willing

[ wil-ing ]

/ ˈwɪl ɪŋ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR willing ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

disposed or consenting; inclined: willing to go along.

cheerfully consenting or ready: a willing worker.

done, given, borne, used, etc., with cheerful readiness.

Origin of willing

1250–1300; Middle English. See will², -ing²

SYNONYMS FOR willing

1 minded.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR willing ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM willing

will·ing·ly, adverb will·ing·ness, noun o·ver·will·ing, adjective o·ver·will·ing·ly, adverb

o·ver·will·ing·ness, noun pre·will·ing, adjective pre·will·ing·ly, adverb pre·will·ing·ness, noun qua·si-will·ing, adjective qua·si-will·ing·ly, adverb

Words nearby willing

williamson, williamsport, willie, willies, willimantic, willing, willing horse, willingdon, willingham, willis, williston

Definition for willing (2 of 3)

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.

am (is, are, etc.) about or going to: I will be there tomorrow. She will see you at dinner.

am (is, are, etc.) disposed or willing to: People will do right.

am (is, are, etc.) expected or required to: You will report to the principal at once.

may be expected or supposed to: You will not have forgotten him. This will be right.

am (is, are, etc.) determined or sure to (used emphatically): You would do it. People will talk.

am (is, are, etc.) accustomed to, or do usually or often: You will often see her sitting there. He would write for hours at a time.

am (is, are, etc.) habitually disposed or inclined to: Boys will be boys. After dinner they would read aloud.

am (is, are, etc.) capable of; can: This tree will live without water for three months.

am (is, are, etc.) going to: I will bid you “Good night.”

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

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 THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH will

can may shall will (see usage note at can¹) (see usage note at shall)

Definition for willing (3 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.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR will ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM will

will·er, noun

Example sentences from the Web for willing

So far, all the players seemed to be willing to wait their turn.

The Golden State Preps for the ‘Red Wedding’ of Senate Races |David Freedlander |January 9, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
And in order for them to realize their vision, they are willing to use any means.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Our Duty Is to Keep Charlie Hebdo Alive |Ayaan Hirsi Ali |January 8, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
There is also “other” and “willing to convert” (more on those categories later).

My Week on Jewish Tinder |Emily Shire |January 5, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
But he was always uncommonly gracious, a truly gentle man, willing to dispense wisdom and perspective when asked.

Ed Brooke: The Senate's Civil Rights Pioneer and Prophet of a Post-Racial America |John Avlon |January 4, 2015 |DAILY BEAST

They liked what Duke was saying and were willing to look beyond what little they knew of his past.

The Louisiana Racists Who Courted Steve Scalise |Jason Berry |January 3, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
People do not believe what God has said about what He is willing to do for His children.

The Master's Indwelling |Andrew Murray
You were willing to blow up this headquarters and everybody, yourself included, in it, to keep us from getting at Merlin.

The Cosmic Computer |Henry Beam Piper
Are you willing to trust the reputation of your friends to me?

The Colossus |Opie Read
More is often done for the worst cause than men are willing to do or to sacrifice for the best.

Public School Education |Michael Mller
The duty he had felt forced to do had been too painful in its nature to make him willing to discuss it even after it was over.

An Unoficial Patriot |Helen Gardener

British Dictionary definitions for willing (1 of 3)

willing

/ (ˈwɪlɪŋ) /

adjective

favourably disposed or inclined; ready

cheerfully or eagerly compliant

done, given, accepted, etc, freely or voluntarily

Derived forms of willing

willingly, adverb willingness, noun

British Dictionary definitions for willing (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 willing (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 willing (1 of 2)

willing

see ready, willing, and able; spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

Idioms and Phrases with willing (2 of 2)

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

willing

adjective

Origin of willing

SYNONYMS FOR willing

OTHER WORDS FROM willing

Words nearby willing

Definition for willing (2 of 3)

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.

Origin of will

usage note for will

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH will

Definition for willing (3 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

Example sentences from the Web for willing

British Dictionary definitions for willing (1 of 3)

adjective

Derived forms of willing

British Dictionary definitions for willing (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 willing (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 willing (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with willing (2 of 2)

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

willing

adjective

Origin of willing

SYNONYMS FOR willing

OTHER WORDS FROM willing

Words nearby willing

Definition for willing (2 of 3)

Origin of will

usage note for will

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH will

Definition for willing (3 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

Words related to willing

Example sentences from the Web for willing

British Dictionary definitions for willing (1 of 3)

adjective

Derived forms of willing

British Dictionary definitions for willing (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 willing (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 willing (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with willing (2 of 2)