well-a-fine, adv. and int. Obs. exc. dial.
[See afine adv.]
A. adv. Right well, well indeed; to good purpose, thoroughly.
| c 1330 Kyng of Tars 780 Icham nou glad wel a fyn, Mai no mon blithur be. 1380 Sir Ferumb. 2752 Now y knowe wel-a-ffyn, þy message schendeth me. c 1400 Rom. Rose 3690 For no man..maye..of the reysyns haue the wyne, Tyl grapes rype and wel a fyne Be sore empressid. c 1400 Beryn 1393 The tale wol be ryff Of me, & of noon othir; I knowe riȝte wel a fyne. 1573 Tusser Husb., Author's Life xix. (1878) 210 A Moone,..Which well a fine me thought did shine. 1746 Exmoor Scolding (E.D.S.) 81 Chem a laced well-a-fine aready. 1882 Jago Dial. Cornw. 309 That's all well-a-fine. 1886 W. Somerset Word-bk., Well-a-fine, adv. phr., very well; truly; indeed. |
b. Altered to well and fine.
| c 1400 Gamelyn 427 Anon as Gamelyn hadde eten wel and fyne. c 1400 Beryn 303 Fawnus lete hym clatir & cry wel & fyne. 14.. Guy Warw. (Camb. MS.) 9086 Gye lokyd theron wele and fyne. c 1450 Lovelich Merlin 6860 This knowen ȝe alle wel and fyn. |
B. int. (See quot. 1880.)
| 1880 E. Cornw. Gloss., Well-a-fyne, a common interjection, meaning ‘it's all very well’. 1892 ‘Q’ Three Ships ii. 33 Well-a-fine! What a teasin' armful is woman, afore the first-born comes! |