Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Prosperous; affluent; well-off.
  • noun Affluent or wealthy people.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Having means to do or gel along with; well off: forehanded; prosperous: as, a well-to-do merchant or farmer.
  • Manifesting a state of being well off; indicative of prosperity.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective rich; prosperous

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective in fortunate circumstances financially; moderately rich

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From the phrase well to do in the world : well, prosperous, affluent + to, for + do, doing.]

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Examples

  • There's a certain look to the people who stroll around the Sunshine Coast town, one which my friend describes as a "well-to-do hippie".

    NEWS.com.au | Top Stories 2011

  • The most popular dance hall in the neighborhood was owned by Pete Williams, described as a “well-to-do, coal-black Negro, who has made an immense amount of money from the profits of his dance-house.”

    A Renegade History of the United States Thaddeus Russell 2010

  • In addition, compared with other women of the city, the white prostitutes were well-to-do.

    A Renegade History of the United States Thaddeus Russell 2010

  • “By turning to the animal world, black culture, and the red-light district for the sources of their cultural regeneration,” writes Erenberg, “well-to-do urbanites were searching for a way to liberate some of the repressed wilder elements, the more natural elements, that had been contained by gentility.”

    A Renegade History of the United States Thaddeus Russell 2010

  • This wonderful, well-to-do man would love me and be a real father to me.

    Family Storms 2011

  • A group of well-to-do people, including two state senators, decided to establish it about twelve years ago and practically begged Donald to take charge of construction.

    Family Storms 2011

  • Of course, several polls have found that the majority of members are fairly well-to-do white males, so maybe they make over $250K and are protesting their taxes?

    Obama says Tea Partiers owe him a thank you 2010

  • Jesus wasn't born into a utopian society to well-to-do parents.

    Lamar Vest: Taking The Blue With The Red And Green Lamar Vest 2011

  • Thankfully, the well-to-do ladies of the 90210 also come with a wealth of cattiness.

    Poll: Who Is the Worst Behaved Housewife on Beverly Hills? 2011

  • The discount market is growing nicely in Manhattan, but it's being dominated by retailers such as T.J. Maxx, Century 21 and Daffy's, which attract much more well-to-do customers than dollar stores, said Faith Hope Consolo of Prudential Douglas Elliman.

    Scrambling to Survive, a Dollar or So at a Time Andria Cheng 2011

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