What it means
Short for Wellington boot, meaning those knee-high rubber boots you lob on when it’s tipping down or you’re trudging through mud. It also means a bit of oomph or extra effort, especially in give it some welly, as in stop dawdling and put some power behind it. Versatile little word, very British.
Usage examples
"Chuck your wellies on, the towpath’s pure sludge. And give it some welly up this hill, mate, the car’s dying for a gear change."
"The hill was steep so I gave it some welly on the pedals, legs burning, and just about made it to the top."
Where it comes from
Short for Wellington boot, those knee-high rubber boots named after the Duke, but welly also means full-throttle effort: give it some welly, foot to the floor. The link is the boot stamping hard on the accelerator. So a welly is footwear for the mud and, at the same time, the gusto you put into anything worth doing properly.
Other ways to say it
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