wel

• IPA^(key): /ʋɛl/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛl

From Middle Dutch wel, from Old Dutch *wela, wala, from Proto-Germanic *wela, from Proto-Indo-European *welh₁-. Compare German wohl, English well, Icelandic vel, Swedish väl, Danish and Norwegian vel.

wel

1. The opposite of not (used to add positive emphasis to the verb, much like the auxiliaries "do" or "does" in affirmative sentences in English)

   Ik dacht dat je niet van golf hield? — Ik hou wél van golf!

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

   Je ziet wel dat...

   You [can] certainly see that...

   Ik ken hem wel, maar niet goed.

   I do know him, but not well.

   Maar wat wil je dan wel?

   Well then, what do you want?

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

   Zij heeft wel twaalf uur gewerkt vandaag!

   She has worked no less than twelve hours today!

3. fairly

   Ik voel me wel aardig, maar niet echt goed.

   I feel fairly decent, but not really good.

4. (dated, regional) well

   Wat God doet, dat is wel gedaan.

   What God does, that is well done.

   "Dat is wel gedacht," zeide hij.

   "That is well thought through, " he said.

• In sense 1, the word is often strongly stressed (especially when directly contradicting a negative statement or question) and therefore written with an accent: wél.
• Using wel as adverbial form of goed is rare. Usually, the adjective is used in its bare form (as with other adjectives).
• The use of wel 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

From the adverb wel.

wel n (uncountable)

1. weal (general state of well-being and prosperity)

From Middle Dutch *welle, from Old Dutch *wella, from Proto-Germanic *wallijō.

wel f (plural wellen, diminutive welletje n)

1. (rare) well, source

wel c (plural wellen, diminutive welletje n)

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

See the etymology of the main entry.

wel

1. first-person singular present indicative of wellen
2. imperative of wellen

From Old Dutch *wela, wala, from Proto-Germanic *wela.

• IPA^(key): /wel/

wel (comparative bat or beter, superlative best)

1. well

• wāle

• Dutch: wel
  • Afrikaans: wel
• Limburgish: wèl, waal

• “wel (III), wale”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• “wel (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, 1929

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

From Old English wel, from Proto-Germanic *wela.

• IPA^(key): /wɛl/, /wɛːl/, /weːl/

wel (comparative bettre, bet, superlative best)

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

     Ful wel 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 easily discernible or understood manner.
   5. (rare) In a way suggesting acute discernment or reasoning.
   6. With no challenge, struggle, or hardship.
   7. In a large quantity or amount; copiously or plenteously.
2. With care, attention, or fastidiousness:
   1. Mindfully; with care taken to others' wishes or beliefs.
   2. Painstakingly; with care taken to include or incorporate details.
   3. Cautiously; with care taken to avoid mistakes.
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 good health and condition.
   4. Beautifully; in a way pleasing to senses or sensibilities.
   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 the right or required depth or efficacy; enough.
   5. In a final or decisive manner; with finality.
5. Luckily, fortuitously; with good luck or fortune.
6. In a rigid or secure way; stably or fixedly.
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
• Scots: weel, wele, weil, weill

• “wel (adv.)” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-02-17.

wel (comparative bet) (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.)” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-02-17.

wel

1. Used to preface or begin a statement or situation.
2. Used to acknowledge or reply to a a statement or situation.
3. Used to indicate victory, realisation, or overcoming.

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

• “wel (adv.)” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-02-17.

wel

1. (Föhr-Amrum Dialect) to want
2. (Föhr-Amrum Dialect) shall, will (future tense auxiliary verb)

• wel, wal, wääl, wul, and wulen were previously written as well, wall, wäl, wull and wullen respectively.

• ƿel

From Proto-Germanic *wela, from Proto-Indo-European *welh₁-. Akin to Old Frisian wela, Old Saxon wela, Old High German wola, Old Norse vel, Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌰 (waila).

• IPA^(key): /wel/

wel (comparative bet, superlative betest)

1. well

• Middle English: wel, well, weel, weele, wele, welle
  • English: well
  • Scots: weel, wele, weil, weill

From English oil.

wel

1. oil

wel

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

Borrowed from English well.

• IPA^(key): /wɛl/

wel

1. well

From Old Norse væla.

• IPA^(key): [wèːɽ]

  Rhymes: -èːɽ

wel

1. to cry, to wail