Why does the word 'Well-to-do' mean 'rich'?
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How has the expression 'well to do' developped the connotation of being 'rich'?
Does anyone know the origin of this expression, which accoring to Merrian Webster, dates back to 1794, while Etymonline dates its usage from 1825.
Well-to-do "prosperous" is recorded from 1825.
meaning etymology
edited Oct 7 at 7:24
user240918
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asked Oct 7 at 7:10
won suk J daily142857
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add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
How has the expression 'well to do' developped the connotation of being 'rich'?
Does anyone know the origin of this expression, which accoring to Merrian Webster, dates back to 1794, while Etymonline dates its usage from 1825.
Well-to-do "prosperous" is recorded from 1825.
meaning etymology
edited Oct 7 at 7:24
user240918
24.7k1068148
asked Oct 7 at 7:10
won suk J daily142857
191
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 19 mins ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
As far as I can tell, it's always had that meaning. What do you mean by "developed"?
– Jason Bassford
Oct 7 at 8:44
@won suk J daily142857, Before 'developing' to the connotation of being 'rich', had it had another meaning?
– mahmud koya
Oct 7 at 8:55
2
Perhaps helpful to develop an understanding of "well-to-do": In German, there is a similar phrase "Ihm geht es gut" (him-goes-it-well); this can be used for everything from health over finances to general happyness.
– Christian Geiselmann
Oct 7 at 9:47
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
How has the expression 'well to do' developped the connotation of being 'rich'?
Does anyone know the origin of this expression, which accoring to Merrian Webster, dates back to 1794, while Etymonline dates its usage from 1825.
Well-to-do "prosperous" is recorded from 1825.
meaning etymology
edited Oct 7 at 7:24
user240918
24.7k1068148
asked Oct 7 at 7:10
won suk J daily142857
191
How has the expression 'well to do' developped the connotation of being 'rich'?
Does anyone know the origin of this expression, which accoring to Merrian Webster, dates back to 1794, while Etymonline dates its usage from 1825.
Well-to-do "prosperous" is recorded from 1825.
meaning etymology
meaning etymology
edited Oct 7 at 7:24
user240918
24.7k1068148
asked Oct 7 at 7:10
won suk J daily142857
191
edited Oct 7 at 7:24
user240918
24.7k1068148
asked Oct 7 at 7:10
won suk J daily142857
191
edited Oct 7 at 7:24
user240918
24.7k1068148
edited Oct 7 at 7:24
user240918
24.7k1068148
edited Oct 7 at 7:24
user240918
24.7k1068148
24.7k1068148
asked Oct 7 at 7:10
won suk J daily142857
191
asked Oct 7 at 7:10
won suk J daily142857
191
asked Oct 7 at 7:10
won suk J daily142857
191
191
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 19 mins ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 19 mins ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
As far as I can tell, it's always had that meaning. What do you mean by "developed"?
– Jason Bassford
Oct 7 at 8:44
@won suk J daily142857, Before 'developing' to the connotation of being 'rich', had it had another meaning?
– mahmud koya
Oct 7 at 8:55
2
Perhaps helpful to develop an understanding of "well-to-do": In German, there is a similar phrase "Ihm geht es gut" (him-goes-it-well); this can be used for everything from health over finances to general happyness.
– Christian Geiselmann
Oct 7 at 9:47
add a comment |
As far as I can tell, it's always had that meaning. What do you mean by "developed"?
– Jason Bassford
Oct 7 at 8:44
@won suk J daily142857, Before 'developing' to the connotation of being 'rich', had it had another meaning?
– mahmud koya
Oct 7 at 8:55
2
Perhaps helpful to develop an understanding of "well-to-do": In German, there is a similar phrase "Ihm geht es gut" (him-goes-it-well); this can be used for everything from health over finances to general happyness.
– Christian Geiselmann
Oct 7 at 9:47
As far as I can tell, it's always had that meaning. What do you mean by "developed"?
– Jason Bassford
Oct 7 at 8:44
As far as I can tell, it's always had that meaning. What do you mean by "developed"?
– Jason Bassford
Oct 7 at 8:44
@won suk J daily142857, Before 'developing' to the connotation of being 'rich', had it had another meaning?
– mahmud koya
Oct 7 at 8:55
@won suk J daily142857, Before 'developing' to the connotation of being 'rich', had it had another meaning?
– mahmud koya
Oct 7 at 8:55
2
2
Perhaps helpful to develop an understanding of "well-to-do": In German, there is a similar phrase "Ihm geht es gut" (him-goes-it-well); this can be used for everything from health over finances to general happyness.
