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wel

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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See also: Appendix:Variations of "wel"

Translingual

Etymology

Clipping of English Welsh.

Symbol

wel

  1. (international standards) ISO 639-2/B language code for Welsh.

See also

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch wel, from Middle Dutch wel.

Adverb

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)
    Ek ken hom wel, net nie baie goed nie.
    I do know him, just not very well.

Dutch

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʋɛl/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: wel
  • Homophone: Well
  • Rhymes: -ɛl

Etymology 1

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.

Adverb

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)
    Synonym: al (obsolete, dialectal)
    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, dialectal) 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.
Usage notes
  • 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.
  • 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.
Derived terms
Descendants
  • Afrikaans: wel
  • Negerhollands: wel
  • Skepi Creole Dutch: wel
  • → Kwinti: wel

Etymology 2

From the adverb wel.

Noun

wel n (uncountable)

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

Etymology 3

From Middle Dutch *welle, from Old Dutch *wella, from Proto-West Germanic *wallijā, from Proto-Germanic *wallijǭ.

Noun

wel f (plural wellen, diminutive welletje n)

  1. (rare) well, source

Etymology 4

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

wel c (plural wellen, diminutive welletje n)

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

Etymology 5

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

wel

  1. inflection of wellen:
    1. first-person singular present indicative
    2. (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
    3. imperative
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Middle Dutch

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

Adverb

wel (comparative bat or beter, superlative best)

  1. well

Alternative forms

Descendants

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

Further reading

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Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /wɛl/, /wɛːl/, /weːl/

Adverb

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.

Descendants

References

Adjective

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.

Descendants

References

Interjection

wel

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

Descendants

References

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North Frisian

Etymology 1

From Old Frisian wella, willa.

Verb

wel (Föhr-Amrum, Sylt)

  1. to want
  2. shall, will (future tense auxiliary verb)
Usage notes
  • The verbs wel and skel have the same conjugation. On Föhr and Amrum, these are among the five highly irregular verbs along with kem, wed, wees. The Sylt conjugation is also irregular, but less markedly so.
Conjugation
Conjugation of wel (Föhr-Amrum dialect)
More information infinitive I, infinitive II ...
Conjugation of wel (Sylt dialect)
More information infinitive I, infinitive II ...
Alternative forms

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *hwehwlą.

Noun

wel n (plural welen) (Föhr-Amrum)

  1. wheel
  2. bike, bicycle
Alternative forms
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Old English

Etymology

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).

Pronunciation

Adverb

wel (comparative bet, superlative betest)

  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's good for him who seeks
      help from the Father in heavens, where this whole fastening stands for us.

Descendants

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Squamish

Etymology

Cognate with Halkomelem wô:l (“cattail”).

Noun

wel

  1. cattail, bullrush

Tok Pisin

Etymology

From English oil.

Noun

wel

  1. oil

Adjective

wel

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

Welsh

Etymology

Borrowed from English well.

Pronunciation

Interjection

wel

  1. well

Yola

Adverb

wel

  1. alternative form of waal (“well”)
    • 1867, “VERSES IN ANSWER TO THE WEDDEEN O BALLYMORE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 1, page 100:
      A laafe ing lemethès chote wel ta ba zang,
      A leaf in tatters, I know well to be sung,

References

  • 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, published 1867, page 100
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