Adjacent Words

Welsh definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

WELSH, a. [G., foreign, strange, Celtic.] Pertaining to the Welsh nation.
WELSH, n.
1. The language of Wales or of the Welsh.
2. The general name of the inhabitants of Wales. The word signifies foreigners or wanderers, and was given to this people by other nations, probably because they came from some distant country. The Welsh call themselves Cymry, in the plural, and a Welshman Cymro, and their country Cymra, of which the adjective is Cymreig, and the name of their language, Cymraeg. They are supposed to be the Cimbri of Jutland.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: of or relating to or characteristic of Wales or its people or their language; "the Welsh coast"; "Welsh syntax" [syn: Welsh, Cambrian] n
1: a native or resident of Wales [syn: Welshman, Welsh, Cambrian, Cymry]
2: a Celtic language of Wales [syn: Welsh, Cymric]
3: a breed of dual-purpose cattle developed in Wales [syn: Welsh, Welsh Black] v
1: cheat by avoiding payment of a gambling debt [syn: welsh, welch]

Merriam Webster's

also welch intransitive verb Etymology: probably from Welsh, adjective Date: 1905 1. sometimes offensive to avoid payment — used with on 2. sometimes offensive to break one's word ; renege • welsher noun, sometimes offensive

Merriam Webster's

also Welch noun Etymology: Middle English Walsche, Welsse, from walisch, welisch, adjective, Welsh, from Old English wælisc, welisc foreign, British, Welsh, from Old English Wealh foreigner, Briton, Welshman, of Celtic origin; akin to the source of Latin Volcae, a Celtic people of southeastern Gaul Date: before 12th century 1. the Celtic language of the Welsh people 2. plural in construction the natives or inhabitants of Wales 3. Welsh pony • Welsh also Welch adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. & n. --adj. of or relating to Wales or its people or language. --n. 1 the Celtic language of Wales. 2 (prec. by the; treated as pl.) the people of Wales. Phrases and idioms: Welsh corgi see CORGI. Welsh dresser a type of dresser with open shelves above a cupboard. Welsh harp a harp with three rows of strings. Welsh onion a species of onion, Allium fistulosum, forming clusters of bulbs. Welsh rabbit (or rarebit by folk etymology) a dish of melted cheese etc. on toast. Etymology: OE Welisc, Wælisc, etc., f. Gmc f. L Volcae, the name of a Celtic people

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.intr. (also welch) 1 (of a loser of a bet, esp. a bookmaker) decamp without paying. 2 evade an obligation. 3 (foll. by on) a fail to carry out a promise to (a person). b fail to honour (an obligation). Derivatives: welsher n. Etymology: 19th c.: orig. unkn.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Welsh Welsh, a. [AS. w[ae]lisc, welisc, from wealh a stranger, foreigner, not of Saxon origin, a Welshman, a Celt, Gael; akin to OHG. walh, whence G. w["a]lsch or welsch, Celtic, Welsh, Italian, French, Foreign, strange, OHG. walhisc; from the name of a Celtic tribe. See Walnut.] Of or pertaining to Wales, or its inhabitants. [Sometimes written also Welch.] Welsh flannel, a fine kind of flannel made from the fleece of the flocks of the Welsh mountains, and largely manufactured by hand. Welsh glaive, or Welsh hook, a weapon of war used in former times by the Welsh, commonly regarded as a kind of poleax. --Fairholt. --Craig. Welsh mortgage (O. Eng. Law), a species of mortgage, being a conveyance of an estate, redeemable at any time on payment of the principal, with an understanding that the profits in the mean time shall be received by the mortgagee without account, in satisfaction of interest. --Burrill. Welsh mutton, a choice and delicate kind of mutton obtained from a breed of small sheep in Wales. Welsh onion (Bot.), a kind of onion (Allium fistulosum) having hollow inflated stalks and leaves, but scarcely any bulb, a native of Siberia. It is said to have been introduced from Germany, and is supposed to have derived its name from the German term w["a]lsch foreign. Welsh parsley, hemp, or halters made from hemp. [Obs. & Jocular] --J. Fletcher. Welsh rabbit. See under Rabbit.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Welsh Welsh, n. 1. The language of Wales, or of the Welsh people. 2. pl. The natives or inhabitants of Wales. Note: The Welsh call themselves Cymry, in the plural, and a Welshman Cymro, and their country Cymru, of which the adjective is Cymreig, and the name of their language Cymraeg. They are a branch of the Celtic family, and a relic of the earliest known population of England, driven into the mountains of Wales by the Anglo-Saxon invaders.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Welsh Welsh, v. t. & i. (a) To cheat by avoiding payment of bets; -- said esp. of an absconding bookmaker at a race track. [Slang] (b) To avoid dishonorably the fulfillment of a pecuniary obligation. [Slang]

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

see welch

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. Welsh means belonging or relating to Wales, or to its people, language, or culture. ADJ • The Welsh are the people of Wales. N-PLURAL: usu the N 2. Welsh is the language that is spoken in some parts of Wales.

Moby Thesaurus

back out, backpedal, backwater, crawfish out, cry off, default, disallow, dishonor, dodge, dog it, duck, duck duty, get out of, goldbrick, goof off, levant, malinger, not pay, not pull fair, protest, refuse to pay, renege, repudiate, resile, shirk, skulk, slack, slide out of, slip out of, sneak out of, soldier, stop payment