ppl. a. Of good or attractive appearance, good-looking: a. of persons.
Formerly very common, but now less usual than GOOD-LOOKING.
1702. Steele, Funeral, I. i. 4. That Hale Well-looking Puppy!
1737. Gentl. Mag., VII. 176. A well-disciplin’d Army of above 7000 Collectors, and a peaceable well-looking one of 18000 Men.
1772. Graves, Spir. Quixote, III. ix. (1783), I. 151. A well-looking elderly gentleman.
1811–3. Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, xix. You should tell your father he is not above five feet eight, or he will be expecting a well-looking man.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xli. The sisters were rather well-looking young women.
1874. R. Tyrwhitt, Sketch. Club, 6. He was … well-bred, and something more than well-looking.
1895. J. G. Millais, Breath fr. Veldt (1899), 66. His brother Pict (a fine well-looking fellow).
transf. 1773. Goldsm., Stoops to Conq., I. Tell me, Constance, how do I look this evening? Is it one of my well-looking days, child? am I in face to-day?
b. of an animal, plant, building, etc.
1772. Ann. Reg., 7. The blades … produced well-looking ears; but these were hollow, and totally destitute of grain.
1796. W. H. Marshall, Planting, II. 8. This [the horse-chesnut] is a large well looking tree.
1832. G. C. Lewis, Lett. (1870), 18. Avignon is a well-looking town.
1819. E. Rigby, trans. Chateauvieux’ Italy, 76. Almost every farm maintains a well-looking horse, which goes in a small two-wheeled cart.
1860. Geo. Eliot, in Cross, Life (1885), II. 171. The well-looking lines of building on each side of the Arno.
1886. Froude, Oceana, xi. 189. The houses of the wealthy and moderately wealthy classes are solid and well-looking.
c. fig. Of an idea: Specious, attractive.
1811. Henry & Isabella, II. 174. The well looking idea of befriending an inexperienced young woman.
