"welsh" meaning in English

See welsh in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

Forms: more welsh [comparative], most welsh [superlative], welch [alternative], Welsh [alternative]
Etymology: Inherited from Old English welise (“foreign”). Etymology templates: {{etymid|en|foreign}}, {{ety|en|:inh|ang:welise<t:foreign>|text=+|tree=1}} [Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "welsh", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "en" }" data-lang="en" data-title="welsh"> Inherited from Old English welise (“foreign”). Head templates: {{en-adj}} welsh (comparative more welsh, superlative most welsh)
  1. (obsolete) Foreign. Tags: obsolete Derived forms: welshnut (english: walnut), Welsh onion
    Sense id: en-welsh-en-adj-H58-WJZ4 Categories (other): English entries referencing missing etymons, English entries with etymology texts, English entries with etymon, English entries with incorrect language header, Pages using etymon with no ID, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Pages with etymon Disambiguation of English entries referencing missing etymons: 54 20 27 Disambiguation of English entries with etymology texts: 53 22 25 Disambiguation of English entries with etymon: 56 20 24 Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 61 14 25 Disambiguation of Pages using etymon with no ID: 69 14 17 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 77 11 12 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 85 7 8 Disambiguation of Pages with etymon: 81 9 10
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Etymology number: 2

Verb

IPA: /wɛlʃ/ [UK] Audio: en-us-welsh.ogg [US] Forms: welshes [present, singular, third-person], welshing [participle, present], welshed [participle, past], welshed [past], welch [alternative], Welsh [alternative]
Rhymes: -ɛlʃ Etymology: Sometimes held to derive from disparaging stereotypes about the Welsh, though firm evidence of this derivation is lacking. Compare gyp (“swindle”), probably from Gypsy, and jew (“defraud”), from Jew. Head templates: {{en-verb}} welsh (third-person singular simple present welshes, present participle welshing, simple past and past participle welshed)
  1. (derogatory, sometimes offensive, transitive) To cheat or swindle someone, often by not paying a debt, especially a gambling debt. Tags: derogatory, offensive, sometimes, transitive
    Sense id: en-welsh-en-verb-Ib80ag8~
  2. (derogatory, sometimes offensive, transitive) To go back on one's word. Tags: derogatory, offensive, sometimes, transitive
    Sense id: en-welsh-en-verb-L13iLnGd
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Related terms: gyp, jew down
Etymology number: 1

Inflected forms

{
  "etymology_number": "1",
  "etymology_text": "Sometimes held to derive from disparaging stereotypes about the Welsh, though firm evidence of this derivation is lacking. Compare gyp (“swindle”), probably from Gypsy, and jew (“defraud”), from Jew.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "welshes",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "welshing",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "welshed",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "welshed",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "welch",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Welsh",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "welsh (third-person singular simple present welshes, present participle welshing, simple past and past participle welshed)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "gyp"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "jew down"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "glosses": [
        "To cheat or swindle someone, often by not paying a debt, especially a gambling debt."
      ],
      "id": "en-welsh-en-verb-Ib80ag8~",
      "links": [
        [
          "derogatory",
          "derogatory"
        ],
        [
          "cheat",
          "cheat"
        ],
        [
          "swindle",
          "swindle"
        ],
        [
          "paying",
          "paying"
        ],
        [
          "debt",
          "debt"
        ],
        [
          "gambling",
          "gambling"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(derogatory, sometimes offensive, transitive) To cheat or swindle someone, often by not paying a debt, especially a gambling debt."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "derogatory",
        "offensive",
        "sometimes",
        "transitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              83,
              90
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2023 September 28, HarryBlank, “Hooking Up”, in SCP Foundation, archived from the original on 25 May 2024:",
          "text": "\"He can weasel out if^([sic]) it.\" Ibanez massaged her knuckles. \"He can say Couch welshed on a deal, and didn't show, and that's why Karen got got. It isn't conclusive. I have another thing I can lay on him, but even the two combined won't do. We need a third smoking gun if we're really gonna smoke this son of a bitch.\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To go back on one's word."
      ],
      "id": "en-welsh-en-verb-L13iLnGd",
      "links": [
        [
          "derogatory",
          "derogatory"
        ],
        [
          "go back on",
          "go back on"
        ],
        [
          "word",
          "word"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(derogatory, sometimes offensive, transitive) To go back on one's word."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "derogatory",
        "offensive",
        "sometimes",
        "transitive"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/wɛlʃ/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-welsh.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/48/En-us-welsh.ogg/En-us-welsh.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/En-us-welsh.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛlʃ"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "Welsh"
    }
  ],
  "word": "welsh"
}

