Middle English Dictionary Entry
wel-fāre n.
Entry Info
| Forms | wel-fāre n. Also welfar, welfair(e, welefar(e, welefair, wellefare, wilfare, wilfaire, (N & NEM) weilfare. |
| Etymology | Prob. originally from wel adv. & fāren v. but later construed as from wel adj. & fāre n.(1). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) General well-being; prosperity (of a person, realm, etc.); good fortune, success; also, a state of prosperity or well-being;
(b) a safe or secure condition; physical or spiritual health; a state of good health; physical soundness (of a structure) [quot. 1453]; the soundness of the marital bond [quot. a1400]; also, salvation; also, astrol. a state of maximum planetary influence and power [quot. ?c1450]; restoren to ~, to restore (the sick) to health; also, of Christ’s passion: restore (mankind) to moral and spiritual health;
(c) delight, joy; ease of mind or body;
(d) a source or an embodiment of well-being, security, happiness, etc.; also applied to a person [quot. c1450(1369)].
Associated quotations
a
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)88/471 : Enuy…is a sorowe…of the welefare And ioy of the yuel fare of our euen-cristen.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2076 : Welþe and welfare I have him wrouȝt.
- a1400 Preste ne monke (Cleo B.2)47 : If þai no helpe of houswyues had, whan husbandes are not Inne, þe freres welfare were ful bad.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1359 : The whos welfare and hele ek God encresse…that upward in degree It growe alwey.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)2 Mac.9.19 : To the beste citeseyns, Jewis, moost heelthe and welfare [L bene valere], and to be riche, ether in prosperite, the kyng and prince Antiok.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.Lear (Göt Hist 740)370 : Leir…was put fro all his welfar.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)60/22 : He scholde nat avaunce him to tell tidingis to his prince be flaterie, the which myghte meve him to anger…ayens the willfare of any othir.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)386/33 : Offer a tapir of a serge byfore þe auter or þe crucifix…in token þat þe trewe disciple knowlechith…þat hee haue alle his hele and welfare in þis vnstabil tyme onely of his dyuine spowse.
- c1450(c1400) ?Clanvowe Cuckoo & N.(Frf 16)144 : Louers…most enduren…wo and care, And, at the last, failen of her welfaire.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)3 : He exercisyd his knyghtly labowris…for all the comon welleffare of that noble royaulme.
- c1450 Yk.BPrayer(2) (Yk-M 16.M.4)69/13 : Itt may be louyng to god…profet and weillfare to þe rem and…senchyp to ouer enmyse.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.20/16 : I…ȝefe and graunt…for þe helth of þe Kyng and þe welefar of all þe Reame…alle þat is myne.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)92/33 : In officers may be gret preiudice to the welfar of a realme or of a lordeshipp.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.298 : In a wol plenteuous contre…þey wern mor enclynyd to lecherye for welfare þan to robberye for mysfare.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)1224 : She…was maide, modir, & wiff…Which to remembre hath brouht gostly gladnesse Of all weelfar.
- a1500 St.Brendan Conf.(Lamb 541)8/80 : I haue be sory of her encrees in goodnes…in welfare, and in welþe.
- -?-(1435) Doc.in Power Craft Surg.315 : The foure maistris…to moderate it…to the fortheryng of the present profite, helthe, and welfare of goddis peple & the kingis.
b
- (?1387) Wimbledon Serm.(Corp-C 357)70/152 : Ȝif þou wilt now be recheles of þyn owen welfare…tongis…mowen not telle þe sorwe and woo þat þou shalt suffre.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.838 : Arueragus in al this care Hath sent hire lettres hom of his welfare.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)1715 : Ȝyf þou fordost þe weylfare Betwyx þo þat weddyde are.
- a1425 LChart.Chr.C (Roy 17.C.17)641/127 : To mak þi charter of þi wele-fare, parchemen to fynde wyst I neuer ware.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)77/31 : Seldom haue I sene þis reule faile…bot…it holdeþ noȝt euer, þat is if þe sekenez go agayne to wele-fare.
- (?1438) Let.Ferrers in WANHSM 18 (Lngl 3)12 : And hit lyke yow to here of my wellfare, I have ben ryte seke sythen I come fro yow.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.2 Merch.(Hrl 2255)266 : No cost wold he spare To haue restoored the sike to weelfare.
