said something, well, rude.
      • If this sounds like it could lead to sappy and sentimental situations, well, it does.
      • The driver gets decent seat adjustment, so it is a case of settling back to enjoy, well, a very pleasant ride.
    2. 1.2 Used to express agreement or acceptance, often in a qualified or slightly reluctant way.
      well, all right, but be quick
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Oh, well, I suppose it will have to be Kelso, with lunch in Rosie's Bistro and the Arc on telly after all.
      • Well, ok, maybe we'll take some.
      • This one wasn't going to be, and then I thought, well, he sort of has a point.
      • Well, OK, just this once.
    3. 1.3 Used to introduce the resumption of a narrative or a change of subject.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • As for Broadway Theatre, well, the price of admission at times is way beyond many people's pockets.
      • Maybe our tactics haven't been the best but since Frank's come in, well, he's a great tactician.
      • People often used to ask me why I went in for such an approach - well, here's the answer for you.
      • As for guys, well, all she really knew was that she wanted to date a guy with a nice car.
      • The rest of us, well, we did whatever that was required to support the Big Two and get the job done.
      • As for the typography: well, it seems to me that an art which was once taken seriously is now more or less ignored.
      • And as for him, well, he'll try to come to the protest, if he can get out of work that day.
      • If we feel it's the right thing to go or if I am still needed, well, we haven't talked about that sort of stuff yet.
    4. 1.4 Used to mark the end of a conversation or activity.
      well, cheers, Tom—I must run
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Goodnight, sweetheart, well, it's time to go, I hate to leave you, but I really must say Oh Goodnight, sweetheart, goodnight.
      • Oh well, let's hope December can produce a wealth of topics to rival that.
      • Oh well, hope you still enjoy the new chapter anyway and thanks for the review.
      • Well, time to go and try to get ready for our trip.
    5. 1.5 Used to indicate that one is waiting for an answer or explanation from someone.
      Well? You promised to tell me all about it
      Example sentencesExamples
      • "Well, where do they come from then?"
      • For what it's worth, it reads: would you hit a lady - well, would the lady hit me back?
      • If you don't think it is a good idea, well, what other ideas have you got?
      • Have you finished reading Harry Potter yet? Well, have you?

Usage

On uses of well and good, see good The adverb well is often used in combination with past participles to form compound adjectives: well-adjusted, well-intentioned, well-known, and so on. As far as hyphenation is concerned, there are three general rules: (1) if the compound adjective is placed before the noun (i.e., in the attributive position), it should be hyphenated (a well-intentioned remark); (2) if the compound adjective is preceded by an adverb (much, very, surprisingly, etc.), the compound adjective is open (a thoroughly well prepared student); (3) if the compound adjective is placed after the noun or verb (i.e., in the predicate position), it may, but need not, be hyphenated (her remark was well-intentioned or her remark was well intentioned). Likewise, other, similar compounds with better, best, ill, little, lesser, least, etc., are hyphenated before the noun (a little-known author), often open after a noun or verb (the author was little known), and open if modified by an adverb (a very little known author).
The adverb well is often used in combination with past participles to form compound adjectives: well-adjusted, well-intentioned, well-known, and so on. As far as hyphenation is concerned, there are three general rules: (1) if the compound adjective is placed before the noun (i.e., in the attributive position), it should be hyphenated (a well-intentioned remark); (2) if the compound adjective is preceded by an adverb (much, very, surprisingly, etc.), the compound adjective is open (a thoroughly well prepared student); (3) if the compound adjective is placed after the noun or verb (i.e., in the predicate position), it may, but need not, be hyphenated (her remark was well-intentioned or her remark was well intentioned). Likewise, other, similar compounds with better, best, ill, little, lesser, least, etc., are hyphenated before the noun (a little-known author), often open after a noun or verb (the author was little known), and open if modified by an adverb (a very little known author). On uses of well and good, see good

Phrases

  • as well

    • 1In addition; too.

