Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A deep hole or shaft sunk into the earth to obtain water, oil, gas, or brine.
  • noun A container or reservoir for a liquid, such as ink.
  • noun A place where water issues from the earth; a spring or fountain.
  • noun A mineral spring.
  • noun A watering place; a spa.
  • noun An abundant source.
  • noun An open space extending vertically through the floors of a building, as for stairs or ventilation.
  • noun An enclosure in a ship's hold for the pumps.
  • noun A compartment or recessed area in a ship, used for stowage.
  • noun A part of a ship's weather deck enclosed between two watertight bulkheads.
  • noun A cistern with a perforated bottom in the hold of a fishing vessel for keeping fish alive.
  • noun An enclosed space for receiving and holding something, such as the wheels of an airplane when retracted.
  • noun Chiefly British The central space in a law court, directly in front of the judge's bench, where the counsel or solicitor sits.
  • intransitive verb To rise to the surface, ready to flow.
  • intransitive verb To rise or surge from an inner source.
  • intransitive verb To pour forth.
  • adverb In a good or proper manner.
  • adverb Skillfully or proficiently.
  • adverb Satisfactorily or sufficiently.
  • adverb Successfully or effectively.
  • adverb In a comfortable or affluent manner.
  • adverb In a manner affording benefit or gain; advantageously.
  • adverb With reason or propriety; reasonably.
  • adverb In all likelihood; indeed.
  • adverb In a prudent or sensible manner.
  • adverb In a close or familiar manner.
  • adverb In a favorable or approving manner.
  • adverb Thoroughly; completely.
  • adverb Perfectly; clearly.
  • adverb To a suitable or appropriate degree.
  • adverb To a considerable extent or degree.
  • adverb With care or attention.
  • adverb Entirely; fully.
  • adjective In a satisfactory condition; right or proper.
  • adjective Not ailing, infirm, or diseased; healthy. synonym: healthy.
  • adjective Cured or healed, as a wound.
  • adjective Of or characterized by the maintenance of good health practices. Often used in combination.
  • adjective Advisable; prudent.
  • adjective Fortunate; good.
  • interjection Used to introduce a remark, resume a narrative, or fill a pause during conversation.
  • interjection Used to express surprise.
  • idiom (as well) In addition; also.
  • idiom (as well) With equal effect.
  • idiom (in well with) In a position to influence or be favored by.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To issue forth, as water from the earth or from a spring; spring; flow up or out.
  • To boil.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English welle, from Old English; see wel- in Indo-European roots.]

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English wel, from Old English; see wel- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Old English weallan. Cognate with German wallen ("boil, seethe"), Danish vælde ("gush"), Albanian valoj ("I boil, seethe").

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Old English well ("well")

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English wel, wal, wol, wele, from Old English wel, wæl, well ("well, abundantly, very, very easily, very much, fully, quite, nearly"), from Proto-Germanic *walō (“well”, literally "as wished, as desired"), from Proto-Indo-European *wel- (“wish, desire”). Cognate with Scots wele, weil ("well"), North Frisian wel, weil, wal ("well"), West Frisian wol ("well"), Dutch wel ("well"), Low German wol ("well"), German wol, wohl ("well"), Danish vel ("well"), Swedish väl ("well"), Icelandic vel, val ("well"). Non-Germanic cognate include Albanian vallë ("well, perhaps, wishfully"). Related to will.

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Examples

Comments

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  • That's a deep subject.

    April 9, 2007

  • Hey guys! I'm Ukrainian and working on my translation from English into Ukrainian I faced a problem translation this sentence: water was deep down the well. Could you perephrase it for me so I can get wht the author meant here?

    March 17, 2013

  • @lydunka - my feeling is that the well was nearly dry, so the water level in the well was very low. More rope required to reach the water, and more time and effort required to hoist the bucket.

    March 17, 2013

  • oh thank you! I figured it out yesterday myself but wasn't sure abt it! Thnx a lot!!

    March 18, 2013