well-being 
6876 
well-knit 
well-deck (wel'dek), n. An open space on the well-found (wel'found), a. Found to be well 
main deck of a ship, inclosed like a well by the 
bulwarks and partial higher decks forward and 
aft. 
The question of the freeboarj of steamers of the ipell- 
deck type is again being brouglit before tile notice of 
Lloyd's by the shipowners of the northeast coast. 
The Engineer, LXV. 468. 
well-decker (werdek"er), n. A ship having a 
well-deck 
West Hartlepool are weU-deckern. 
The ICn;/ineer, LXVII. 
192. 
It behoves not a wise Nation to commit the sum of thir 
vjellbeillff, the whole state of thir .Safety, to Fortune. 
Milton, Free Commonwealth. 
No test of the physical well-beinii of society can be 
named so decisive as that which is furnished by bills of 
mortality. Mfu-aidaii, Southey's Colloiiuies. 
well-beloved (wel'be-luv'ed), a. Greatly bo- 
loved; very dear. Sometimes used substan- 
tively. 
Myrrh is my well-beloved unto me. Cant. i. 13. 
The mil-beloved Brutus. Shah., .1. C, iii. 2. 180. 
well-beseeming (werbe-se'ming), a. Properly 
or duly beseeming; suitably becoming. 
In a noble Prince nothing is more decent and welbe- 
seeminr/ his greatnesse than to spare foule speeches. 
Putteuham, Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 249. 
Rome's royal empress, 
ITiifurnish'd of her welt-bexeemimj troop. 
Shak., Tit. And., ii. 3. r)6. 
well-beseent (wel'be-sen'), a- Well-looking; 
fine in appearance; showy. 
The llriton Prince him readie did awayte, 
In glistering amies right goodly icell-hfseene. 
Spenner, F. Q., V. viii. 29. 
well-bestrutted (wel 'bo- strut 'ed), a. [See 
strut, V.I Fully stretched or distended; swelled 
out. 
And well bestrutted bees sweet bagge. 
Ilerrick, Hesperides (Oberoii's Feast). 
well-boat (wel'bot), «. A fishing-boat ]iro- 
vided with a live-well; a smack-boat or smack. 
[Canada and New Eng.] 
well-borer (wel'bor'er), II. A person engaged 
in or an instrument used for boring wells. ,, , . , ,,,..,. s . ^. ,, i • 
well-boring (wel'b6r''ing),N. A method of sink- Well-doing (wel do'ing), a. Acting well; doing 
ing wells by drilling or boring through rock, what is right or satisfactory. 
these wells often extending to a great depth. The jfcWi/oini; steed. 5Aa*., Lover's Complaint, 1. 112. 
Percussion drilling is most used for this pur- -well-drain (wol'dran), ii. 1. A drain or vent, 
pose. Compare OI/-WC?/, uil-dcrriek, etc. somewhat like a well or pit, serving to discharge 
well-bom (wcl'born), «. 1= G. woMf/cIiorcn ; the water of wet land.— 2. A drain leading to 
or good; approved; commendable. 
Gerard de Narbon was my father; 
In what he did profess well found, 
Shak., All's Well, ii. 1. 105. 
Many live comparatively Well-found lives. 
Forlniglttly Rev., N. 8., XIX 728. 
well-founded (wel'foun'ded), a. Founded on 
good reasons; having strong probability; not 
baseless: as, M;c//-/ottHrf«rf suspicions. 
A large proportion of the steamei-s built and owned at well-givent (wel'giv'n), a. Given to what is 
well-deedt, «. [< ME. weMedc, wclileed, < AS. 
tocMMd (= OHG. ivolatdt = Goth, wailadeds) ; as 
luell^ + deed.'] Benefit. 
well-disposed (wel'dis-pozd'), a. Of a good or 
favorable disposition; in a kindly or friendly 
state of feeling; well-willed. 
You lose a thousand well-disposed hearts. 
Shnk., Rich. IL, iL 1. 206. 
Rome well-disposed persons have talien offence at ray 
using the word free-thinker as a term of reproach. 
Steele, Tatler, No. 136. 
well or good ; well-meaning ; well-intentioned. 
Why are you a burthen to the world's conscience, and 
an eye-sore to well-given men ? 
Dekker and Webster, Westward Ho, ii. 2. 
well-govemort, «• [ME. vd-gouvemour (ir. Ij. 
qui bene preecHi).] One who governs well. 
Tlic prestis that lien wel nouemmiris. 
Wyclif, 1 Tim. v. 17. 
well-graced (wel'grast), a. Held in good grace 
or esteem ; viewed with favor ; popular. 
The eyes of men. 
After a well-graced actor leaves the stage. 
Are idly bent on liim that enters next 
Sliak., Rich. IL, v. 2. 24. 
well-doer (wel'do'er), M. One who does well, , ,, . ^ mt ^ >- 
a performer of good deeds or actions: opposed -welljgrassjwel gras)^, h^ T?„w^.t. !r'""n!.!l.„™ 
to evil-doer. '""' " " """ "•"■"■ " "~ 
well-doing (wel'do'ing), n. [< ME. well-doing; 
< well^ + doing.] Good conduct or action. 