      the museum provides hours of fun and a few surprises as well
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Me and Eric walked into the living and I was surprised to see that my mum was here as well.
      • Add a smoulder of darker shadow to the outer area of the eyelid and sweep a little below the lower lash line as well.
      • I have phoned the council on numerous times and other people have made complaints as well.
      • Not only did this come as a surprise to her, but the rest of the school as well.
      • We are at the bottom in West Yorkshire and nationally we are quite low as well.
      • The association meets on Saturdays but the new funding means it could open on Sundays as well.
      • The doctors took her into theatre to drain fluid off her lungs, and her kidneys are failing as well.
      • Some of my boys and some of the girls as well threw me a little surprise party on Saturday.
      • To continue in the competition, the bands to have to impress the judges and the audience as well.
      • These fish are not only amazingly well camouflaged but to me are surprisingly small as well.
      Synonyms
      too, also, in addition, additionally, into the bargain, besides, furthermore, moreover, to boot
      together with, in addition to, along with, besides, plus, and, coupled with, with, over and above, on top of, over and beyond, not to mention, to say nothing of, let alone

    • 2With equal reason or an equally good result.

      I may as well have a look
      Example sentencesExamples
      • If it gives way on every issue that crops up, it may as well board up the Town Hall and let the vandals take over.
      • If the top golfers are saying they may as well all pack up their bags for the next ten years it's a tragedy and very sad.
      • Which might seem reasonable to some, but from my point of view it may as well be taking place on Mars.
      • It would simply involve creating such an abundance that the price of such goods may as well be zero.
      • At home I lie gasping and read the Arabian Nights, but I may as well read the day's news.
      • Lastly, if the site or journal is too obscure, I may as well go post on some random message board.
      • I got the form to apply for the temporary youth worker job and frankly it might as well be written in Dutch.
      • It's a sad song, sure, but it may as well be Celine Dion for all the personal meaning it has for me.
      • That was only a decade and a bit ago, and yet it may as well have been a lifetime.
      • Wallace's work is heroic, but he may as well be trying to empty the North Sea with a spoon.
      1. 2.1Sensible, appropriate, or desirable.
        it would be as well to let him go
        Example sentencesExamples
        • If they are going to bother to print such an amazing fact, they may as well say why it is amazing.
        • There'll be something else to panic about later, I might as well have a little tiny rest.
        • The idea was that nothing very much happened in the summer, so you may as well cut your losses and run.
        • We may as well take advantage of reduced traffic to tend to other aspects of our lives.
        • It keeps in the freezer very well, so you may as well just buy it now if you plan to use it in any recipes.
        • Thing is, you see, if you have to drive into town to lunch, you might just as well shop there.
        • All of which seems to say, if you're going to be 100, you may as well enjoy it while you can.
        • So you may as well get used to the idea of assuming some sort of online identity now.
        • If you're going to have tempura, you might as well have it in a proper Japanese restaurant.
        • They realise that they may as well get a job sooner rather than wait another couple of years.

  • as well as

    • And also; and in addition.

      a shop that sold books as well as newspapers
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Technical advances once more brought about new aesthetic possibilities as well as contradictions.
      • She is well behaved and will sit and give you her paw as well as obey basic commands.
      • The kicks are delivered with great force and at toe, ankle and lower shin heights as well as into the mid leg range.
      • A new enterprise in a new land would require much capital as well as credit.
      • The teachers interviewed used many of the strategies mentioned by Krashen and Terrell, as well as many they did not mention.
      • Characteristics of the studied strains indicating the presence of the 17 virulence factors as well as the eae type.
      • Each school kit contains materials for up to 80 children, as well as teaching supplies.
      • The bounty of the Amazon can be accounted for only if we consider time as well as space.
      • Student access to computer stations allows students to apply online to the college as well as apply for financial aid.
      • The design files can also be shared globally, for open-source hardware as well as software problem-solving.

