Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A well-trodden path is used regularly by a large number of people, and therefore looks worn and is easy to see. □  He made his way along a well-trodden path towards the shed.

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] You can use well-trodden , especially in expressions such as a well-trodden path and well-trodden ground , to indicate that a plan or course of action has been tried by a lot of people and so the result of it is easy to predict. □  Political power has long been a well-trodden path to personal wealth. □  These working parties will be going over well-trodden ground.

we ll ve rsed also well-versed ADJ If someone is well versed in a particular subject, they know a lot about it. □ [+ in ] Page is well versed in many styles of jazz.

we ll-wisher (well-wishers ) also wellwisher N‑COUNT [usu pl] Well-wishers are people who hope that a particular person or thing will be successful, and who show this by their behaviour. □  The main street was lined with well-wishers.

we ll-wo rn also well worn

1 ADJ A well-worn expression, remark, or idea has been used so often that it no longer seems to have much meaning or to be interesting. □  To use a well-worn cliche, it is packed with information.

2 ADJ A well-worn object or piece of clothing has been worn or used so frequently that it looks rather old and untidy. □  …well-worn brown shoes.

wel|ly /we li/ (wellies ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Wellies are long rubber boots which you wear to keep your feet dry. [BRIT , INFORMAL ]

welsh /we lʃ/ → see welch

Welsh

1 ADJ Welsh means belonging or relating to Wales, or to its people, language, or culture. ● N‑PLURAL The Welsh are the people of Wales.

2 N‑UNCOUNT Welsh is the language that is spoken in some parts of Wales.

Welsh|man /we lʃmən/ (Welshmen ) N‑COUNT A Welshman is a man who was born in Wales and considers himself to be Welsh.

welt /we lt/ (welts ) N‑COUNT A welt is a mark which is made on someone's skin, usually by a blow from something such as a whip or sword.

wel|ter /we ltə ^r / QUANT A welter of something is a large quantity of it which occurs suddenly or in a confusing way. [WRITTEN ] □ [+ of ] …patients with a welter of confusing symptoms. □ [+ of ] …the welter of publicity that followed his engagement.

wench /we ntʃ/ (wenches ) N‑COUNT A wench was a girl or young woman who worked as a servant or served people food or drink. [OLD-FASHIONED ]

wend /we nd/ (wends , wending , wended ) PHRASE If you wend your way in a particular direction, you walk, especially slowly, casually, or carefully, in that direction. [LITERARY ] □  Sleepy-eyed commuters were wending their way to work.

We ndy house (Wendy houses ) N‑COUNT A Wendy house is a small toy house for a child to play in. [BRIT ] in AM, use playhouse

went /we nt/ Went is the past tense of go .

wept /we pt/ Wept is the past tense and past participle of weep .

were /wə ^r , STRONG wɜː ^r /

1Were is the plural and the second person singular of the past tense of be .

2Were is sometimes used instead of 'was' in certain structures, for example in conditional clauses or after the verb 'wish'. [FORMAL ] □  He might withdraw if he were allowed to keep part of a disputed oil field.

3as it were → see as ➊

we're /wiːə ^r / We're is the usual spoken form of 'we are'. □  I'm married, but we're separated.

weren't /wɜː ^r nt/ Weren't is the usual spoken form of 'were not'.

were|wolf /weə ^r wʊlf/ (werewolves ) N‑COUNT In stories and films, a werewolf is a person who changes into a wolf.

west ◆◆◆ /we st/ also West

1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft the N ] The west is the direction which you look towards in the evening in order to see the sun set. □  I pushed on towards Flagstaff, a hundred miles to the west. □  The sun crosses the sky from east to west.