Wills

[ wilz ]

/ wɪlz /

noun

Helen New·ing·ton

[noo-ing-tuh n, nyoo-] /ˈnu ɪŋ tən, ˈnyu-/,1906–98, U.S. tennis player.

Definition for wills (2 of 3)

will ²

[ wil ]

/ wɪl /

noun

the faculty of conscious and especially of deliberate action; the power of control the mind has over its own actions: the freedom of the will.

power of choosing one's own actions: to have a strong or a weak will.

the act or process of using or asserting one's choice; volition: My hands are obedient to my will.

wish or desire: to submit against one's will.

purpose or determination, often hearty or stubborn determination; willfulness: to have the will to succeed.

the wish or purpose as carried out, or to be carried out: to work one's will.

disposition, whether good or ill, toward another.

Law.

a legal declaration of a person's wishes as to the disposition of his or her property or estate after death, usually written and signed by the testator and attested by witnesses.
the document containing such a declaration.

verb (used with object), willed, will·ing.

to decide, bring about, or attempt to effect or bring about by an act of the will: He can walk if he wills it.

to purpose, determine on, or elect, by an act of will: If he wills success, he can find it.

to give or dispose of (property) by a will or testament; bequeath or devise.

to influence by exerting control over someone's impulses and actions: She was willed to walk the tightrope by the hypnotist.

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

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.

4 pleasure, disposition, inclination.

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, noun

Definition for wills (3 of 3)

Will

[ wil ]

/ wɪl /

noun

a male given name, form of William.

Example sentences from the Web for wills

I doubt Wills feels it is disgusting for pro-life activists to register voters at anti-abortion protests.

Angry About Ferguson? Oppose Voter ID Laws |Jacob Lupfer |August 26, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
And she is the daughter of two proud, accomplished women who have succeeded in life by asserting our wills on the world.

My Daughter Is Bossy—But Don’t Call Her That |Sally Kohn |March 12, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The Wills (Sears) Tower in Chicago added all glass balconies to the Skydeck during its 2009 renovations.

A New Installation in the French Alps Allows Visitors to Walk Off the Highest Mountain Peak |Justin Jones |December 21, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
Wills was loose, working the cameras with jokes about his new baby.

Kate Middleton Looked Goddam Fabulous Today |Isabel Wilkinson |July 23, 2013 |DAILY BEAST

If Wills has any say in the matter, their boy will have his very own Smokey, too.

How Different Is Raising the Royal Baby From a Typical American Child? |Kevin Fallon, Lizzie Crocker |July 23, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
How Abraham and Sarah contrived to hold fast so many thousand servants against their wills, we are left quite in the dark.

The Anti-Slavery Examiner, Omnibus |American Anti-Slavery Society
When God gives us wills like iron we can drive through difficulties as the iron share cuts through the toughest soil.

My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year |John Henry Jowett
Do not make your plans forgetting me, little mortals; I change your thoughts and wills.

Sketches in Lavender, Blue and Green |Jerome K. Jerome
Sally came and went, with the Wills boy, and gave no heed to me.

The Light in the Clearing |Irving Bacheller
There, would be no disturbance, no clashing of wills and of interests, but calm and silence and the time to love.

The Call of the Blood |Robert Smythe Hichens

British Dictionary definitions for wills (1 of 3)

Wills

/ (wɪlz) /

noun

Helen Newington, married name Helen Wills Moody Roark. 1905–98, US tennis player. She was Wimbledon singles champion eight times between 1927 and 1938. She also won the US title seven times and the French title four times

William John. 1834–61, English explorer: Robert Burke's deputy in an expedition on which both men died after crossing Australia from north to south for the first time

British Dictionary definitions for wills (2 of 3)

will ¹

/ (wɪl) /

verb past would (takes an infinitive without to or an implied infinitive)

(esp with you, he, she, it, they, or a noun as subject) used as an auxiliary to make the future tense Compare shall (def. 1)

used as an auxiliary to express resolution on the part of the speaker I will buy that radio if it's the last thing I do

used as an auxiliary to indicate willingness or desire will you help me with this problem?

used as an auxiliary to express compulsion, as in commands you will report your findings to me tomorrow

used as an auxiliary to express capacity or ability this rope will support a load

used as an auxiliary to express probability or expectation on the part of the speaker that will be Jim telephoning

used as an auxiliary to express customary practice or inevitability boys will be boys

(with the infinitive always implied) used as an auxiliary to express desire: usually in polite requests stay if you will

what you will whatever you like

will do informal a declaration of willingness to do what is requested

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 wills (3 of 3)

will ²

/ (wɪl) /

noun

the faculty of conscious and deliberate choice of action; volition Related adjectives: voluntary, volitive

the act or an instance of asserting a choice

the declaration of a person's wishes regarding the disposal of his or her property after deathRelated adjective: testamentary
a revocable instrument by which such wishes are expressed

anything decided upon or chosen, esp by a person in authority; desire; wish

determined intention where there's a will there's a way

disposition or attitude towards others he bears you no ill will

at will at one's own desire, inclination, or choice

with a will heartily; energetically

with the best will in the world even with the best of intentions

verb (mainly tr; often takes a clause as object or an infinitive)

(also intr) to exercise the faculty of volition in an attempt to accomplish (something) he willed his wife's recovery from her illness

to give (property) by will to a person, society, etc he willed his art collection to the nation

(also intr) to order or decree the king wills that you shall die

to choose or prefer wander where you will

to yearn for or desire to will that one's friends be happy

Derived forms of will

willer, noun

Word Origin for will

Old English willa; related to Old Norse vili, Old High German willeo (German Wille), Gothic wilja, Old Slavonic volja

Idioms and Phrases with wills

will

In addition to the idiom beginning with will

will not hear of

also see:

against one's will
at will
boys will be boys
heads (will) roll
murder will out
of one's own accord (free will)
shit will hit the fan
that will do
time will tell
truth will out
when the cat's away, mice will play
where there's a will
with a will
with the best will in the world
wonders will never cease

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

Wills

noun

Definition for wills (2 of 3)

noun

verb (used with object), willed, will·ing.

verb (used without object), willed, will·ing.

Origin of will

SYNONYMS FOR will

OTHER WORDS FROM will

Definition for wills (3 of 3)

noun

Example sentences from the Web for wills

British Dictionary definitions for wills (1 of 3)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for wills (2 of 3)

verb past would (takes an infinitive without to or an implied infinitive)

Word Origin for will

undefined will

British Dictionary definitions for wills (3 of 3)

noun

verb (mainly tr; often takes a clause as object or an infinitive)

Derived forms of will

Word Origin for will

Idioms and Phrases with wills

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

Wills

noun

Definition for wills (2 of 3)

noun

verb (used with object), willed, will·ing.

verb (used without object), willed, will·ing.

Origin of will

SYNONYMS FOR will

OTHER WORDS FROM will

Definition for wills (3 of 3)

noun

Words related to wills

Example sentences from the Web for wills

British Dictionary definitions for wills (1 of 3)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for wills (2 of 3)

verb past would (takes an infinitive without to or an implied infinitive)

Word Origin for will

undefined will

British Dictionary definitions for wills (3 of 3)

noun

verb (mainly tr; often takes a clause as object or an infinitive)

Derived forms of will

Word Origin for will

Idioms and Phrases with wills