well and truly

well and tru·ly
UK/ˌwɛl n̩ ˈtɹuːli/US/ˌwɛl n̩ ˈtɹuli/

adverb

Completely; utterly; without doubt.

“Many people remained in their hiding places until the war was well and truly over.”

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Meanings

adverbwell and truly (not comparable)
  1. idiomaticnot comparableCompletely; utterly; without doubt.

    Many people remained in their hiding places until the war was well and truly over.

    2 more examples

    [T]he ſaid intended marriage to be had, and, by God's bleſſing, to be well and truly ſolemnized and conſummated between the ſaid Walter Shandy and Elizabeth Mollineux aforeſaid, […]

    1759, [Laurence Sterne], chapter XV, in The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, 2nd (1st London) edition, volume I, London: […] R[obert] and J[ames] Dodsley […], published 1760, →OCLC, pages 82–83

    Now then, gentlemen, I beg you to weigh well in your minds; conſider ſeriously—for what are you called here this day?—Conſider, I beg of you;—what have you now ſworn to perform?—You have ſolemnly ſworn, that "you will well and truly try the iſſue between the parties." You have ſworn to try it: well and truly to try it. Now, pray, what is the iſſue? Mr. Fox aſſerts that I owe him about 200 l., which I deny. Now the queſtion between us is, whether debt or not. That is the iſſue which you have ſworn to try; to try it well; and truly to try it.

    1792 September, O. [pseudonym], “Art. XIII. Proceedings in an Action for Debt, between the Right Hon. Charles James Fox, Plaintiff, and John Horne Tooke, Defendant. Published by the Defendant. 85 Pa. Pr. 25. Johnson. 1792. [book review]”, in The Analytical Review, or History of Literature, Domestic and Foreign. […], volume XIV, number 1, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], →OCLC, page 54

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
completelyproperly

Translations

Finnish todellakin, totisesti
  • todellakincompletely; utterly; without doubt — see also completely
  • totisesticompletely; utterly; without doubt — see also completely
French bel et bien
  • bel et biencompletely; utterly; without doubt — see also completely
Greek απολύτως, εντελώς
  • απολύτως (apolýtos)completely; utterly; without doubt — see also completely
  • εντελώς (entelós)completely; utterly; without doubt — see also completely
  • πέρα για πέρα (péra gia péra)completely; utterly; without doubt — see also completely
Polish całkowicie
  • całkowiciecompletely; utterly; without doubt — see also completely
Russian основа́тельно, по́лностью
  • основа́тельно (osnovátelʹno)completely; utterly; without doubt — see also completely
  • по́лностью (pólnostʹju)completely; utterly; without doubt — see also completely
Spanish en toda la línea
  • en toda la líneacompletely; utterly; without doubt — see also completely
Swedish helt och hållet
  • helt och hålletcompletely; utterly; without doubt — see also completely

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with well and truly

trulynewlyJuliedulyunrulycruellycouleecoollytulehooleypulidoolymuhlytabboulehghoulyschoolyrulydooliedroolyghouliekabulikoolieLulymooli
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

well and truly. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/well%20and%20truly

MLA

“well and truly.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/well%20and%20truly. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “well and truly,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/well%20and%20truly.

Source: well and truly on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.