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WELL-NIGH
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I. (adverb)
Sense 1
Meaning:
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
Example:
most everyone agrees
Synonyms:
about; almost; most; near; nearly; nigh; virtually; well-nigh
Classified under:
Context examples:
And in his heart of hearts Martin understood the situation only too well, as he leaned back and gloated at Von Schmidt's head, in fancy punching it well-nigh off of him, sending blow after blow home just right—the chuckle-headed Dutchman!
(Martin Eden, by Jack London)
Pardieu! yes, I had well-nigh forgot.
(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
This served to form a large roll in Cherokee's mouth, the fur of which well-nigh defied his teeth.
(White Fang, by Jack London)
While running away from the wind I had not appreciated its force, but when we ceased to run I learned to my sorrow, and well-nigh to my despair, how fiercely it was really blowing.
(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)
Chesterton set the whole world laughing with a series of alleged non-partisan essays on the subject, and the whole affair, controversy and controversialists, was well-nigh swept into the pit by a thundering broadside from George Bernard Shaw.
(Martin Eden, by Jack London)
The sail swung round once more, and the cog, battered and torn and well-nigh water-logged, staggered in for this haven of refuge.
(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
He had gone to the roots of White Fang's nature, and with kindness touched to life potencies that had languished and well-nigh perished.
(White Fang, by Jack London)
Possibly I recited with a certain joyous lilt which was my own, for—his memory was good, and at a second rendering, very often the first, he made a quatrain his own—he recited the same lines and invested them with an unrest and passionate revolt that was well-nigh convincing.
(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)
From above it seemed as though rope and cliff were well-nigh touching, but now, when swinging a hundred feet down, the squire found that he could scarce reach the face of the rock with his foot, and that it was as smooth as glass, with no resting-place where a mouse could stand.
(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
And I can call to mind, remarked Johnston, that when the great cog 'Christopher,' which the French had taken from us, was moored two hundred paces from the shore, two archers, little Robin Withstaff and Elias Baddlesmere, in four shots each cut every strand of her hempen anchor-cord, so that she well-nigh came upon the rocks.
(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
