well-ˈlooking, ppl. a.
Of good or attractive appearance, good-looking: a. of persons.
Formerly very common, but now less usual than good-looking.
| 1702 Steele Funeral i. i. 4 That Hale Well-looking Puppy! 1737 Gentl. Mag. VII. 176 A well-disciplin'd Army of above 7000 Collectors, and a peaceable well-looking one of 18000 Men. 1772 Graves Spir. Quixote iii. ix. (1783) I. 151 A well-looking elderly gentleman. 1811–13 Jane Austen Mansf. Park xix, You should tell your father he is not above five feet eight, or he will be expecting a well-looking man. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair xli, The sisters were rather well-looking young women. 1874 R. Tyrwhitt Sketch. Club 6 He was..well-bred, and something more than well-looking. 1895 J. G. Millais Breath fr. Veldt (1899) 66 His brother Piet (a fine well-looking fellow). |
| transf. 1773 Goldsm. Stoops to Conquer i, Tell me, Constance, how do I look this evening?.. Is it one of my well-looking days, child? am I in face to-day? |
b. of an animal, plant, building, etc.
| 1772 Ann. Reg. 7 The blades..produced well-looking ears; but these were hollow, and totally destitute of grain. 1796 W. H. Marshall Planting II. 8 This [the horse-chesnut] is a large well looking tree. 1819 E. Rigby tr. Chateauvieux' Italy 76 Almost every farm maintains a well-looking horse, which goes in a small two-wheeled cart. 1832 G. C. Lewis Lett. (1870) 18 Avignon is a well-looking town. 1860 Geo. Eliot in Cross Life (1885) II. 171 The well-looking lines of building on each side of the Arno. 1886 Froude Oceana xi. 189 The houses of the wealthy and moderately wealthy classes are solid and well-looking. |
c. fig. Of an idea: Specious, attractive.
| 1811 Henry & Isabella II. 174 The well looking idea of befriending an inexperienced young woman. |