a. Obs. exc. Sc. and dial.
1. Having, or showing, a good or benevolent disposition; kindly, good-natured.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., II. 86. For which reason we feare not in common speache to call one man well natured, and an other of euell nature.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 443/2. A quiet and well natured mind.
c. 1655. Dor. Osborne, Lett., xlix. (1903), 222. If this be a fault in me, ’tis at least a well-natured one.
c. 1656. Sir H. Cholmley, Mem. (1787), 28. He was a well-natured man, charitable to the poor.
1677. Dryden, State Innoc., Apol. Her. Poetry c 1 b. These four lines, which have been sufficiently canvas’d by my well-natur’d Censors.
a. 1721. Sheffield (Dk. Buckhm.), Wks. (1729), II. 212. This great satisfaction of mind in doing any generous well-natur’d action.
1759. Adam Smith, Theory Moral Sentim., IV. i. (1781), 276. The social and well-natured James the First of Great-Britain.
1814. Scott, Wav., xxv. His brother’s disgrace seemed to have removed from his well-natured bosom all recollection of their differences.
1818. Hallam, Mid. Ages, v. (1819), II. 97. Brave indeed, well-natured, and affable.
1888. D. Grant, Sc. Stor., 37. I ken that he’s weel-natured an’ richt kind-hairted.
b. fig. Accommodating, obliging.
1711. Countrey-Man’s Lett. Curat., 74. So well natur’d are some Arguments that they can equally serve two contending Parties.
† 2. Of soil: Kindly, fertile. Obs.
1675. Evelyn, Terra (1676), 51. This [trenching] is to be done in severals, as deep as you think fit, that is, so far, as you find the Earth well natur’d.
Hence Well-naturedness.
1679. Penn, Addr. Prot., II. (1692), 225. You had better leave off valuing your selves upon the Mercy and Well-natur’dness of that Tenet.
