well

well¹ in a good way; healthy

Etymology

The adverb is inherited from Middle English wel,^[3][4] inherited from Old English wel,^[3][5][6] from Proto-Germanic *wela,^[3][7] cognate with Old Frisian wel, Old Saxon wela, Dutch wel, Old High German wola and German wohl, Old Norse vel and Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌰 (waila).^[5][8][4][1] The OED and Barnhart derive it from the same Germanic base as will, to wish,^{[8][5][9][10]} and Etymonline, following Watkins, traces it to Proto-Indo-European *wel- (“to wish, will”), also the source of Latin volō (“to wish”) and Welsh gwell (“better”);^[3] Ayto calls this probable and links voluntary and wealth.^[1] Klein explains the original meaning as "according to one's will".^[4] The adjective developed from the adverb in predicative and impersonal constructions, with a dative of the person affected.^[8][11][12]

Earliest recorded meaning

Abundantly, very much; indeed; with good reason; in a satisfactory way: Old English wel, recorded about 725 in Beowulf, both as an adverb and predicatively, of a state of good fortune.^[3][5]

Semantic evolution

Already in Old English wel was the usual adverb matching good, a pairing that the OED thinks was inherited from Germanic.^[8] It was used very broadly for an action done successfully, rightly or properly,^[3] and in Old English also as an interjection.^[3][5] By the mid-12th century it could be a mere intensifier, as in it may well be, while from the late 12th century it meant "in good health, soundly".^[3] The adjective grew out of predicative uses by a gradual reanalysis, and predicative use still predominates;^[8] Ayto dates true adjectival use to the 13th century,^[1] Etymonline to about 1200, with the sense "happy, fortunate".^[3] The sense "satisfactory" followed in the late 14th century,^[3] and "in good health" in 1555.^[5] Might as well and as well as are from the late 14th century.^[3] Lengthening of the vowel in Middle English gave the Scots form weel.^[10] Many compounds are old: well-nigh is from before 1122, well-made from 1297, well-to-do from 1825.^[5]

Timeline

• c. 725 – adverb, well; and predicatively, in good fortune, in Beowulf.^[5]
• before 899 – interjection, introducing a remark, in Alfred's translation of Boethius.^[5]
• before 1122 – well-nigh, almost.^[5]
• mid-12th century – intensifier, as in may well be.^[3]
• late 12th century – adverb, in good health, soundly.^[3]
• c. 1200 – adjective, fortunate, happy.^[3] The OED's first record of the adjective is from 1225.^[8]
• late 14th century – adjective, satisfactory, and the phrases might as well and as well as.^[3]
• 1555 – adjective, in good health.^[5][3]
• 1659 – noun, the well, healthy people.^[9]
• 1722 – noun, chiefly British, as in let well alone.^[9]
• 1825 – well-to-do.^[5]

Meanings

Adverb

1. In a good, satisfactory or skilful way: The meeting went well.^[13][9]
2. Rightly or properly, in keeping with a good standard of conduct.^[9][8]
3. Thoroughly, or to a considerable degree: well after midnight.^[13][11]
4. Kindly or favourably: They think well of her.^[13][8]
5. Closely, intimately: I knew her mother well.^[13]
6. Comfortably, in prosperity: They now live very well on his pension.^[13][11]
7. Reasonably, fittingly: We can't very well leave now.^[13]
8. as well: also, in addition, and as well as: and also.^[3]

Adjective

1. In good health: I don't feel well.^[3][5][11]
2. Satisfactory; in a good state: All is well.^[5][3]
3. Advisable, desirable: It would be well to check first.^[8]
4. (archaic) Happy, fortunate.^[12][11]

Interjection

1. Used to introduce a remark or resume a story, or to express surprise, doubt, resignation or agreement: Well, let's see.^[9][5]