  • as well he (or she etc.) might (or may)

    • Used to convey the speaker's opinion that a reaction is appropriate or unsurprising.

      she sounded rather chipper, as well she might, given her bright prospects
      Example sentencesExamples
      • In fact, he looks luminously happy throughout - as well he might be, as tonight's crowd are hugely enthusiastic, with frequent standing ovations between songs.
      • He takes his music very seriously, as well he might.
      • He was clutching the two Oscars he'd just won for Braveheart and he looked extremely pleased with himself, as well he might.
      • The prime minister looked worn and tense at his press conference yesterday, as well he might.
      • Rembrandt has a quizzical, jesting expression, as well he may, in view of his wondrous hat and slashed leather jerkin, ornate with glass beads.
      • He looks at her suspiciously while doing so, as well he might.
      • Steve apologised to his family, as well he might.
      • Q put down his newspaper and looked mighty puzzled as well he might with this highly unusual - and therefore highly suspect - request.
      • Glint came in, looking tired out, and as well she might, trying to keep up with the three children.
      • The young woman looks doubtful, as well she might.

  • be well in with

    • informal Have a good relationship with (someone in a position of influence or authority)

      you're well in with O'Brien aren't you
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Then it was cross-town motorcycle delivery, and by the time we got to skydiving delivery I reckoned I was well in with the company.
      • Unfortunately, the other player involved was well in with the manager, his blue-eyed boy, and I was the one who was ostracised.
      • Crito mentions that he is well in with the warder.
      • Absolutely up to him whom he allows on his land, and I'm sure he is well in with the rest of the Cheshire Aristocracy, but, m'Lord, nine acres ain't exactly an ‘estate’ - it is a very nice garden with a home paddock and hopefully a bit of woodland.
      • Several of his owners have stuck with him; not surprisingly, he is well in with the footballing owners.

  • be well out of

    • informal Be fortunate to be no longer involved in (a situation).

      Example sentencesExamples
      • The kids were well out of it, double sharp, and Mattie… It was the only time I acted without thinking.
      • Given Libeskind's unhappy experiences since, maybe that was one project Viñoly was well out of.

  • (all) well and good

    • Used to express acceptance of a first statement before introducing a contradictory or confirming second statement.

      well, that's all well and good, but why didn't he phone her to say so?
      Example sentencesExamples
      • If Inzy wins this challenge, it's well and good, otherwise Ganguly can as well be sure that the one-day series is wrapped up.
      • All well and good, but this opportunity comes with a huge caveat.
      • I accept that cricket must find ways of bringing in the cash to survive and if this ploy succeeds all so well and good, but I have my reservations.
      • I do not expect the person who I have quoted here to come around to my way of thinking, though of course that would be well and good.
      • Learning from history is well and good, but such talk illustrates the dangers of learning from the wrong history.
      • All very well and good, but that approach hasn't helped those who trust her with their portfolios.
      • Producing a commercial product is not the principal concern, though if there is a commercial outcome that will be well and good.
      • All well and good, but I really can't see why people are bending over backwards (or forwards, in our case) for him.
      • Style is all well and good for a debut, but second albums require more substance and further expansion.
      • Moral high grounds, for instance, are well and good, and all else being equal of course we'd like to have them.

  • well and truly

    • Completely.

      Leith was well and truly rattled
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Even now, when the worst is well and truly behind us, it still makes me go cold just to write those words.
      • Sadly, those in a position to help here have, as we all know, dropped the ball well and truly.
      • There's definitely a copy at work, but the one here was well and truly out of date.
      • As any gambler will tell you, when your luck is out, it's well and truly out.
      • The clash of the news titans is well and truly on, and the stakes are high for everyone involved.
      • We're well and truly all mixed up now and it's a case of trying to get to know everyone again.
      • The days of authors being separated from the marketing machine are well and truly over.
      • The game was now well and truly over as a contest although Harps never gave up the chase.
      • The big-spending days which followed promotion are well and truly in the past.
      • Spring is sprung and the tourist season is well and truly under way in the North York Moors National Park.