The cristin ne myght bet litill space endure, ne hadde 
be the well dtdwje of the v knyghtus. 
Merlin (E. E. T. S.X iii. 550. 
Let us not be weary in weU doling. Gal. vi. 9. 
as welP + liorti^ . ] Of high or respectable birth ; 
not of low origin. 
The term icell-hom was a contemptuous nickname given 
to the Federalists. 
MeMastei; People of United States, I. 469. 
a well or pit 
well-drain (wel'dran), V. t. [< well-drain, »(.] 
To drain, as land, by means of wells or pits, 
which receive the water, and from which it is 
discharged by machinery, 
well-breathed (wel bretht),^;. Long-breathed; vrell-dressing (wel'dres'ing), ii. The decora- 
having good wind; strong of lung. 
On thy xcell-breath'd horse keep with thy hounds. 
Shak., Venus and Adonis, 1. 678. 
well-bred (wel'bred), (I. 1. Of good breed- 
ing; polite; cultivated; refined. 
For lictter luve I that bonnie boy 
Than a' your weel-bred men. 
Ladye Diamowl (Child's Ballads, II. 383). 
A moral, sensible, and well-bred man 
"Will not affront ine, and no other can. 
Coivper, Conversation, 1. 193. 
2. Of good breed, stock, or race, as a domestic 
animal. Compare half-bred, thoroughbred. 
well-bucket (wel'buk'et), H. A vessel for 
drawing up water from a well: often used in 
pairs, one ascending while the other descends. 
It is usually of wood, and barrel-shaped; in 
some parts of Europe copper vessels are used. 
The muscles arc so many well-buckets; when one of them 
acta and draws, 'tis necessary that the other must obey. 
Dryden. 
well-carriaged (wel'kar'iijd), a. Of good car- 
riage or deportment; well-mannered. [Karc] 
The mistress of the house, a pretty well-carriaged 
woman. Pepys, Diary, I. 317. 
well-carset, "• [Also 8c. well-kerse; ME. welle 
came, < AS. wi/lle-ciersc, water-cress, < wyllc, 
well, spring, + cserse, cress: see wcll^ and 
c/'e.s-.s-.] Water-cress. 
Ich rede no faithful frere at thy teste sytte; 
3Ut were me leuere, by oure lord, lyue by wellc-carses 
'I'han hauc my fode and my fymiynge of false menne wyn- 
nyngcs. JHers Plowman (C), vii. 292. 
well-chain (vvel'chan), )(. A chain attached to 
a buekf^t or a pair of buckets, and used with 
a windlass, for drawing water from a well. 
well-conditioned (wel'kon-dish'ond), a. [< 
ME. well coiidieiimd ; < welP + conditioned.] In 
good or favorable condition ; in a desirable state 
of being: ns, a ivell-conditioned mind. Prompt. 
Pnrv., p. ."i21. 
well-conducted (wel'kon-duk'ted), a. 1. Prop- 
erly led; under good conduct: as, a wcll-con- 
ducted e.xpeclitioii. — 2. Characterized by good 
conduct; acting well or ]iroperly; well-be- 
haved: as, a well-conduct<d person or commu- 
turtium officinale. Also welUgirse. Compare 
well-carse. [Scotch.] 
well-grounded (wel'groun'ded), a. Having 
good grounds or reasons ; well-based ; well- 
founded. 
well-head (wel'hed), n. The source of a natu- 
ral well or spring. 
To-walten [overflowed] alle thyse wetle-hedez [of the del- 
uge] & the water flowed. 
Alliterative Poems (ed. Morris), ii. 428, 
Old well-heads of haunted rills. Tennyson, Eleanore. 
well-hole (wel'hol), «. 1. A deep, narrow, per- 
pendicular cavity, as the space from top to bot- 
tom of a house round which stairs turn ; also, 
an inclosure in which a balancing-weight rises 
and falls, etc. — 2. The well-room of a boat. 
well-house (wel'hous), ». A room or small 
house built round a well, for dairy and other 
domestic uses. 
I lately had standing in my vxU-house ... a gre.it caul- 
dron of copper. Ilarman, Caveat for Cursetors, p. 25. 
tion of wells and springs with flowers, etc 
accompanied by religious observances, prae- yrell-informed (werin-fomid'), a. Possessed 
tised at set times in England (especially at Tis- 
sington, in Derbyshire, on Ascension day) and 
elsewhere. Also called u-ell-flowering. 
Fetlchism survives in the honours paid to wells and 
fountains, common in Germany and in some i>ai't8 of 
Franco, and in England known under the name of uvil- 
dressing. Keary, Prim. Belief, p. 87. 
well-drill (wel'dril), n. A tool or drill used in 
boring wells. 
well-earned (wel'emd), a. Thoroughly de- 
served ; fully due on account of action or con- 
duct : as, a well-C(irned punishment. 
well-faced (wel'fiist), a. Of good face or as- 
pect. [Kare.] 
