|
| well [ wel ] |
noun (plural wells) |
|
| Definition: |
| |
1. hole made to draw up fluids: a hole or shaft that is dug or drilled into the ground in order to obtain water, brine, petroleum, or natural gas
  an oil well
get their water from a well
|
2. source of something: a source providing a freely and abundantly available supply of something
a well of information
|
3. container for liquid: a container or sunken area for holding ink or another liquid
a well on a cutting board
|
4. vertical passage in building: a vertical space within or enclosed by a building, often used as a passageway for stairs or elevators or for air and light
|
5. enclosure for ship's pumps: an enclosed area in the hold of a ship in which the pumps are located
|
6. shipboard container for fish: a compartment in a fishing boat in which freshly caught fish are held
|
7. enclosing compartment: a compartment that encloses or is used to store something temporarily such as the retracted wheels of an aircraft in flight
|
8. spring of water: a place where water comes out of the ground as a natural spring or forms a natural pool
(
often used in place names
)
|
verb (past and past participle welled, present participle well·ing, 3rd person present singular wells) |
|
| Definition: |
| |
1. transitive and intransitive verb rise or bring to surface: to rise or flow to the surface from inside the ground or the body, or cause something to do this
Tears welled up in his eyes.
The fountain welled a stream of clear water into the basin below.
|
2. intransitive verb grow stronger: to surge from within or grow stronger so as to threaten to burst forth
Fear welled up inside me.
|
| [ Old English wella "spring of water," wellan "boil" < Indo-European, "turn"] |
