welly
Americannoun
noun
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Also called: welly boot. informal a Wellington boot
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slang energy, concentration, or commitment (esp in the phrase give it some welly )
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of welly
First recorded in 1960–65; Well(ington boot) ( def. ) + -y 2 ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He said the yellow welly symbolised bravery, safety, and the charity's mission at sea.
From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026
He said: "Yellow wellies are synonymous with the RNLI, the iconic yellow welly forms part of the crew's safety equipment both for our shore crew and boat crew with their drysuits."
From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026
"It was a soggy welly, with, like, Fairy Liquid and a bit of salt."
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
Meehan-Berg suggested I put a bit more welly into it.
From The Guardian • Nov. 16, 2018
‘He geet rheumatic fayver six year sin', when he poo'd it aat o' Green Fowd Lodge; and now he's getten welly worried to deeath by savin' it fro' that bull-terrier o' Oliver's o' Deaf Martha's.’
From Lancashire Idylls (1898) by Mather, Marshall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
