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definitions

welcome

[wel-kuh m]
interjection
  1. (a word of kindly greeting, as to one whose arrival gives pleasure): Welcome, stranger!
noun
  1. a kindly greeting or reception, as to one whose arrival gives pleasure: to give someone a warm welcome.
verb (used with object), wel·comed, wel·com·ing.
  1. to greet the arrival of (a person, guests, etc.) with pleasure or kindly courtesy.
  2. to receive or accept with pleasure; regard as pleasant or good: to welcome a change.
  3. to meet, accept, or receive (an action, challenge, person, etc.) in a specified, especially unfriendly, manner: They welcomed him with hisses and catcalls.
adjective
  1. gladly received, as one whose arrival gives pleasure: a welcome visitor.
  2. agreeable, as something arriving, occurring, or experienced: a welcome rest.
  3. given full right by the cordial consent of others: She is welcome to try it.
  4. without obligation for the courtesy or favor received (used as a conventional response to expressions of thanks): You're quite welcome.
Idioms
  1. wear out one's welcome, to make one's visits so frequent or of such long duration that they become offensive: Your cousins have long since worn out their welcome.

Origin of welcome

before 900; Middle English < Scandinavian; compare Old Norse velkominn, equivalent to vel well1 + kominn come (past participle); replacing Old English wilcuma one who is welcome, equivalent to wil- welcome (see will2) + cuma comer
Related formswel·come·ness, nounwel·com·er, nounpre·wel·come, noun, verb (used with object), pre·wel·comed, pre·wel·com·ing.un·wel·come, adjectiveun·wel·comed, adjectiveun·wel·com·ing, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for wear out one's welcome

welcome

adjective
  1. gladly and cordially received or admitteda welcome guest
  2. bringing pleasure or gratitudea welcome gift
  3. freely permitted or invitedyou are welcome to call
  4. under no obligation (only in such phrases as you're welcome or he's welcome, as conventional responses to thanks)
sentence substitute
  1. an expression of cordial greeting, esp to a person whose arrival is desired or pleasing
noun
  1. the act of greeting or receiving a person or thing; receptionthe new theory had a cool welcome
  2. wear out one's welcome to come more often or stay longer than is acceptable or pleasing
verb (tr)
  1. to greet the arrival of (visitors, guests, etc) cordially or gladly
  2. to receive or accept, esp gladly
Derived Formswelcomely, adverbwelcomeness, nounwelcomer, noun

Word Origin for welcome

C12: changed (through influence of well 1) from Old English wilcuma (agent noun referring to a welcome guest), wilcume (a greeting of welcome), from wil will ² + cuman to come
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for wear out one's welcome

welcome

v.

Old English wilcumian, from wilcuma (see welcome (n.)). Related: Welcomed; welcoming.

welcome

n.

Old English wilcuma, exclamation of kindly greeting, from earlier wilcuma (n.) "welcome guest," literally "one whose coming is in accord with another's will," from willa "pleasure, desire, choice" (see will (v.)) + cuma "guest," related to cuman (see come). Cf. Old High German willicomo, Middle Dutch wellecome. Meaning "entertainment or public reception as a greeting" is recorded from 1530. You're welcome as a formulaic response to thank you is attested from 1907. Welcome mat first recorded 1951; welcome wagon is attested from 1961.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Idioms and Phrases with wear out one's welcome

wear out one's welcome

Visit for longer than one's host wants, as in She wanted to stay another few days but feared she would wear out her welcome. This expression uses wear out in the sense of “exhaust” or “use up.” [Mid-1800s]

welcome

see warm welcome; wear out one's welcome; you're welcome.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.