Well done is a way to praise someone for a result they have already achieved, like “Great job!”. Its second meaning is about meat: well done means cooked all the way through, with no pink inside.
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Well done!; well done + on/for + noun/-ing; I'd like it well done (meat); a well-done steak
- You passed your driving test on the first attempt? Well done!
- Well done for organising the conference so quickly; everything ran smoothly.
- I always order my steak well done because I don't like it pink inside.
What changed
First versionCould I have my steak well fried, please?
RevisionCould I have my steak well done, please?
It is tempting to describe the cooking method: well fried or well roasted. But English uses fixed words for how well meat is cooked, and meat cooked all the way through is well done. Only this phrase was corrected.
Well done is said after a result, while good luck is said before an event: Good luck with your interview! Meat has its own scale: rare is still red inside, medium is pink in the middle, and well done is cooked all the way through. Before a noun it takes a hyphen: a well-done steak.
Your turn
Your sister has just passed her final exam with top marks. You tell her: ___!
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Well done — The exam is over and your sister is being praised for the result, so Well done fits. Good luck is said beforehand, when the result is still unknown.
Praise a colleague or friend for a specific success. Use well done with for or on and say exactly what the person achieved.
Well done on getting the promotion, Mark; you worked really hard for it this year.
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