wel

1. (international standards)ISO 639-2/Blanguage code forWelsh.

• IPA^(key):/ʋɛl/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation:wel
• Homophone:Well
• Rhymes:-ɛl

FromMiddle Dutchwel, fromOld Dutch*wela,wala, fromProto-Germanic*wela, fromProto-Indo-European*welh₁-. CompareGermanwohl,Englishwell,Icelandicvel,Swedishväl,Danish andNorwegianvel.

wel

1. the opposite ofnot(used to add positive emphasis to the verb, much like the auxiliariesdo ordoes in affirmative sentences in English)

   Ik dacht dat je niet van golf hield? — Ik houwél van golf!

   I thought you didn't like golf? — Ido like golf!

   Je zietwel dat...

   You [can]certainly see that...

   Ik ken hemwel, maar niet goed.

   Ido know him, but not well.

   Maar wat wil je danwel?

   Well then, whatdo you want?

2. no less than, as much as, as many as(expressing amazement)

   Zij heeftwel twaalf uur gewerkt vandaag!

   She has workedno less than twelve hours today!

3. fairly

   Ik voel mewel aardig, maar niet echt goed.

   I feelfairly decent, but not really good.

4. (dated,dialectal)well

   Wat God doet, dat iswel gedaan.

   What God does, that iswell done.

   "Dat iswel gedacht," zeide hij.

   "That iswell thought through, " he said.

• In sense 1, the word is often strongly stressed (especially when directly contradicting a negative statement or question) and may therefore be written with an accent,wél, as is common in written Dutch to indicate emphasis.
• Usingwel as adverbial form ofgoed is rare. Usually, the adjective is used in its bare form (as with other adjectives).
• The use ofwel in the sense of "fairly", while quite idiomatic, is very unemphatic. When translating to English, it is usually best to leave it out.

• Afrikaans:wel
• Negerhollands:wel
• Skepi Creole Dutch:wel
• → Kwinti:wel

From the adverbwel.

wel n (uncountable)

1. weal(general state ofwell-being and prosperity)

FromMiddle Dutch*welle, fromOld Dutch*wella, fromProto-West Germanic*wallijā, fromProto-Germanic*wallijǭ.

wel f (pluralwellen,diminutivewelletje n)

1. (rare)well,source

(Thisetymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at theEtymology scriptorium.)

wel c (pluralwellen,diminutivewelletje n)

1. well;shaft(excavation made for the extraction of mineral resources)

See the etymology of the correspondinglemma form.

wel

1. inflection ofwellen:
   1. first-personsingularpresentindicative
   2. (in case ofinversion)second-personsingularpresentindicative
   3. imperative

FromOld Dutch*wela,wala, fromProto-Germanic*wela.

• IPA^(key):/wel/

wel (comparativebatorbeter,superlativebest)

1. well

• wāle

• Dutch:wel
  • Afrikaans:wel
  • Negerhollands:wel
  • Skepi Creole Dutch:wel
  • → Kwinti:wel
• Limburgish:wèl,waal

• “wel (III), wale”, inVroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek,2000
• Verwijs, E.,Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “wel (I)”, inMiddelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff,→ISBN, page I

• well,weel,weele,wele,welle
• (rare, adverb only)wulle,wille,wal,wol

FromOld Englishwel, fromProto-Germanic*wela.

• IPA^(key):/wɛl/,/wɛːl/,/weːl/

wel (comparativebettre,bet,superlativebest)

1. Well, amazingly, expertly; in a good or excellent way:
   • Geoffrey Chaucer

     Fulwel she sange the service devine, / Entuned in hire nose ful swetely.