{
  "etymology_number": "2",
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "foreign"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "etymid"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "ang:welise<t:foreign>",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"welsh\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"welsh\">\nInherited from Old English welise (“foreign”).",
      "name": "ety"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Inherited from Old English welise (“foreign”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more welsh",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most welsh",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "welch",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Welsh",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "welsh (comparative more welsh, superlative most welsh)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "54 20 27",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries referencing missing etymons",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "53 22 25",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with etymology texts",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "56 20 24",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "61 14 25",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "69 14 17",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages using etymon with no ID",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "77 11 12",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "85 7 8",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "81 9 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "derived": [
        {
          "english": "walnut",
          "translation": "walnut",
          "word": "welshnut"
        },
        {
          "word": "Welsh onion"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Foreign."
      ],
      "id": "en-welsh-en-adj-H58-WJZ4",
      "links": [
        [
          "Foreign",
          "foreign#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(obsolete) Foreign."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "welsh"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English entries referencing missing etymons",
    "English entries with etymology texts",
    "English entries with etymon",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms derived from Old English",
    "English terms inherited from Old English",
    "English terms with homophones",
    "English verbs",
    "Pages using etymon with no ID",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Pages with etymon",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛlʃ",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛlʃ/1 syllable"
  ],
  "etymology_number": "1",
  "etymology_text": "Sometimes held to derive from disparaging stereotypes about the Welsh, though firm evidence of this derivation is lacking. Compare gyp (“swindle”), probably from Gypsy, and jew (“defraud”), from Jew.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "welshes",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "welshing",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "welshed",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "welshed",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "welch",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Welsh",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "welsh (third-person singular simple present welshes, present participle welshing, simple past and past participle welshed)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "gyp"
    },
    {
      "word": "jew down"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English derogatory terms",
        "English offensive terms",
        "English transitive verbs"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To cheat or swindle someone, often by not paying a debt, especially a gambling debt."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "derogatory",
          "derogatory"
        ],
        [
          "cheat",
          "cheat"
        ],
        [
          "swindle",
          "swindle"
        ],
        [
          "paying",
          "paying"
        ],
        [
          "debt",
          "debt"
        ],
        [
          "gambling",
          "gambling"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(derogatory, sometimes offensive, transitive) To cheat or swindle someone, often by not paying a debt, especially a gambling debt."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "derogatory",
        "offensive",
        "sometimes",
        "transitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English derogatory terms",
        "English offensive terms",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English transitive verbs"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              83,
              90
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2023 September 28, HarryBlank, “Hooking Up”, in SCP Foundation, archived from the original on 25 May 2024:",
          "text": "\"He can weasel out if^([sic]) it.\" Ibanez massaged her knuckles. \"He can say Couch welshed on a deal, and didn't show, and that's why Karen got got. It isn't conclusive. I have another thing I can lay on him, but even the two combined won't do. We need a third smoking gun if we're really gonna smoke this son of a bitch.\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To go back on one's word."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "derogatory",
          "derogatory"
        ],
        [
          "go back on",
          "go back on"
        ],
        [
          "word",
          "word"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(derogatory, sometimes offensive, transitive) To go back on one's word."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "derogatory",
        "offensive",
        "sometimes",
        "transitive"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/wɛlʃ/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-welsh.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/48/En-us-welsh.ogg/En-us-welsh.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/En-us-welsh.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛlʃ"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "Welsh"
    }
  ],
  "word": "welsh"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English entries referencing missing etymons",
    "English entries with etymology texts",
    "English entries with etymon",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms derived from Old English",
    "English terms inherited from Old English",
    "Pages using etymon with no ID",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Pages with etymon"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "english": "walnut",
      "translation": "walnut",
      "word": "welshnut"
    },
    {
      "word": "Welsh onion"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_number": "2",
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "foreign"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "etymid"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "ang:welise<t:foreign>",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"welsh\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"welsh\">\nInherited from Old English welise (“foreign”).",
      "name": "ety"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Inherited from Old English welise (“foreign”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more welsh",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most welsh",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "welch",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Welsh",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "welsh (comparative more welsh, superlative most welsh)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with obsolete senses"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Foreign."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Foreign",
          "foreign#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(obsolete) Foreign."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "welsh"
}

Download raw JSONL data for welsh meaning in English (4.8kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-07-16 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-07-06 using wiktextract (e62056b and e7887d5). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

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