Main Entry: ¹well

Pronunciation: \ˈwel\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English welle, from Old English; akin to Old English weallan to bubble, boil, Old High German wella wave, Lithuanian vilnis

Date: before 12th century

1 a : an issue of water from the earth : a pool fed by a spring b : source, origin
2 a : a pit or hole sunk into the earth to reach a supply of water b : a shaft or hole sunk to obtain oil, brine, or gas
3 a : an enclosure in the middle of a ship's hold to protect from damage and facilitate the inspection of the pumps b : a compartment in the hold of a fishing boat in which fish are kept alive
4 : an open space extending vertically through floors of a structure
5 : a space having a construction or shape suggesting a well for water
6 a : something resembling a well in being damp, cool, deep, or dark b : a deep vertical hole c : a source from which something may be drawn as needed
7 : a pronounced minimum of a variable in physics <a potential well>