  • well enough

    • To a reasonable degree.

      he liked Isobel well enough, but wouldn't want to make a close friend of her
      Example sentencesExamples
      • While everyone performs well enough, it is only in the closing arias that the opera comes alive.
      • Sure enough they started well enough and at half-time looked likely for the win.
      • He was fit enough and well enough to put up a very good performance, but Barry felt he just ran flat from the home turn.
      • He also seems to think I should understand this well enough to provide some kind of commentary.
      • He did well enough at school to get into a good university and he studied hard and graduated with flying colours.
      • Sorry, this list started off well enough, but just got sort of out of control.
      • Whatever it is you pursue, try to do it just well enough to remain in the middle third of the field.
      • Malton began well enough but having gained a three-point lead then let the game slip away.
      • I can sing well enough, especially when there's someone around to make the music for me.
      • Her previous two albums did well enough but failed to really penetrate into the mainstream.

  • well worth

    • Certainly worth.

      Salzburg is well worth a visit
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The book is well worth reading and you can make up your own minds.
      • Club meetings are held on the second Monday of every month and are well worth going to.
      • The nachos were a big hit at the table and for the price that we paid, the portion was well worth it.
      • So when they do speak out, it is worth noting that they have a serious concern well worth listening to.
      • The firewall requires a bit of study and time to configure but I think it's well worth the effort.
      • But if you can handle the pace, the rewards are well worth it.
      • Still on a nautical theme, the Tall Ship at Glasgow Harbour is well worth a look.
      • The climb is well worth the view as the Pike looks west to Manchester city centre and east to the Pennines.
      • The hotel has a number of special offers at various times of the year that are well worth investigating.
      • A short train journey to the north, Blair Atholl and Atholl Castle are well worth a visit.

Origin

Old English wel(l), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wel and German wohl; probably also to the verb will. Vowel lengthening in Middle English gave rise to the current Scots form weel.

well2

nounwelwɛl

  • 1A shaft sunk into the ground to obtain water, oil, or gas.

