ppl. a.
1. Of a house, town, ship, nest, etc.
c. 1611. Chapman, Iliad, VI. 14. Axilus, that did dwell In faire Arisbas well-built towres. Ibid. (1615), Odyss., XIII. 152. The well-built Ships.
1708. J. Phillips, Cyder, I. 196. The bastion of a well-built city.
1822. Shelley, ‘When the Lamp,’ 18. When hearts have once mingled, Love first leaves the well-built nest.
1858. W. Ellis, Madagascar, xii. 329. The houses were all well-built, with clean swept court yards around them.
1872. Jenkinson, Guide Eng. Lakes (1879), 239. On arriving at the well-built cairn, the prospect is magnificent.
2. transf. and fig. (e.g., of a person or animal, a suit of clothes, a poem).
1681. Flavel, Meth. Grace, xv. 292. This is well-built consolation which reaches the heart.
1706. [see BUILT ppl. a. 2].
1707. Prior, Sat. Poets, 125. The Author then, whose daring hopes would strive With well-built Verse to keep his Fame alive.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, I. x. This Gentleman … was of a middle Size, and what is called well built.
1869. Tozer, Highl. Turkey, I. 269. His tall, well-built figure was shown off to advantage by his magnificent dress.
1881. Besant & Rice, Chapl. of Fleet, I. iii. She was a strong, well-built woman, of about six or seven and twenty.
1888. ‘J. S. Winter,’ Bootle’s Childr., vii. He was wearing a remarkably well-built suit of rough yellowish stuff.
Hence Well-builtness nonce-wd.
1899. H. Wright, Depopulation, 2. One saw the city standing out in all its strength of substantial well-builtness.