– Christian Geiselmann
Oct 7 at 9:47
Perhaps helpful to develop an understanding of "well-to-do": In German, there is a similar phrase "Ihm geht es gut" (him-goes-it-well); this can be used for everything from health over finances to general happyness.
– Christian Geiselmann
Oct 7 at 9:47
add a comment |
1 Answer
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The expression "well-to-do" has always meant rich. The 1794 use of this expression is:
Ann Low told me that her mother lived in the country, and was very well to do.
Old Bailey Proceedings.
Etymonline uses the Oxford English Dictionary as its source. The 1825 date comes from OED2. It wasn't until 2014 that the page was updated (OED3), adding the 1794 quote (among others).
It's also worth noting two earlier expressions that also mean rich:
- Well to live (earliest attestation: 1568)
- Well to pass (earliest attestation: 1609)
"Well to pass" comes at least in part from Dutch wel te pas (Middle Dutch wel te passe).
answered Oct 17 at 2:30
Laurel
29.7k655106
add a comment |
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up vote
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down vote
The expression "well-to-do" has always meant rich. The 1794 use of this expression is:
Ann Low told me that her mother lived in the country, and was very well to do.
Old Bailey Proceedings.
Etymonline uses the Oxford English Dictionary as its source. The 1825 date comes from OED2. It wasn't until 2014 that the page was updated (OED3), adding the 1794 quote (among others).
It's also worth noting two earlier expressions that also mean rich:
- Well to live (earliest attestation: 1568)
- Well to pass (earliest attestation: 1609)
"Well to pass" comes at least in part from Dutch wel te pas (Middle Dutch wel te passe).
answered Oct 17 at 2:30
Laurel
29.7k655106
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
The expression "well-to-do" has always meant rich. The 1794 use of this expression is:
Ann Low told me that her mother lived in the country, and was very well to do.
Old Bailey Proceedings.
Etymonline uses the Oxford English Dictionary as its source. The 1825 date comes from OED2. It wasn't until 2014 that the page was updated (OED3), adding the 1794 quote (among others).
It's also worth noting two earlier expressions that also mean rich:
- Well to live (earliest attestation: 1568)
- Well to pass (earliest attestation: 1609)
"Well to pass" comes at least in part from Dutch wel te pas (Middle Dutch wel te passe).
answered Oct 17 at 2:30
Laurel
29.7k655106
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
The expression "well-to-do" has always meant rich. The 1794 use of this expression is:
Ann Low told me that her mother lived in the country, and was very well to do.
Old Bailey Proceedings.
Etymonline uses the Oxford English Dictionary as its source. The 1825 date comes from OED2. It wasn't until 2014 that the page was updated (OED3), adding the 1794 quote (among others).
It's also worth noting two earlier expressions that also mean rich:
- Well to live (earliest attestation: 1568)
- Well to pass (earliest attestation: 1609)
"Well to pass" comes at least in part from Dutch wel te pas (Middle Dutch wel te passe).
answered Oct 17 at 2:30
Laurel
29.7k655106
The expression "well-to-do" has always meant rich. The 1794 use of this expression is:
Ann Low told me that her mother lived in the country, and was very well to do.
Old Bailey Proceedings.
Etymonline uses the Oxford English Dictionary as its source. The 1825 date comes from OED2. It wasn't until 2014 that the page was updated (OED3), adding the 1794 quote (among others).
It's also worth noting two earlier expressions that also mean rich:
- Well to live (earliest attestation: 1568)
- Well to pass (earliest attestation: 1609)
"Well to pass" comes at least in part from Dutch wel te pas (Middle Dutch wel te passe).
answered Oct 17 at 2:30
Laurel
29.7k655106
answered Oct 17 at 2:30
Laurel
29.7k655106
answered Oct 17 at 2:30
Laurel
29.7k655106
answered Oct 17 at 2:30
Laurel
29.7k655106
29.7k655106
add a comment |
add a comment |
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As far as I can tell, it's always had that meaning. What do you mean by "developed"?
– Jason Bassford
Oct 7 at 8:44
@won suk J daily142857, Before 'developing' to the connotation of being 'rich', had it had another meaning?
– mahmud koya
Oct 7 at 8:55
2
Perhaps helpful to develop an understanding of "well-to-do": In German, there is a similar phrase "Ihm geht es gut" (him-goes-it-well); this can be used for everything from health over finances to general happyness.
– Christian Geiselmann
Oct 7 at 9:47