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Definition well in British English

well adverb

adverb
/wel/

Well is used for making many compound adjectives (=formed from two or more words). In this dictionary, these adjectives appear with a hyphen and this is how you will normally see them when they are not used before a noun: a well-known actor

When these compound adjectives are used after a noun, however, they are usually written without a hyphen: She is well known for her work in TV.

1

in a skilful or effective way

Example

She speaks Japanese well.

Example

He plays the piano very well for someone of his age.

Synonyms and related words
1.1

in a way that is satisfactory

Example

The boys were not behaving very well.

Example

I can see pretty well without my glasses.

Synonyms and related words
1.2

in a complete or thorough way

Example

Shake the can well before opening.

Example

I don't know these people very well.

Synonyms and related words
2

very, or very much: used for emphasizing what you are saying

Example

Rostov was well aware of the scandal he was creating.

Example

A trip to the new museum is well worth the effort.

Synonyms and related words
2.1

used for emphasizing that a period of time or a distance is long

Example

Pete left the party well before you got there.

Example

Paula finished the race well ahead of the other runners.

Synonyms and related words
3

to know a lot about something; to be well-informed about something

Example

I'm not very well up on international affairs.

Definition well in British English

Related Words

Words related to well:

a well-kept secret (phrase) all is well (phrase) all’s well that ends well (phrase) (all) well and good (phrase) artesian well (noun) as well (phrase) be all very well (phrase) be doing well (phrase) do well by someone (phrase) get well (soon) (phrase) jolly well (phrase) just as well (phrase) know perfectly well (phrase) may as well (phrase) mean well (phrase) ne’er-do-well (noun) oh well () oil well () photograph (phrase) speak well (phrase) the worried well (noun) travel well (phrase) very well (phrase) wear well (phrase) well (adverb) well (interjection) well (adjective) well (noun) well (verb) well done (phrase) Well, I never (did) (phrase) well, well (phrase) well-adjusted (adjective) well-advised (adjective) well-appointed (adjective) well-balanced (adjective) well-behaved (adjective) well-being (noun) well-born (adjective) well-bred (adjective) well-brought-up (adjective) well-built (adjective) well-chosen (adjective) well-connected (adjective) well-defined (adjective) well-disposed (adjective) well-documented (adjective) well-done (adjective) well-dressed (adjective) well-earned (adjective) well-educated (adjective) well-endowed (adjective) well-established (adjective) well-fed (adjective) well-fitting (adjective) well-formed (adjective) well-founded (adjective) well-groomed (adjective) well-grounded (adjective) well-heeled (adjective) well-hung (adjective) well-informed (adjective) well-intentioned (adjective) well-kept (adjective) well-known (adjective) well-liked (adjective) well-mannered (adjective) well-matched (adjective) well-meaning (adjective) well-meant (adjective) well-nigh (adverb) well-off (adjective) well-oiled (adjective) well-paid (adjective) well-preserved (adjective) well-read (adjective) well-received (adjective) well-regarded (adjective) well-respected (adjective) well-rounded (adjective) well-run (adjective) well-spoken (adjective) well-stocked (adjective) well-thought-of (adjective) well-thought-out (adjective) well-thumbed (adjective) well-timed (adjective) well-to-do (adjective) well-travelled (adjective) well-tried (adjective) well-trodden (adjective) well-turned (adjective) well-turned-out (adjective) well-versed (adjective) well-wisher (noun) well-woman (adjective) well-worn (adjective) wishing well (noun) worried well (noun)