wel

See also: Appendix:Variations of "wel"

Translingual

Symbol

wel

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

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)

   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

• danwel
• evenwel
• hoewel
• jawel
• jeweetwel
• oftewel
• ofwel
• wel eens
• wel-
• welgang
• welgesteld
• weliswaar
• welles
• welletjes
• welstand
• welvaart
• welvaren
• welzijn

 

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-Germanic *wallijō.

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

Middle Dutch

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wel/

Adverb

wel (comparative bat or beter, superlative best)

1. well

Alternative forms

• wāle

Descendants

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

Further reading

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

Middle English

Alternative forms

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

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

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

References

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

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

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

References

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

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

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

References

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

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)

infinitive I	wel
infinitive II	(tu) welen
past participle	wulen
imperative singular	—
imperative plural	—
	present	past
1st singular	wal	wul
2nd singular	wääl	wulst
3rd singular	wal	wul
plural	wel	wul
	perfect	pluperfect
1st singular	haa wulen	hed wulen
2nd singular	heest wulen	hedst wulen
3rd singular	hee wulen	hed wulen
plural	haa wulen	hed wulen
	future (skel)	future (wel)
1st singular	skal wel	wal wel
2nd singular	skääl wel	wääl wel
3rd singular	skal wel	wal wel
plural	skel wel	wel wel

Conjugation of wel (Sylt dialect)

infinitive I	wel
infinitive II	(tö) welen
past participle	wul
imperative	—
	present	past
1st singular	wel	wul
2nd singular	wet	wut
3rd singular	wel	wul
plural / dual	wel	wul
	perfect	pluperfect
1st singular	haa wul	her wul
2nd singular	heest wul	herst wul
3rd singular	heer wul	her wul
plural / dual	haa wul	her wul
	future (skel)	future (wel)
1st singular	skel wel	wel wel
2nd singular	sket wel	wet wel
3rd singular	skel wel	wel wel
plural / dual	skel wel	wel wel

Alternative forms

• wale (Mooring)

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *hwehwlą.

Noun

wel n (plural welen) (Föhr-Amrum)

1. wheel
2. bike, bicycle

Alternative forms

• fiilj (Mooring)
• Weel (Sylt)

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

• IPA^(key): /wel/

Adverb

wel (comparative bet, superlative betest)

1. well

Descendants

• 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)

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

• IPA^(key): /wɛl/
• Rhymes: -ɛl

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