    Example sentencesExamples
    • Different concentrations of ground water nitrate were obtained by drilling irrigation wells into two aquifers.
    • Today, industrial energy moves water from wells beneath the earth, from river channels and over hills.
    • In India, more farmers now provide their own water via wells and pumps than rely on the government's irrigation system, which is based on a network of canals.
    • The water available in villages is drawn from wells sunk in tanks and lakes.
    • Considerations are now in progress to allocate a budget to drill 401 bore water wells for consumers and farmers.
    • Water companies have hundreds of different sources from rivers and reservoirs to ground water supplies and wells.
    • Water for human consumption was traditionally obtained from wells, ponds, or rivers.
    • Water flooding involves drilling water injection wells in a reservoir and pumping water into the field to push the oil towards the oil producing well bores.
    • New water wells and treatment facilities are in the progress of being constructed in addition to new delivery pipes being installed.
    • Most drinking water comes from municipal reservoirs, but people in isolated areas get their drinking water from wells.
    • Water from the wells is piped up to ground level where exchangers heat and cool it as needed.
    • On the arid plains of northern China, the depletion of shallow reservoirs has forced people to sink wells into aquifers more than 1 km below the surface.
    • One of the major advantages of a rig this size is that it can drill large diameter water wells, up to 500 mm to depths of 500 metres.
    • Even today, across many remote areas of the United States, wind-powered pumps draw water from wells to fill livestock watering troughs.
    • A geothermal heating system harvests local energy from the site by drawing water from forty wells extending four-hundred feet below ground level.
    • To ensure a reliable water supply for their garden and the house he sank two wells.
    • Although present in air, helium is commercially obtained from natural gas wells where it occurs in concentrations of between one and seven percent of the natural gas.
    • The residents said they depended on rain water or untreated water from wells and were sometimes forced to walk long distances in search of the commodity.
    • The water system has meant improved health among residents, who now need to spend less time carrying water from wells distant from their homes.
    • Results also show that 90 percent of those who participated in the study use their wells for drinking water.
    Synonyms
    borehole, spring, waterhole, bore, shaft
    1. 1.1archaic A water spring or fountain.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • A gurgling well sprang from the foot of the altar, saving the townspeople from dying of thirst.
      • By a gurgling well stood a handsome peasant woman with red arms, pouring water into the milk that she was going to carry to the city.
    2. 1.2
      short for inkwell
    3. 1.3Wells (in place names) a place where there are mineral springs.
      Tunbridge Wells
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Tenbury had the ‘Wells’ added to its name in the mid 19th century to help promote the Mineral Water Wells that had been found in the town from 1840 onwards.
      • The springs gave birth to the town and while Llandrindod Wells itself cannot be said to have been in existence much longer than a hundred years, there are landmarks in its development that span two or three centuries.
      • Tenbury Wells is a small ancient market town situated in the very north west of Worcestershire on the A456, close to the borders of Herefordshire and Shropshire.
    4. 1.4 A depression made to hold liquid.
      put the flour on a flat surface and make a well to hold the eggs
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The antibody was added to all wells of the plate.
      • Mix thoroughly with a fork, make a well in the center and set aside.
      • A small amount is withdrawn from each tube and loaded into separate wells of a polyacrylamide gel.
      • Make a well in the middle, add the oil, treacle and enough milk to combine and make a soft dough.
      • In the final step, the investigator cuts plugs to fit the wells of an agarose electrophoresis gel.
      • One of the challenges in this process has been filling the femtoliter wells with liquid.
      • The released liquids are gathered in wells specifically designed for that purpose.
      • Spoon the purée onto a serving dish, leaving a well in the centre.
      • Put the flour in a bowl and make a well in the centre.
      • There is no doubt that the observation of precipitation in the very small wells of the plates in question was subjective, and there is no doubt scope for differences of genuinely held opinions.
      • Stir in the dried yeast, then make a well in the centre.
      • Later on we saw other wells that were simply depressions in rock with water coming from an unknown source, green with cress, and perhaps housed in a 19th Century hut.
      • Form the mixture into a mound and create a well in the center.
      • Make a well in the center of the batter and add the pumpkin.

  • 2A plentiful source or supply.

    she could feel a deep well of sympathy and compassion
    Example sentencesExamples
    • The split was far from amicable and plunged the normally perky star into a well of depression and self-doubt.
    • There are deep wells of poverty in both which are a living reproach to their political representatives.
    • It proves that beneath the showmanship, there is real talent and a deep well of genuine feeling.
    • It is another job that requires individuals to plumb deep wells of patience.
    • Everywhere I've been I've found a deep well of energy and idealism.
    • It would be a shame if we were discouraging emerging scholars from reaching deeper into the bookstacks, from sending their buckets down deeper into the wells of knowledge.
    • It reminded me of all I had abandoned and have since fallen into a well of depression.
    • They might be great for the economy, or we could be running out public funding wells dry.
    • Do not tar them all with the same brush for there was a deep well of opinion in favour of the motion.
    • Conservatives tend to see this as detached from the deep theological wells of the tradition.
    • Similarly, many monochrome paintings are at once flat planes and deep wells of color.
    • Wlodek is a gentle man with laughing eyes, but there is a deep well of emotion when he talks.
    • This originative source is a well from which very different kinds of poems can be drawn up.
    • The Royal Navy in those years was a deep well of talent, creativity and confidence.
    • Caught in a web of feeling and confusion, Joe is drawn into ever deeper wells of irrationality as the aftermath of the incident unfolds.
    • The city was flush with new wealth and a bottomless well of optimism.
    • Do they visit in empathy, or is it something deep within the deepest well of their own ego that sends them on their mission?
    • At times optimism fails and I fall face first into the deep well of despair.
    • But our members have made it clear their deep well of goodwill is running dry.
    • Of course, not every theater company has such deep wells of musical talent on hand.
    Synonyms
    source, supply, wellspring, fount, fountainhead, reservoir, mine, fund, bank, repository, storehouse, treasury

  • 3An enclosed space in the middle of a building, giving room for stairs or an elevator, or to allow light or ventilation.

