1. gladly and cordially received or admitted: a welcome guest.
2. bringing pleasure or gratitude: a welcome gift.
3. freely permitted or invited: you are welcome to call.
4. under no obligation (only in such phrases as {you\\\'re welcome} or {he\\\'s welcome}, as conventional responses to thanks).
sentence substitute.
5. an expression of cordial greeting, esp to a person whose arrival is desired or pleasing.
n.
6. the act of greeting or receiving a person or thing; reception: the new theory had a cool welcome.
7. wear out one\\\'s welcome. to come more often or stay longer than is acceptable or pleasing.
vb. (tr.)
8. to greet the arrival of (visitors, guests, etc.) cordially or gladly.
9. to receive or accept, esp gladly.
[changed (through influence of {well1}) from Old English wilcuma (agent noun referring to a welcome guest), wilcume (a greeting of welcome). from wil {will2} + cuman to {come}]