Will vs. Well: What’s the Difference?
Will (verb)
To wish, desire (something). 9th-18th c.
“Do what you will.”
Will (verb)
To wish or desire (that something happen); to intend (that). 9th-19th c.
Will (verb)
To habitually do (a given action). from 9th c.
Will (verb)
To choose to (do something), used to express intention but without any temporal connotations (+ bare infinitive). from 10th c.
Will (verb)
Used to express the future tense, sometimes with some implication of volition when used in the first person. Compare shall. from 10th c.
Will (verb)
To be able to, to have the capacity to. from 14th c.
“Unfortunately, only one of these gloves will actually fit over my hand.”
Will (verb)
To wish, desire. 9th–19th c.
Will (verb)
To instruct (that something be done) in one’s will. from 9th c.
Will (verb)
To try to make (something) happen by using one’s will (intention). from 10th c.
“All the fans were willing their team to win the game.”
Will (verb)
To bequeath (something) to someone in one’s will (legal document). from 15th c.
“He willed his stamp collection to the local museum.”
Will (noun)
One’s independent faculty of choice; the ability to be able to exercise one’s choice or intention. from 9th c.
“Of course, man’s will is often regulated by his reason.”
Will (noun)
One’s intention or decision; someone’s orders or commands. from 9th c.
“Eventually I submitted to my parents’ will.”
Will (noun)
The act of choosing to do something; a person’s conscious intent or volition. from 10th c.
“Most creatures have a will to live.”
Will (noun)
A formal declaration of one’s intent concerning the disposal of one’s property and holdings after death; the legal document stating such wishes. from 14th c.
Will (noun)
That which is desired; one’s wish. from 10th c.
Will (noun)
Desire, longing. (Now generally merged with later senses.) from 9th c.
“He felt a great will to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.”
Well (adverb)
Accurately, competently, satisfactorily.
“He does his job well.”
Well (adverb)
Completely, fully.
“a well done steak”
“We’re well beat now.”
Well (adverb)
To a significant degree.
“That author is well known.”
Well (adverb)
Very (as a general-purpose intensifier).
Well (adverb)
In a desirable manner; so as one could wish; satisfactorily; favourably; advantageously.
Well (adjective)
In good health.
“I had been sick, but now I’m well.”
Well (adjective)
Good, content.
““How are you?” — “I’m well, thank you!””
Well (adjective)
Prudent; good; well-advised.
Well (interjection)
Used to acknowledge a statement or situation.
““The car is broken.” “Well, we could walk to the movies instead.””
““I didn’t like the music.” “Well, I thought it was good.””
““I forgot to pack the tent! Well, I guess we’re sleeping under the stars tonight.””
Well (interjection)
An exclamation of surprise, often doubled or tripled.
“Well, well, well, what do we have here?”
Well (interjection)
An exclamation of indignance.
“Well! There was no need to say that in front of my mother!”
Well (interjection)
Used in speech to express the overcoming of reluctance to say something.
“It was a bit… well… too loud.”
Well (interjection)
Used in speech to fill gaps; filled pause.
““So what have you been doing?” “Well, we went for a picnic, and then it started raining so we came home early.””
Well (interjection)
Used as a greeting
“Well lads. How’s things?”
Well (noun)
A hole sunk into the ground as a source of water, oil, natural gas or other fluids.
Well (noun)
A place where a liquid such as water surfaces naturally; a spring.
Well (noun)
A small depression suitable for holding liquid or other objects.
“Make a well in the dough mixture and pour in the milk.”
Well (noun)
A source of supply.
Well (noun)
A vertical, cylindrical trunk in a ship, reaching down to the lowest part of the hull, through which the bilge pumps operate.
Well (noun)
The cockpit of a sailboat.
Well (noun)
A compartment in the middle of the hold of a fishing vessel, made tight at the sides, but having holes perforated in the bottom to let in water to keep fish alive while they are transported to market.
Well (noun)
A vertical passage in the stern into which an auxiliary screw propeller may be drawn up out of the water.
Well (noun)
A hole or excavation in the earth, in mining, from which run branches or galleries.
Well (noun)
An opening through the floors of a building, as for a staircase or an elevator; a wellhole.
Well (noun)
The open space between the bench and the counsel tables in a courtroom.
Well (noun)
The lower part of a furnace, into which the metal falls.
Well (noun)
A well drink.
“They’re having a special tonight: $1 wells.”
Well (noun)
The playfield of Tetris and similar video games, into which the blocks fall.
Well (noun)
In a microtiter plate, each of the small equal circular or square sections which serve as test tubes.
Well (verb)
To issue forth, as water from the earth; to flow; to spring.
Well (verb)
To have something seep out of the surface.
“Her eyes welled with tears.”
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