Word family

• well-being
• unwell
• wellness
• well-nigh
• well-off
• well-to-do

well² spring, shaft for water

Etymology

The noun is inherited from Middle English welle,^[3][5][4] inherited from Old English wella, also welle in Anglian and wielle in West Saxon.^{[3][5][11][4]} Etymonline and Barnhart derive it from the Old English causative verb given below;^[3][5] the OED derives it from the same Germanic base as weallan (“to boil, bubble up”).^[8][11] Its cognates include Old Frisian walla (“spring”), Old High German wella (“wave”) and German Welle (“wave”).^[5][8][4][9] The verb is inherited from Middle English wellen, inherited from Old English wiellan, Anglian wellan, "to cause to boil", a causative of weallan;^{[3][5][12][8]} by the start of Middle English it had begun to take over the intransitive senses of weallan, which survived in dialect as late as 1894.^[8][5] Weallan is from Proto-Germanic *wallaną,^[3][2] cognate with Old Saxon wallan, Old High German wallan, German wallen, Old Norse vella and Gothic 𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌰𐌽 (wulan, “to bubble, boil”).^[3][5][4] Watkins (in Etymonline) and Klein trace it to Proto-Indo-European *wel- (“to turn, roll”), but Etymonline quotes Boutkan's doubt that the meanings fit well.^[3][4] Ayto relates wallow, waltz and welter.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

A spring of water rising from the ground: Old English welle, recorded before 830,^[5][3] with the OED's first quotation from the bounds of a charter.^[8]

Semantic evolution

Ayto explains the word as originally a place where water bubbles up, a notion better kept in the verb, which first meant to boil and then to melt metal, and which produced weld.^[1][8] In Old English the noun already meant both a spring and a pit dug to reach water,^[8] and it was used figuratively for an abundant source of something.^[3][8] Springs believed to have miraculous or healing power were called wells,^[8] and since 1673 the plural wells named a resort with mineral springs.^[8] Later senses come from the shape of a shaft: the shaft round a ship's pump by the 1610s, the open shaft for stairs in a building by 1700, and since 1841 any enclosed space like a well, as in inkwell.^[3] The modern shaft may be sunk for oil, gas or brine as well as water.^[14] The verb's sense "to boil" was obsolete by the end of the 16th century;^[8] its modern sense, of water rising and flowing, is recorded from before 1200,^[8][5] of blood or other fluids from about 1330,^[8] and Hoad dates its use of tears rising to the eyes to the 14th century.^[11]

Timeline

• before 830 – noun, a spring of water; in Old English also a pit dug for water and, figuratively, a source.^[5][8][3]
• before 1000 – verb, to cause to boil (obsolete after 1596).^[5][8]
• before 1200 – verb, of water, to spring up and flow.^[8][5]
• before 1250 – verb, to melt metal (obsolete after 1570).^[8]
• c. 1330 – verb, of blood or other fluids, to flow from a wound.^[8]
• 1424 – verb, to soften metal by heat, later to weld.^[8]
• 1610s – noun, the shaft round a ship's pump.^[3]
• 1673 – wells, a resort with mineral springs.^[8]
• 1700 – noun, the shaft for stairs in a building.^[3]
• 1841 – noun, any enclosed space like a well, as for ink.^[3]
• 1860 – verb, of vapour or smoke, to rise up.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. A deep shaft or hole sunk into the ground to reach water, oil, gas or brine.^[14][8]
2. A natural spring of water, or a pool fed by one; formerly especially one held to be holy or healing.^[9][8][14]
3. (in plural) A spa or resort with mineral springs.^[8]
4. An abundant source of something: She was a well of good advice.^[8][3]
5. A container or hollow for a liquid, such as ink.^[14][3]
6. A vertical shaft through the floors of a building for stairs, or around a ship's pump.^[3]

Verb

1. Of a liquid, to rise to the surface and flow out: Water welled up between the stones.^[9][8]
2. Of tears, to rise into the eyes.^[9][11]
3. (obsolete, Old English–1596) To boil.^[8][12]

Word family

• wellhead
• wellspring
• stairwell
• inkwell
• wellhouse