    Example sentencesExamples
    • You can apply insecticide around doors, windows, and vents, outside stairwells, window wells, along foundation, under lip of siding.
    • Using tinted glazing and deep, light-diffusing wells can help to compensate for this shortcoming, though neither is really a remedy.
    • Window wells and stairwells can present problems.
    • Hundreds of builders work like ants to construct walls, foundations, stairs, lift wells.
    • During the night a shell had fallen into the well of the building in which she and her husband had their flat.
    • A video taken on April 8, 2000 shows leaking in the window wells on the north face.
    • Inspect and clean gutters, leaders, window wells and drains of all leaves and debris and make sure gutters are firmly secure to the house.
    • The city provided sandbags and sand at its public works yard, he said, noting most people trying to prevent water from coming in through basement window wells needed relatively few sandbags.
    • White skylight wells - set above exposed rafters - bounce and diffuse sunlight into the room below, reinforcing the open, airy feeling.
    • A train of skylights with tangerine wells sprays color into an otherwise routine hallway.
    • It took four years and over £1m to build the Midland, its six storeys arranged in a figure of eight around two wells, allowing as much natural light to the interior as possible.
    • She places the pots in her home's window wells and covers them with leaves.
    • Skylights threw wells of illumination down through the still air into the hall, spotlighting the black and white tiled floor.
    • It is pulled inside and set in place before the front center console, lighted front door step wells and rear ‘kick guards’ are installed.
    1. 3.1British The place in a court of law where the clerks and ushers sit.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Also, only members of the bar are to be seated inside the rail and in the well of the Court.
      • To summarize, spoken language interpreters are stationed in the well of the courtroom only when there is a NES witness involved.
      • Other copies of which are available in the well of the court for any member of the public who wishes to read it.

  • 4US A shelf beneath the counter of a bar on which bottles of liquor are stored within easy reach of the bartender.

    you would have never heard of the label of the gin in the well in average bars
    Example sentencesExamples
    • The clear glass bottle features a thick bottom for an enriched, specialty look, while the long body and short neck creates an aesthetically taller appearance that also functions easily in the bartenders’ well.
    • Because the well holds your average liquor, and is easily accessed, most drinks are made from that location of the bar.
    • Well drinks are poured 'out of the well', a 'speed rack' of stock liquors kept at the bartender's station.
    1. 4.1as modifier Denoting or made with the relatively inexpensive brands of liquor stored in the well of a bar.
      happy hour is from 4 to 7 p.m. weekdays, with $4 well drinks and draft beers
      Compare with call (sense 10 of the noun)
      three shots of well tequila
      Example sentencesExamples
      • My ONLY qualm is that the $5 martini's are made with well vodka.
      • Drink specials, including small pitchers of beer for $4.25 and well drinks for $3.75, also are available.
      • Also, get draft beers and well drinks for $3.
      • I think I've been back once on a Wednesday for their $1 well drink special.
      • Wine, beer, and well drinks are all on us.
      • The free drink was a well drink or a beer, not bad.
      • You receive a tumbler with 2 cubes in it full of well gin, and a can of tonic.
      • I had Tanqueray and my friend was drinking well vodka.
      • To ease the week's woes, it's $2 off all draft beer and well spirits and $4 for a glass of house red or white wine.

  • 5Physics
    A region of minimum potential.

    a gravity well
    Example sentencesExamples
    • In effect the neutrons are caught in a vertical potential well: gravity pulls down, while atoms in the surface of the mirror push up.
    • Faced with the new electric fields introduced by the sound wave, the electrons and holes in the quantum well seek out their respective points of minimum energy in the presence of the fields.
    • Quantum wells consist of a thin sheet of crystalline semiconductor sandwiched between two sheets of another semiconductor.
    • Sandwiched in the middle of the semiconductor are two layers of quantum wells in which the electrons and holes are created and confined to a 2D world.
verbwelwɛl

