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 1606. Shakspeare, Macbeth, ii. 1. 20. I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters.

Weism, subs. (literary).—The excessive use of 'we' in journalism: cf. Wegotism.

Well, adv. (American).—An elliptical use of well is peculiar to American speech, especially at the beginning of sentences, as a mere expletive or in answer to questions. [Lowell, Biglow Papers, Int.: 'Put before such a phrase as "How d'e do?" it is commonly short, and has the sound of wul; but, in reply, it is deliberative, and the various shades of meaning which can be conveyed by difference of intonation, and by prolonging or abbreviating, I should vainly attempt to describe. I have heard ooa-ahl, wahl, ahl, wǎl, and something nearly approaching the sound of le in able. Sometimes before "I" it dwindles to a mere l; as, "l I dunno." A friend told me that he once heard five "wells," like pioneers, precede the answer to an inquiry about the price of land. The first was the ordinary wul, in deference to custom; the second, the long, perpending ooahl, with a falling inflection of the voice; the third, the same, but with the voice rising, as if in despair of a conclusion, into a plaintive, nasal whine; the fourth, wulh, ending in the aspirate of a sigh; and then, fifth, came a short, sharp wal, showing that a conclusion had been reached.']

To dig a well at a river, verb. phr. (old).—To act the fool, do the unnecessary (Ray).

To put one in a well (in the garden, or in a hole), verb. phr. (old).—1. To defraud an accomplice of his share of booty: also to well one (Grose).

2. (common).—To inconvenience, nonplus, or get the better of.

Well-in, adj. phr. (Australian).—Well-off, well-to-do, wealthy.

1891. Boldrewood, A Sydney-side Saxon, 1. He's a well-in squatter that took up runs or bought them cheap before free-selection, and land-boards, and rabbits, and all the other bothers that turn a chap's hair grey before his time.

Wellington, subs. (common).—In pl. = (1) long-legged boots largely worn in the early part of the last century: they came well up the leg, high enough in front to cover the knee and to the bend of the knee behind. Also (2) shorter boots of similar pattern covering the calf of the leg, and worn (usually) under the trousers: cf. Blucher, Albert, Gladstone, etc. [A favourite campaigning foot-gear of the Duke of Wellington.]

d. 1821. Keats, Modern Love. Miss's comb is made a pearl tiara, And common Wellingtons turn Romeo boots.

1821. Coombe, Dr Syntax, iii. v. His gaiters, with dust covered o'er, Were seen upon his legs no more, But when he rode his top-boots shone, Or hussar'd à la Wellington.

1884. Yates, Fifty Years London Life, i. ii. 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 underneath by a broad strap.