warm welcome

warm welcome

A welcome to someone or something that is particularly enthusiastic and positive. The whole town turned out to give the returning war heroes a warm welcome. The new policy hasn't exactly gotten a warm welcome from citizens.
See also: warm, welcome
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

warm welcome

A hearty, hospitable reception or greeting, as in We got a very warm welcome when we finally arrived. This expression, dating from the mid-1700s, should not be confused with the similar warm reception, which from about 1700 signified a hostile welcome, as in His rivals were planning a warm reception for him.
See also: warm, welcome
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

warm welcome, a

An enthusiastic greeting. This term has been around since at least the mid-eighteenth century, and perhaps much longer. “Whoe’er has travell’d life’s dull round, May sigh to think he still has found the warmest welcome at an inn,” wrote William Shenstone (Written at an Inn at Henley, ca. 1763). A very similar cliché, a warm reception, often has just the opposite meaning—that is, a greeting full of hostility.
See also: warm
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • warm welcome, a
  • welcome to
  • welcome to, be
  • be welcome to (something)
  • put out the welcome mat (for someone)
  • roll out the welcome mat (for someone)
  • receive (someone or something) with open arms
  • receive with open arms
  • greet (someone or something) with open arms
  • greeting
References in classic literature
She smiled upon the throng as if in acknowledgment of a warm welcome, and began to walk to and fro, making profuse gesticulations and singing, in brazen soprano tones, a song, the words of which were inaudible.
Maggie A Girl of the Streets
Then she went in to her mother and sister, and as she was so richly covered with gold, they gave her a warm welcome. She related to them all that had happened, and when the mother heard how she had come by her great riches, she thought she should like her ugly, lazy daughter to go and try her fortune.
Fairy Tales
Parmenitch, a talkative, comely old man, gave Levin a very warm welcome, showed him all he was doing, told him everything about his bees and the swarms of that year; but gave vague and unwilling answers to Levin's inquiries about the mowing.
Anna Karenina
Lady Muriel and her father gave me a delightfully warm welcome. They were not of the folk we meet in fashionable drawing-rooms who conceal all such feelings as they may chance to possess beneath the impenetrable mask of a conventional placidity.
Sylvie and Bruno
Ellmother give you a warm welcome when you came here?"
I Say No
A warm welcome awaits you when you pay your first visit at our house.
The New Magdalen
You'll find us a united, simple, happy, and I think I may say respected, family--a plain table, a plain people, but a warm welcome, my dear Miss Rhoda--Rhoda, let me say, for my heart warms to you, it does really.
Vanity Fair
At Hampton I received a warm welcome from teachers and students.
Up From Slavery
The grim humor of the situation was too much for the outlaw, and, when added to his new desire to be in the company of Bertrade de Montfort, he made no effort to resist, but hastened to accept the warm welcome.
The Outlaw of Torn
If he had previously sustained his firmness and fortitude, it had been by an effort which had cost him no little pain; but the warm welcome, the hearty manner, the homely unaffected commiseration, of the good old man, went to his heart, and no inward struggle could prevent his showing it.
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
We relied upon the fact that we could count upon the good word of those whom we had rescued to ensure a warm welcome from their fellows.
The Lost World
So come on Boro - a warm welcome awaits in the land of Viking ruins and Celtic nationalism.
AS usual, Bernie Slaven
Clan forward Meyer said: "Neil has a great record and deserves a warm welcome. He's given a lot and had two great years here."
No icy reception for Trimm; UPDATE
Summary: DUBAI -- Emirates Airline Passengers flying from Kuwait to Dubai received a warm welcome yesterday from Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) upon landing at the Dubai International Airport.
Passengers pleasantly surprised