well met

English

Etymology

A shortening of It is well that we have met.

Interjection

well met

1. (archaic, paganism) A greeting.
   • c. 1599, William Shakespeare, Henry V, act II, scene I:

     Bardolph: Well met, Corporal Nim.

   • 1833, Unknown translator, “The Death Song of Regner Lodbrog”, in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, volume 33, page 915:

     " Well met ! Well met ! Thou'lt soon be set
     Before the ale-cup flowing."

   • 2011, James A Owen, The Dragon's Apprentice, →ISBN, page 120:

     "Ho, Fios," Verne said as he raised a hand in greeting.
     "Well met, Master Verne," the smallest of the dogs replied.

Adjective

well met (not comparable)

1. (archaic) Welcome, greeted.
   • c. 1599, William Shakespeare, As You Like It, act I, scene IX:

     Clown: Here comes Sir Oliver: Sir Oliver Mar-text, you are well met.

   • 1902, Emerson Hough, The Mississippi Bubble, →ISBN, pages 280–281:

     Mother of God! but we are well met here, in this wilderness, among the savages.

   • 2009, Kage Baker, (Please provide the book title or journal name), →ISBN, page 109:

     "Lord Vergoin, you are well met. I trust my poor table will not too gravely disappoint you."

2. Greeted by a person of high respect or social status.

   Lady Merlumina?! You were well met. She is an ancestor of mine.

3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see well,‎ met.