Forms: α. 1 wilcuma (wilcymo), 2–3 wilcume, (3 wilkume), 6 Sc. wylcum, wylcome; 1 wylcume, wylcyme, 3 wulcume, 3–5 wolcome. β. 2–3, 5 welcume, 3–4 wel come, 3–6 wel-come, welcum, 4 welkum, 4–7 welcom (5 Sc. velcom), 7 well come (7 Sc. weillcome), 7–8 well-come, 3– welcome. [Originally OE. wilcuma (f. wil-, will- will, desire, pleasure + cuma comer, guest) OHG. willicomo, MHG. and MLG. willekome, -kume (whence OF. wilecome), with subsequent alteration of the first element to wel- WELL adv., and identification of the second with the imperative or infinitive of the verb come, under the influence of OF. bien venu, bien veigniez, L. bene venisti, bene venias, etc., and possibly of the Scand. forms given below.
Parallel developments appear in the cognate languages, either with retention of the original form of the first element, and reduction or extension of the second, as in older G. wille-, willkum(m), -komm, G. willkomm, LG. willkâm, MDu. willecomen, MLG. willekomen (LG. willkamen), MHG. willechomen, -komen (G. willkommen), or with substitution of wel- for wil-, as in MDu. wellecome (Du. welkom), -comen; also MLG. welkomen, WFris. wolkom. It is not clear whether the ON. velkominn (Norw. velkomen; MSw. vel-, välkomin, Sw. väl-, Da. velkommen) is an independent formation or the result of LG. and Romanic influence.
The occasional ME. forms in wol- may represent either the southern wul- from wyl-, wil-, or the wol which appears as a variant of wel WELL adv.]
† A. 1. One whose coming is pleasing or desirable; an acceptable person or thing. Obs. (OE. only.)
Beowulf, 1894. He … cwæþ þæt wilcuman Wedera leodum scaþan scirhame to scipe foron.
c. 900. Bæda’s Hist., IV. ix. (1890), 290. Me is, cwæð heo, þin cyme on miclum ðonce; & þu eart leof wilcuma [L. et bene venisti].
a. 1000. Riddles, ix. 11 (Gr.). Ic … hæleþum bodiʓe wilcumena fela woþe minre.
B. In predicative use, passing into adj.
2. Of a person: Acceptable as a visitor, companion, etc.; also in phrase to make (a person) welcome.
α. Beowulf, 388. Ʒesaʓa him eac wordum, þæt hie sint wilcuman Deniʓa leodum.
a. 1000. Cædmon’s Satan, 617 (Gr.). Ʒe sind wilcuman! gað in wuldres leoht to heofona rice.
c. 1205. Lay., 8528. Wulcume ært þu Iulius. Ibid., 15995. Mærling þu ært wilcume.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 394. Biturn þe and cum aʓean, wilkume schaltu beon me.
c. 1300. Beket (Percy Soc.), 1265. For ther nere hi noȝt wolcome: for the schame bifore, And the desclandre of Seint Thomas.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 532/1. Wolcome, exceptus.
c. 1560. A. Scott, Poems (S.T.S.), xxvii. 38. Quhen schow growis meik and tame, Scho salbe wylcome hame.
β. a. 1200. Vices & Virtues, 99. Ȝif ðar cumþ ani þoht oðer ani word a godes half hie bieð hire swiðe welcume.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 1600. Vor þan ic am hire wel welcume.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 10456. Þe king … vel adoun akne … To þe erchebissopes fet … & sede leue fader wel come mote þou be.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 3148. Ȝe ben welcom to me bi crist þat me made.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sompn. T., 103. Algates wel come be ye, by my fey.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 9392. He … was welcom I-wis to the weghes all.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccxlii. 276. And no creature warned that feste, but alle were welcome.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, lxviii. 235. They that gyue are euer welcome.
1551. Crowley, Pleas. & Pain, 597. In dede, very many do him entertayne Lyke as there were none more welcome then he.
1607. Shaks., Timon, I. ii. 23. Timo. O Apermantus, you are welcome. Aper. No: You shall not make me welcome: I come to haue thee thrust me out of doores.
1667. M. Poole, Dialogue, 150. And the oftner they come to him, the welcomer they are.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., II. 83. Since for a little money all are welcom, one may eat as many as he pleases.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, V. i. Harlequin … was always welcome on the Stage.