- (1450) Doc.in Morsbach Origurk.()36 : John Rope towke fro my said maistre…in his secnesse his purse…wen my maistre reuerted…j herd my…maistre say in his prosperite and wil-faire…yat my said maistre neuer seled deed…to…john Rope.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)7/25 : He wold the welfair of the Cristen people.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)7/33 : For the welefair of the prisoners of the batell and of all Cristen, he become Saresyn, but his hertt was all wey to Gode.
- ?c1450(a1388) Wallingford Exafrenon (Dgb 67)213 : Than is the planete in wele fare and prosperite.
- (1453) LRed Bk.Bristol2.205 : All summes of monei…to be putte in a Cofre bi me made and assigned vndir iiij keies lokkid…to thentent that hit shall be suerli kept for the welfare of the saide Chaunterie and good mentenaunce therof.
- (c1456) Paston2.149 : Hit shuld be to greet hurt to my bodyly weelfare.
- (?1466) Stonor1.77 : Y recomand me unto yowe, desyryng to here of yower wellefare and prosperyte of body and sawle.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)9235 : Thow art bounde to deuyse Hys goostly elthe & wel-ffare.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)158b/a : If he brake not, it is to triste of his welfare.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)183/10 : Þe soule…descendith to þe sqwolow of hell, and…receyuith a gouernauns fro þe hede with-owte hope of wellfar.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)1512 : Whos [Christ’s] blissid passion is our restoratiff…Tasswage the bollyg of al our mortal striff…To all weelfare makyng [read: mankynd] to restore, Helpith al seeknesse whan lechis can no more.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.225 : His welfare Is whanne he wot an other care.
- c1400(?c1384) Wycl.50 HFriars (Bod 647)385 : Þus for love of money and wilfare of hor body þei leeden oure lond oute of…rightwisenes.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Satan & P.(Corp-C 296)265 : Þei seyn & meyntenen þat clerkis may…lyue in pompe & worldly welfare as lordis.
- ?c1450 Chaucer HF (Pep 2006)682 : Thow shalt here…Mo wondre thynges…And more Iolite and wellfaire.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.324 : Ȝif his moodyr telle hym…of þe swetnesse & welfare þat is out of prisoun, al hyr tale is but a drem to þe child.
d
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3256 : Fare-wel þanne my myrthe &…my welfare.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.228 : As in wynter leves ben biraft…Lith Troilus byraft of ech welfare.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)1040 : Certes she was, that swete wif, My suffisaunce, my lust, my lyf…My worldes welfare, and my goddesse.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)450/12 : Þer was a knyght þat lefte all his…wurshuppis and his welefaris, and made hym a monk.
2.
Rich, sumptuous, or overabundant food and drink; high living; also, sumptuousness (of food and drink), abundance, plenty.
Associated quotations
- a1400 Ancr.(Pep 2498)147/2 : Ȝif any is þe crasker for wel fare forto done synne…þou may liȝthlich gete þe pyne for hym.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)6.8 : Ich hadde myn hele…and louede wel fare.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.3434 : In-to þis lond…Repeire shal…Plente, welfare, & fulsom abundaunce.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Prelates (Corp-C 296)61 : Þei…han…welfare of mete & drynk þere þei myȝtten vnneþe before haue bene-bred & watir or feble ale.
- c1450(a1400) Lavynham Treat.7 Dead.Sins (Hrl 211)17/8 : Of sodome þis was þe wickidnesse: pride, welfare of mete & drinke, & ydilnesse.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)5/9 : I am your bruther, bod trewlie nowder your kirtyll…nor your welefare at your meate is my sister.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.72.51b : He…chesiþ þe lust and þe likynge of his flesch in delisses and welfare of mete and drinke.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.308 : Ȝong folc waxyn rebel to fadir & moodir & ȝeuyn hem to…ryot & welfare & to ydylchep.
- a1500 GRom.(Glo 42)736/4 : The Emperour hath don Cry ageneralle feste And all þat…wolde come…schuld haue grete welfar.
- a1600(1472) Rec.Bluemantle (Jul C.6)387 : As touchinge to ye abondant welfare, lyke as hyt ys accordinge to soche a banket.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)731 : Alle freres eten nouȝt y-lich good mete, But after þat his wynnynge is is his well-fare.
3.
As surname; also, as ship name.
Associated quotations
- (1275) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames374 : Simon Welfare.
- (1305) Court R.Lond.()221 : [The ship called] Welefare.
- (1332) Nickname in SAU 63201 : Galfr. Welfare.