(a) A natural source of water, forming a fountain, pool, or stream; a natural spring; the water produced or contained in such a spring or pool; also fig. and in fig. context; also, a fabulous or miraculous fountain, spring, or pool having magical or supernatural properties; ~ (of the wateres) of lif, ~ of quik water, lifes ~, the fountain of life (living waters); ~ of youth (youthhede), the fountain of youth; aungeles ~, the waters of paradise; cresses of the ~, the common watercress (Rorippa nasturtium aquaticum or Nasturtium officinale) [cp. welle-cresse n.]; hot welles, natural hot springs; salt welles, wells or springs producing salt water, salt pools; waken the ~, to keep a vigil at a well; (b) the source or headwater of a river; hed and ~; (c) a font or spring of oil, fire, etc.

(a) A man-made fountain or conduit; a tap on a conduit; also, the water produced by such a fountain or conduit; (b) a shaft or pit dug to reach an underground spring or reservoir; also, a structure housing or providing access to such a shaft or pit; also in fig. context; ~ werk.

In cpds. and combs.: (a) ~ cresse, q.v.; ~ ground, the bottom of a well; welle(s hed, hed ~, the source of a spring-fed pool or stream, a spring creating the headwaters of a river; ~ place, the site of a spring or well; ~ spring, q.v.; ~ strem, q.v.; welles strem, a bubbling, running stream; ~ strinde (stronde), a stream flowing from a spring; spring ~ [see spring n. 1.(b)]; washinge ~, fig. a font of spiritual cleansing; (b) ~ water [OE wille-wæter], welles water, well water, spring water; (c) draue (draught) ~, a well from which water must be drawn up in a bucket; (d) ~ boket (crank), a bucket (crank) for a well; ~ crombe (hok), a hooked implement for retrieving objects or water vessels from a well; ~ ropes; (e) ~ gate, a city gate situated near a well; ~ hous, a shelter or storage structure built over a well; ~ hous dore.

In proverbs, prov. expressions, and conventional comparisons.

Fig. (a) An abundant source, supply, or repository of something, esp. that which may be thought of as flowing or gushing out, such as words, grace, goodness, etc.; ~ rithe of reunesse; (b) a cause, an originating force, or a principle of something; (c) one of the wounds of Christ as a cleansing fountain, a source of grace, etc.; five welles.

Fig. (a) God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, or the Trinity as a fount of living waters, the cause and origin of creation, light, wisdom, etc.; ~ quik, quik ~; (b) the Virgin Mary as an abundant source of mercy, pity, etc.; (c) other persons or figures as sources, exemplars, or embodiments of goodness, courage, vice, welfare, etc.

Anat. (a) Pl. The orifices of the ducts of the submandibular salivary glands; (b) the presumed place of origin of blood vessels and nerves, or their terminations; (c) pl. ?places in the body where blood is collected or held, veins and arteries.

Anat. (a) A hollow or cavity within a part of the body; ~ of the hed, the interior of the cranium; (b) a natural concavity on the surface of the body; welles of the armes and legges, the hollows formed inside the elbows and behind the knees; welles of the lacertes.

(a) In surnames; (b) in names of specific wells and springs; (c) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.250-53].