   1. Fittingly,suitably; in a fitting way.
   2. Correctly,accurately; in an accurate way.
   3. Stoutly,boldly,bravely; with courageousness.
   4. In an easilydiscernible orunderstood manner.
   5. (rare) In a way suggesting acutediscernment orreasoning.
   6. With nochallenge,struggle, orhardship.
   7. In a large quantity or amount;copiously orplenteously.
2. Withcare, attention, orfastidiousness:
   1. Mindfully; with care taken to others'wishes orbeliefs.
   2. Painstakingly; with care taken to include or incorporatedetails.
   3. Cautiously; with care taken to avoidmistakes.
3. In a way that is appealing or pleasing to someone or some standard:
   1. Traditionally; in the prescribed or proper way.
   2. Virtuously, morally, religiously; according to morals.
   3. Healthily; in a way displaying goodhealth and condition.
   4. Beautifully; in a way pleasing to senses orsensibilities.
   5. Kindly,approvingly; in a way causing respect.
4. To or with a great extent or depth:extensively,comprehensively:
   1. In an intensifying sense;highly,greatly,very.
   2. In a superlative sense;incredibly,really,extremely.
   3. Totally,entirely; in a way that encompasses everything
   4. With theright orrequired depth or efficacy; enough.
   5. In afinal or decisive manner; withfinality.
5. Luckily,fortuitously; with good luck or fortune.
6. In a rigid or secure way;stably orfixedly.
7. For a suitable or fitting reason or cause;appropriately.
8. As much as; to the specified extent, not smaller than.
9. Around,about(a given quantity or measure)
10. (semi-interjectional) Probably, maybe,potentially.
11. (rare) Truthfully, honestly; in a heartfelt way.

• English:well
• Geordie English:weel
• Scots:weel,wele,weil,weill
• Yola:waal,wull,well,wel,vella(before consonant)

• “wel,adv.”, inMED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.:University of Michigan,2007, retrieved2019-02-17.

wel (comparativebet)(almost always predicative)

1. Lucky; experiencing good luck or fortune.
2. Good,worthy,commendable; of good quality or moral status.
3. Wealthy,prosperous,accomplished; experiencing success.
4. Pleased,happy,glad; experiencing happiness.
5. Healthy; experiencing good health and/or in good condition.
6. Fine,acceptable,suitable,useable; having no problems.
7. (rare) Having good grooming or personal hygiene.

• English:well
• Scots:weel,wele,weil,weill

• “wel,adj.”, inMED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.:University of Michigan,2007, retrieved2019-02-17.

wel

1. Used topreface orbegin astatement orsituation.
2. Used toacknowledge or reply to astatement orsituation.
3. Used to indicate victory, realisation, or overcoming.

• English:well
• Scots:weel,wele,weil,weill

• “wel,adv.”, inMED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.:University of Michigan,2007, retrieved2019-02-17.

FromOld Frisianwella, willa.

wel(Föhr-Amrum,Sylt)

1. towant
2. shall,will(future tense auxiliary verb)

• The verbswel andskel have the same conjugation. On Föhr and Amrum, these are among the five highly irregular verbs along withkem,wed,wees. The Sylt conjugation is also irregular, but less markedly so.

• wale(Mooring)

FromProto-Germanic*hwehwlą.

wel n (pluralwelen)(Föhr-Amrum)

1. wheel
2. bike,bicycle

• fiilj(Mooring)
• Weel(Sylt)

FromProto-Germanic*wela, fromProto-Indo-European*welh₁-. Akin toOld Frisianwela,Old Saxonwela,Old High Germanwola,Old Norsevel,Gothic𐍅𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌰(waila).

• IPA^(key):/wel/

wel (comparativebet,superlativebetest)

1. well
   • 10th century,The Wanderer:

     Til biþ sē þe his trēowe ġehealdeþ, · ne sċeal nǣfre his torn tō ryċene
     beorn of his brēostum ācȳþan, · nemþe hē ǣr þā bōte cunne,
     eorl mid elne ġefremman. ·Wel bið þām þe him āre sēċeð,
     frōfre tō fæder on heofonum, · þǣr ūs eal sēo fæstnung stondeð.

     Good is that keeps his belief, should not ever unfold his wrath,
     fighter of his breasts, too quickly, unless before this help he would
     know how to help out a man with strength. It'sgood for him who seeks
     help from the Father in heavens, where this whole fastening stands for us.

• Middle English:wel,well,weel,weele,wele,welle,wulle,wille,wal,wol
  • English:well
  • Geordie English:weel
  • Scots:weel,wele,weil,weill
  • Yola:waal,wull,well,wel,vella(before consonant)

Cognate withHalkomelemwô:l(“cattail”).

wel

1. cattail,bullrush

FromEnglishoil.

wel

1. oil

wel

1. slippery
2. tricky;cunning
3. inedible
4. feral

Borrowed fromEnglishwell.

• IPA^(key):/wɛl/
• Rhymes:-ɛl

wel

1. well

wel

1. Alternative form ofwaal(“well”)
   • 1867, “VERSES IN ANSWER TO THE WEDDEEN O BALLYMORE”, inSONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 1, page100:

     A laafe ing lemethès chotewel ta ba zang,

     A leaf in tatters, I knowwell to be sung,

• Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor,A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published1867,page100