1849. G. P. R. James, Woodman, iv. Lord Chartley and his friends were right welcome.
1892. Photogr. Ann., II. 635. Visitors from abroad … are always welcome.
b. In attributive use.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 901/1. When we shall see them … bee in credit and be the welcomest men in the world which fight against God and his trueth.
1718. Prior, Solomon, I. 312. They … with full Mirth receive the welcome Guest.
1829. Southey, Sir T. More (1831), I. 240. The kindest host, the welcomest guest.
1902. Westm. Gaz., 27 Jan., 8/2. A heartily-welcome member of the family.
3. Of a thing: Acceptable, agreeable, pleasing. † To be evil welcome: to be badly received.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 24819. His presand welcum was and he, Als bringand wont was to be. Ibid. (c. 1375), 10276 (Fairf.). Thyne offeryng heþer is welcome.
1570. Foxe, A. & M. (1583), 1620/1. As for death, if it come welcome bee it.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 69/2. Dogs that barke against the seruants of God, seeking nothing so much as to … cause their doctrine to be euill welcome.
1654. Cockaine, Dianea, I. ii. 47. Knowing a full Relation will come the welcommest to me.
1657. in Verney Mem. (1894), III. 304. A few instructions would have beene welcome.
1758. Johnson, Idler, No. 1, ¶ 11. Praise is not so welcome to the Idler as quiet.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., vii. I think fetters of gold are like no other fetters—they are ever the weightier the welcomer.
1838. Lytton, Alice, I. ix. This letter was by no means welcome.
1851. Carlyle, Sterling, I. i. Human Portraits, faithfully drawn, are of all pictures the welcomest on human walls.
Phrases. 1598. D. Fergusson, Scot. Prov. (S.T.S.), 52. Of untymous persons. He is as welcome as water in a rivin ship. He is as welcome as snaw in harvest.
1659. Howell, Lex., Prov., Engl. Prov., I. 11/1. As welcome as water into ones shoes. As welcome as Flowers in May.
1671. T. Hunt, Abeced., 28 Scholast., 90. As welcome as Snow in the Harvest.
b. In attributive use.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., IV. 189 b. Till the swallow with her appearing, promise a welcommer season.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., I. I. 66. And he hath brought vs smooth and welcome newes.
1622[?]. Fletcher, Love’s Cure, V. iii. Why this … will be A welcomer present to our Master Philip Than the return from his Indies.
1660. Boyle, New Exp. Phys. Mech., xxxvii. 309. The People, upon a very well-come Occasion testified their Joy by numerous Bon-fires.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, I. 244. The Trojans, worn with Toils, and spent with Woes, Leap on the welcome Land.
1760. Fawkes, trans. Anacreon, Introd. p. vi. A Person of Anacreon’s Character must … meet with a welcome Reception wherever Wit and Pleasure were esteemed.
1839. Fr. A. Kemble, Resid. in Georgia (1863), 49. Pork and bacon would prove a most welcome addition to their farinaceous diet.
1916. J. Scott Lidgett, in Contemp. Rev., Dec., 686. There are many other welcome signs of the drawing together of the Churches.
4. Freely permitted or allowed, cordially invited, (to do or to have something).
13[?]. Seuyn Sages (W.), 3822. He bad them say, That thai wac welkum alway To soiorn in that same cetè.
c. 1400. Sc. Trojan War (Horstm.), II. 1924. To get þat golde … Thai said he suld be richt welcume.
c. 1475. Rauf Coilȝear, 71. Forsuith thow suld be wel-cum to pas hame with me.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 40. They were very welcome, if they thought fit, to go.
1729. P. Walkden, Diary (1866), 40. I told him he was welcome to have the lend of it till Martinmas.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, xxv. You’re very welcome to pass another night here.
1861. Palmerston, in Autob. Ld. C. Paget (1896), Pref. p. vii. I must have 20 or 24 Iron-cased ships—you are quite welcome to have 40 or 48.
1882. ‘Edna Lyall,’ Donovan, xviii. He’s welcome to call me what he pleases.
b. And welcome, added to a statement to imply: And he is (you are, etc.) freely permitted or cordially invited to do so, to have it, or the like.
1491. Act 7 Hen. VII., c. 22. Preamble, He may suerly comme hedir and welcome.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 104. So lo: now eate and welcome neighbour (quoth he).
