well to do
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
In good circumstances, well off, well provided for.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “well to do” mean?
In good circumstances, well off, well provided for.
Is “well to do” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.