  • 1no object, with adverbial (of a liquid) rise to the surface and spill or be about to spill.

    tears were beginning to well in her eyes
    Example sentencesExamples
    • Her vision blurred slightly with a sudden flow of tears that welled up in her eyes and she blinked them away.
    • Blood welled from the cut and dripped onto the front of her healer's robe.
    • It provides strong evidence for the main mechanism of continental drift - that is, spreading of the sea floor as new material wells up from the mantle.
    • Tears welled up in his eyes, and Javan let them stream down his cheeks.
    • The new cut on her hand glinted in the light, as the beads of blood welled up to the surface.
    • His eyes welled with tears as they rushed down his cheeks like waterfall.
    • Now we left Mankind behind and raced back to a time when the earth cracked open and molten lava welled out, at the end of the distant Mesozoic Age.
    • The pressure within the crust hadn't increased, as would be expected when molten rock wells up from below.
    • Blood welled upon around the angry wound and spilled over the skin's jagged edges.
    • She laughed softly until tears welled in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.
    • She just wanted to get out of there and she could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, threatening to spill over onto her cheeks.
    • The researchers think the water welled up from beneath the planet's surface about five million years ago.
    • It felt weird because when I bid Dad goodbye, I would usually have a sting in the bridge of my nose and tears would start welling up in my eyes.
    • As he thought the name, a single tear welled up and rolled down the Ursine's brown muzzle.
    • Morning loomed through the cloud of condensation that welled up out of Dan's sleeping bag, a breathing cave if ever there was one.
    • We're both quiet again, but I can feel angry tears welling up and starting to spill down my cheeks.
    • More oil and air welled up, and it was clear from other debris that the submarine was finished.
    • Then, abandoning her pride, she let the tears that had welled up, flow freely.
    • The oil is thought to have welled up from a small boat which sank on Monday after heavy rain caused the water level to rise.
    • Tears welled up in Mother's eyes, and I saw for the first time, her as a person.
    Synonyms
    flow, stream, run, rush, gush, course, roll, cascade, flood, surge, rise, spurt, spout, squirt, jet
    1. 1.1 (of an emotion) arise and become more intense.
      all the old bitterness began to well up inside her again
      Example sentencesExamples
      • A sinking feeling of despair welled up within her, threatening to swamp her completely.
      • A week passed, and Enzo couldn't contain the excitement welling up inside of him.
      • Paul was taken aback by the fatherly protective instincts that seemed to well up from deep inside him.
      • Avril held onto his hand her eyes pleading with sadness welling inside.
      • His breath came in quick, shallow gasps as anxiety and panic welled up inside him.
      • Emotion welled up inside her, and tears slowly coursed their way down her cheeks.
      • Fury welled up inside my heart and began to push out through my throat.
      • She leaned against the wall, anger and sadness welling up inside her as she thought about what had happened.
      • The intense feeling welled up within her and shone from her eyes like dark beacons.
      • Faith heard his door close and sighed deeply from the happiness welling up inside of her.
      • That might have been me, I thought, alarmed by the unsavory jealousy welling up inside.
      • As the Birdwoman stood in front of the window admiring the dress, an urge started to well up inside her.
      • I look around at the paper walls and feel frustration welling up inside me - I want to cry, but nothing comes, I'm numb to it all.
      • A feeling of rebellion welled up inside of her and she wanted nothing more to do then slam her door and lock herself in.
      • Feeling irritation welling up inside of me, I jerked my arm free of her grasp and walked towards the cart to do just that.
      • Each time she thought of his name, a mix of pleasure and anticipation welled up inside her.
      • One could sense the drama welling up blocks away from the auditorium at Sacramento State.
      • He nodded and you could see confidence welling up inside him.
      • Anger was welling up inside of me as this family continued to use offensive language towards their relative.
      • Rage welled up inside of me and all I could see was red.

Origin

Old English wella, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wel and German Welle ‘a wave’.

adv..1
phr.
noun.1
 
 
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更新时间：2024/12/25 22:11:28