1609. Shaks., Per., II. iv. 22. 1. Lord. Lord Hellicane, a word. Hell. With me? and welcome, happy day my Lords.
1755. Man, No. 39. 5. And if this be done, let them judge and welcome.
1764. Museum Rust., III. 136. On the continent let them use the scythe and welcome, because there their weather is not so unsettled as ours.
1836. [Mrs. C. P. Traill], Backw. Canada, 75. Here are some cakes…; take ’em, and welcome.
1869. Lowell, Study Wind. (1871), 2. Burgoyne may surrender and welcome.
c. Freely offered or open to all. nonce-use.
1772. Pennant, Tour Scot. (1774), 364. My hall was filled with my friends and kindred:… and hecatombs of beeves and deer covered my rude but welcome tables.
C. 5. Used in the vocative as a form of address to a visitor or guest; hence as int., serving as an expression of good will or pleasure at the coming of a person. (Sometimes addressed to a thing personified or quasi-personified.)
α. c. 890. Wærferth, trans. Gregory’s Dial., 276. He ongan … þus cweþan: ‘wilcuman la, mine hlafordas, wilcuman la, mine hlafordas!’
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. xxv. 23. Euge, wilcymo.
c. 1100. Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, 191/13. Euax, wilcume.
c. 1205. Lay., 22485. Wulcume sire Arður, wilcume lauord [c. 1275 wolcome].
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, lxxv. 51. Now tak me be the hand, Wylcum! my golk of maireland.
1568. Henryson’s Orpheus & Eurydice, 155 (Bannatyne MS.). Fair weill my place … And wylcum woddis wyld.
β. c. 1150. De Vita et Miraculis S. Godrici Heremitæ de Finchale (Surtees), 306. Dixit enim hæc verba Anglica … ‘Welcume, Simund; welcume, Simund.’
a. 1240. Saules Warde, in O. E. Hom., I. 259. A seið warschipe, welcume, liues luue.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 8168. Alsuith sum he þat king had knaun, He said, ‘sir welcum to þin aun.’
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. XII. 62. Al hayl, quod on þo, and I answered, welcome and with whom be ȝe.
a. 1450. Mirk’s Festial, 222. Welcom, my swete son and cosyn.
c. 1520. Skelton, Magnyf., 920. What! whom haue we here, Jenkyn Joly? Nowe welcom, by the God holy!
1552. Huloet, Welcome euen with all my herte, optato aduenisti.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., II. i. 92. Faire Princesse, welcom to the Court of Nauar.
1656. Cowley, Misc., 31. Welcome learn’d Cicero, whose blest Tongue and Wit Preserves Romes greatness yet.
1702. Rowe, Tamerl., I. i. Wellcome! thou worthy partner of my laurels.
1766. Goldsm., Vicar W., xii. Welcome, welcome, Moses! well, my boy, what haue you brought us from the fair?
1842. Macaulay, Lays, Horatius, li. Now welcome, welcome, Sextus! Now welcome to thy home!
1865. Swinburne, Chastelard, II. i. 76. Look, Here come my riddle-readers. Welcome all.
1879. Tennyson, Falcon (1884), 105. Welcome to this poor cottage, my dear lady.
b. To bid, wish (a person) welcome (home): to tell (him) that he is gladly received (home or as a guest, etc.).
c. 1375. Cursor M., 15060 (Fairf.). Þe resceyues þine awen folk & biddis welcome hame [Gött. and biddes þe welcum hame].
1598. Shaks., Merry W., I. i. 201. Wife, bid these gentlemen welcome: come, we haue a hot Venison pasty to dinner.
1720. N. Blundell, Diary (1895), 162. My Wife sent Ned Howerd to Wooton to wish my Lady well-come-home.
c. The word ‘welcome’ displayed in letters.
1872. March. Dufferin, Canad. Jrnl. (1891), 42. The rooms were ornamented with ‘welcomes’ and wreaths of maple.
6. † Welcome to our house, a name for the Cypress Spurge, Euphorbia Cyparissias. Also Welcome-home-husband.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, II. cxxxii. 407. The fifth [is called in English] Cypresse Spurge, or among women, Welcome to our house.
1665. Lovell, Herball (ed. 2), 465. Welcome to our house, see Cypres spurge.
1828. Carr, Craven Gloss., Welcome-home-husband, Cypress Spurge.
