ppl. a.
1. Of good family and bringing up. Usually: Displaying good breeding; having refined manners; courteous in speech and behavior.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., I. i. 26. A Gentleman well bred, and of good name.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 2. If my thoughts haue wandred, I must intreat the well-bred Reader to remember, I haue wandred through many deserts.
1652. Kirkman, Clerio & Lozia, 100. Netling speeches, which well-bred women should avoyd as a dangerous Precipice.
1698. Jer. Collier, Immor. Stage, 60. A well Bred Man will no more Swear than Fight in the Company of Ladies.
1709. Pope, Ess. Crit., 635. Tho’ learn’d, well-bred; and tho’ well-bred, sincere.
1752. Chesterf., Lett. to Son, 19 Sept. The officers,… when of a certain rank and service, are generally very polite, well-bred people.
1781. Cowper, Conversat., 193. A moral, sensible, and well-bred man will not affront me, and no other can.
1813. Jane Austen, Pride & Prej., xlv. Whose endeavour to introduce some kind of discourse proved her to be more truly well bred than either of the others.
1886. Ruskin, Præterita, I. x. 327. The first well-bred and well-dressed girls I had ever seen.
b. of speech, behavior, etc.
1699. Bentley, Phal., 251. I’ll give him leave to tell me again in his well-bred way, That my head has no Brains in’t.
1728. Young, Love Fame, I. 115. It makes dear self on well-bred tongues prevail, And I the little hero of each tale.
1784. Cowper, Task, II. 413. With a well-bred whisper close the scene.
1808. Mrs. C. Kemble, Day after Wedding, 27. You sit at such a well-bred distance from each other, one would swear you had been married 24 years, instead of 24 hours.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., l. Lady Staunton only answered this hint with a well-bred stare, which gave no sort of encouragement.
1867. Lady Herbert, Cradle L., vii. 173. His manner was grave to sadness, but extremely well-bred.
2. Of good breed or stock. Said of animals.
1815. Sporting Mag., XLVI. 118. I knew in their day, runners of fair repute, and as well bred as any horses upon earth.
1849. Claridge, Cold Water Cure, 202. When the horse is well-bred, and his wind is unimpaired.
