well-wisher en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈwɛlˌwɪʃɚ/ (General-American)
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈwɛlˌwɪʃə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
From well (“in a desirable manner; so as one could wish”, adverb) + wisher.
Meanings
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Someone who extends good wishes, or expresses sympathy, to someone else.
"You see before you," she said, with choking utterance, "one who, fallen and degraded as she is, would still venture to hope that she has a friend, at least a wellwisher, in Mr Thornton. If I am mistaken in this, alas! I am friendless."
1827, [Thomas Hamilton], chapter III, in The Youth and Manhood of Cyril Thornton. […], volume II, Edinburgh: William Blackwood; London: T[homas] Cadell, →OCLC, page 70:Nor did he ſeem to have made an unreaſonable reply to them both, and it vvas eaſy for a ſpeech to be received favorably amongſt vvellvviſhers.
1761, Titus Livius [i.e., Livy], chapter L, in [anonymous], transl., Titus Livius’s Roman History from the Building of the City. […], volume VII, Edinburgh: […] A[lexander] Donaldson and J[ohn] Reid, for Alexander Donaldson, →OCLC, book XXXIII, page 235:[G]ive me the hopes of my dear girl's approaching felicity, equal to the deſires of / Her ſincereſt VVellvviſher, / LAVINIA RAWLINS.
1770, “Letter XIV. Miss Lavinia Rawlins, to Mrs. Gertrude Coningsby.”, in The History of Lavinia Rawlins. […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: […] [F]or the editor; and sold by F. Noble, […]; and J. Noble, […], page 111:"[…] [I]t would be a nice opportunity for any of his well-wishers to pay him a visit, if they knew how straight the path was made before them." / "I am none of his well-wishers, sir: I don't care for him."
1849, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], “Levitical”, in Shirley. A Tale. […], volume I, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], →OCLC, page 15:I'm a well-wisher, in that I don't wish you any specific harm.
1997, Ken Keeler, “El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage of Homer)”, in The Simpsons, season 8, episode 9, spoken by Moe Szyslak (Hank Azaria):[T]he actual traytor or rebel is guilty of perjury in the eye of the lavv; the ſecret promoter, or vvell-vviſher of the cauſe, is ſo before the Tribunal of conſcience.
1716 January 19 (Gregorian calendar), Joseph Addison, “The Free-holder: No. 6. Sunday, January 9. [1716.]”, in The Works of the Right Honourable Joseph Addison, Esq; […], volume IV, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], published 1721, →OCLC, page 380:She had still, however, her friends and well-wishers, many of whom thought, that as she was a lone woman, and known to be well to pass in the world, she would act wisely to retire from public life, and take down a sign which had no longer fascination for guests.
1823 December 23 (indicated as 1824), [Walter Scott], “An Old-World Landlady”, in St Ronan’s Well. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, pages 21–22:Already a J72 0-6-0T has been promised by a well-wisher and will be re-painted in North Eastern Railway livery.
1962 August, “Society Column: Keighley & Worth Valley Railway Preservation Society”, in Modern Railways, Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, unnumbered page:[T]hose honest gentlemen that are always exposed to the wit and raillery of their well-wishers and companions; that are pelted by men, women, and children, friends and foes, and in a word, stand as butts in conversation, for every one to shoot at that pleases.
1711 May 5 (Gregorian calendar), [Richard Steele], “TUESDAY, April 25, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 48; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume I, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, pages 308–309:At each stopping place I stepped out of the train to chat to well-wishers.
2020 January 15, Nigel Harris, “HST’s East Coast Farewell Tour”, in Rail, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 34:
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(obsolete, rare) Followed by to: someone who has an ambition to be or become something.
I never saw your chancellor, nor his chaplain. The latter has a good deal of learning, and is a well wisher to be an author: your chancellor is an excellent man.
1711 March 17 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Jonathan Swift, “[Dr. Swift’s Journal to Stella.] Letter XVII.”, in Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, editors, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, […], new edition, volume XIV, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1801, →OCLC, page 372:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| well-wishers | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Deriveds
Relateds
well-wished · acquaintance · benevolent · well-wishing · Godspeed
Synonyms
Translations (45)
hi हितार्थी (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · gu હિતેચ્છુ (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · ur خیر خواہ (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · la benevolus (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · pl sympatyczka (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · mk доброна́мерник (someone who expresses sympathy to someone else) · bn খয়ের খাঁ (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · uk зичли́вець (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · bg доброжела́тел (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · kk батагөй (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · be добразычлі́вец (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · uk добрози́чливиця (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · be зычлі́ўка (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · ga lucht dea-mhéine (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · is velunnari (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · fi onnittelija (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · mag 𑂎𑂩𑂎𑂰𑂯 (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · de Wohlwünscherin (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · uk зичли́виця (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · fi osanottaja (someone who expresses sympathy to someone else) · lv labvēlis (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · bg доброжела́тел (someone who expresses sympathy to someone else) · uk зи́чливиця (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · uk доброзичли́вець (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · ro voitor de bine (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · hi शुभेच्छु (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · fi onnentoivottaja (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · pl sympatyk (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · be добразычлі́ўка (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · ru доброжела́тель (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · ru доброжела́тельница (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · hi हितचिंतक (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · uk зи́чливець (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · mk доброна́мерник (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · hi हितार्थ (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · hi शुभचिंतक (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · uk добрози́чливець (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · cmn 祝福者 (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · ta வேண்டியவன் (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · pl sympatyczka (someone who expresses sympathy to someone else) · be зычлі́вец (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · te శ్రేయోభిలాషి (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · pl sympatyk (someone who expresses sympathy to someone else) · de Wohlwünscher (someone who extends good wishes to someone else) · uk доброзичли́виця (someone who extends good wishes to someone else)