WELL-NIGH

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does well-nigh mean? 

• WELL-NIGH (adverb)
  The adverb WELL-NIGH has 1 sense:

1. (of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

  Familiarity information: WELL-NIGH used as an adverb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WELL-NIGH (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

Synonyms:

about; almost; most; near; nearly; nigh; virtually; well-nigh

Context example:

most everyone agrees

 Context examples 

He toiled on, miserable and well-nigh hopeless.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

In crushing his passions he had well-nigh crushed himself.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

And yet I need not tell you that my mind was far from at ease, and that I was well-nigh certain that some foul plot had been woven round him.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I was well-nigh choking, and my eyes were certainly fiery.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

White Fang's strength was developed by the long hours on trail and the steady toil at the sled; and it would have seemed that his mental development was well-nigh complete.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

The young princess, you may be sure, was not long in saying Yes to all this; and as they spoke a gay coach drove up, with eight beautiful horses, decked with plumes of feathers and a golden harness; and behind the coach rode the prince’s servant, faithful Heinrich, who had bewailed the misfortunes of his dear master during his enchantment so long and so bitterly, that his heart had well-nigh burst.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

'Apparently the age of romance was not dead, and there was common ground upon which the wildest imaginings of the novelist could meet the actual scientific investigations of the searcher for truth. He would only add, before he sat down, that he rejoiced—and all of them would rejoice—that these gentlemen had returned safe and sound from their difficult and dangerous task, for it cannot be denied that any disaster to such an expedition would have inflicted a well-nigh irreparable loss to the cause of Zoological science.'

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

His year and day are well-nigh up, when he will be a free man.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Besides, Kiche was well-nigh forgotten; and the chief outlet of expression that remained to him was in the allegiance he tendered the gods he had accepted as masters.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Nothing could destroy its exquisite oval, its well-nigh classic lines, its delicately stencilled brows, its large brown eyes, clear-seeing and calm, gloriously calm.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)