will
1
[ wil ]
/ wɪl /
auxiliary verb, present singular 1st person will, 2nd will or (Archaic) wilt, 3rd will, present plural will; past singular 1st person would, 2nd would or (Archaic) wouldst, 3rd would, past plural would; past participle (Obsolete) wold or would; imperative, infinitive, and present participle lacking.
verb (used with or without object), present singular 1st person will, 2nd will or (Archaic) wilt, 3rd will, present plural will; past singular 1st person would, 2nd would or (Archaic) wouldst, 3rd would, past plural would; past participle (Obsolete) wold or would; imperative, infinitive, and present participle lacking.
to wish; desire; like: Go where you will. Ask, if you will, who the owner is.
Origin of will
1
before 900; Middle English
willen, Old English
wyllan; cognate with Dutch
willen, German
wollen, Old Norse
vilja, Gothic
wiljan; akin to Latin
velle to wish
usage note for will
See
shall.
Words nearby will
Definition for will (2 of 4)
will
2
[ wil ]
/ wɪl /
noun
verb (used with object), willed, will·ing.
verb (used without object), willed, will·ing.
to exercise the will: To will is not enough, one must do.
to decide or determine: Others debate, but the king wills.
Origin of will
2
before 900; (noun) Middle English
will(e), Old English
will(a); cognate with Dutch
wil, German
Wille, Old Norse
vili, Gothic
wilja; (v.) Middle English
willen, Old English
willian to wish, desire, derivative of the noun; akin to
will1
SYNONYMS FOR will
3
choice.
5
resolution,
decision.
Will,
volition refer to conscious choice as to action or thought.
Will denotes fixed and persistent intent or purpose:
Where there's a will there's a way.
Volition is the power of forming an intention or the incentive for using the will:
to exercise one's volition in making a decision.
9 determine.
11 leave.
OTHER WORDS FROM will
will·er, nounDefinition for will (3 of 4)
Definition for will (4 of 4)
Irwin
[ ur-win ]
/ ˈɜr wɪn /
noun
Wallace,1875–1959,
U.S. journalist and humorist.
his brotherWilliam HenryWill,1873–1948,
U.S. novelist, short-story writer, and journalist.
a male given name.
British Dictionary definitions for will (1 of 3)
will
1
/ (wɪl) /
verb past would (takes an infinitive without to or an implied infinitive)
Word Origin for will
Old English
willan; related to Old Saxon
willian, Old Norse
vilja, Old High German
wollen, Latin
velle to wish, will
undefined will
See
shall
British Dictionary definitions for will (2 of 3)
will
2
/ (wɪl) /
noun
verb (mainly tr; often takes a clause as object or an infinitive)
Derived forms of will
willer, nounWord Origin for will
Old English
willa; related to Old Norse
vili, Old High German
willeo (German
Wille), Gothic
wilja, Old Slavonic
volja
British Dictionary definitions for will (3 of 3)
Irwin
/ (ˈɛːwɪn) /
noun
Steve, full name Stephen Robert Irwin, known as 'The Crocodile Hunter'. 1962–2006, Australian zoologist, environmentalist and maker of television wildlife documentaries; died following wounding by a stingray
Idioms and Phrases with will
will