He that hath any well-faced phancy in his Crownc, and 
doth not vent it now, fears the pride of his owne heart will 
dub him dunce for ever. N. Ward, Simple Coblor, p. 2. 
well-famed (wel'famd), a. Of great fame; 
famous ; celebrated. 
Heet. I thank thee, most imperious Agamemnon. 
Agam. [To Troilus.] My ](W(-/rt7n<'d lordof Troy, uolcss 
to you. Shak., T. and C, iv. 5. 173. 
well-fard (wel'fiird), a. [He., also wcel-fard, 
veilfaurt; a dial, contraction of well-favored.] 
Weil-favored. 
Now hold your tongue, my irell-far'd maid, 
Lat a' your moiirtdng be. 
John o' Hazdgreen (t'hild's Ballads, IV. 86). 
wellfaret, ". An obsolete spelling of irclfarc. 
well-faringt (wel'far'ing), (1. [Cf. fnre^, v., 6.] 
Well-seeming; fine-appearing; handsome. 
Therwithal of brawnes and of bones 
A wel-faringe persone for the nones. 
Chaucer, Prol. to Monk's Tale, 1. 54. 
well-favored (wel'fa'vord), a. Being of good 
favor or appearance ; good-looking; comely. 
Rachel was beautiful .ind well favnured. Gen. xxix. 17. 
To be a iveU-favoured man is the gift of fortune. 
Shak., Much Ado, iii. 3. 16. 
well-fed (wel 'fed), a. Showing the result of 
good feeding ; in good condition ; fat ; plump. 
And well-fed sheep and sable oxen slay. 
Poiie, Iliad, xxiii. 20.5. 
well-curb (wel'kerb), ». A curb or inclosure well-flowering (werflou"er-ing), «. Same as 
around and above the to[) of a well. See cut icell-dressing, 
under po::::o. Makes this feast of the well-fiowering one of the most 
^ ' ., „ I , .. , , , beautiful of all the old customs that are left in " Merrie 
Losson ... sat on the well-cnrb, shouting bad language England " y. and Q, 7th ser. III. 457. 
down to the parrot. ,", „ * , . ,,«./\ V^ , *'* * , x* 
Ji. Kipling. In the Matter of a Private. Well-fOUghtcnt (wel fa'tll), a. Bravely fought. 
of full information on a wide variety of sub- 
jects. 
welling (wel'ing), n. [Verbal n. of well^, v.] 
An outpouring, as of liquid or gas. 
Wellington boot. 1. A riding-boot with leg 
extending upward at the rear to the angle of 
the knee, and high enough in front to cover the 
knee. So called because the pattern issupposed to have 
been introduceil by the Duke of Wellington, who wore such 
boots in his campaigns. 
2. A similar boot, somewhat shorter, worn un- 
der the trousers, and fitting the leg closely. 
No gentleman could wear anything in the daytime but 
Wellington boots, high up the leg, over which the trousers 
fitted tightly, covering most of the foot, and secured un- 
derneath by a Ijroad strap. 
K Vates, Fifty Years of London Life, I. ii. 
Wellingtonia (wel-ing-to'ni-ii), H. [NL. (Lind- 
ley, 1853), named after the Duke of Wellington : 
see WeUingtonian.] A name much used in Eng- 
land for tiie big trees of California, which has 
given way to the earlier name Sequoia under 
the rule of priority. See Sequoia (with cut). 
Wellingtonian (wel-ing-to'ni-an), a. [< Well- 
ington (see def.) -1- -tan.] Of or pertaining to 
the first Duke of Wellington (Arthur Wellesley, 
1769-1852), a British general and statesman. 
The Wellingtonian legend was once as strong in Eng- 
land as the Napoleonic in France. 
The Academy, No. 906, p. 159. 
well-intentioned (wel'in-ten'shond). a. C\\a,T- 
acterized by or due to good intentions ; meaning 
well ; well-meant ; intended for good. 
The publicity and control which the forms of free 
constitutions provide for guarding even well-intmtionrd 
rulers against honest errors. Brougham. 
"Immorl.ility inherent in Nature" . . . \a&weUinlen- 
tinned argument. The American, XI. 44. 
well-judged (wel'jujd), a. Treated or done 
with good judgment; correctly estimated or 
calculated; judicious; wise. 
The well-judg'd purchase, and the gift. 
That grac'd his letter'd store. 
Cowper, Burning of Lord Mansfield's Library. 
well-knit (wel'nit), a. [< iccll- + Inif, jip.] 
Firmly compacted ; strongly framed or fixed. 
O well-knit Samson ! strong-jointed Samson ! 
Shak., L. L. L., i. 2. 77. 
His soul vxll-knit, and all his battles won, 
Momits, and that hanlly, to eternal life. 
M. Arnold, Iminort«lity. 
