8 results for: Volition

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

vo·li·tion

Audio Help [voh-lish-uh

–noun

1.	the act of willing, choosing, or resolving; exercise of willing: She left of her own volition.

2.	a choice or decision made by the will.

3.	the power of willing; will.

[Origin: 1605–15; < ML volitiōn- (s. of volitiō), equiv. to vol- (var. s. of velle to want, wish; see will¹) + -itiōn- -ition

]

—Related forms

vo·li·tion·al, vo·li·tion·ar·y

Audio Help [voh-lish-uh-ner-ee] Pronunciation Key, adjective

vo·li·tion·al·ly, adverb

—Synonyms 1. discretion, choice. See will².

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Volition

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

vo·li·tion Audio Help (və-lĭsh'ən) Pronunciation Key
n.

The act or an instance of making a conscious choice or decision.
A conscious choice or decision.
The power or faculty of choosing; the will.

[French, from Medieval Latin volitiō, volitiōn-, from Latin velle, vol-, to wish; see wel-¹ in Indo-European roots.]

vo·li'tion·al adj., vo·li'tion·al·ly adv.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
volition

1615, from Fr. volition (16c.), from M.L. volitionem (nom. volitio) "will, volition," from L. stem (as in volo "I wish") of velle "to wish," from PIE *wel-/*wol- "be pleasing" (see will (v.)).

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

volition
noun
1.	the capability of conscious choice and decision and intention; "the exercise of their volition we construe as revolt"- George Meredith
2.	the act of making a choice; "followed my father of my own volition"

American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

vo·li·tion (v-lshn)
n.

The act or an instance of making a conscious choice or decision.
A conscious choice or decision.
The power or faculty of choosing; the will.

vo·lition·al adj.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Main Entry: vo·li·tion
Pronunciation: vO-'lish-&n, v&-
Function: noun
1 : an act of making a choice or decision; also : a choice or decision made
2 : the power of choosing or determining

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Volition

Choice\ (chois), n. [OE. chois, OF. chois, F. choix, fr. choisir to choose; of German origin; cf. Goth. kausjan to examine, kiusan to choose, examine, G. kiesen. [root]46. Cf. Choose.]

1. Act of choosing; the voluntary act of selecting or separating from two or more things that which is preferred; the determination of the mind in preferring one thing to another; election.

2. The power or opportunity of choosing; option.

Choice there is not, unless the thing which we take be so in our power that we might have refused it. --Hooker.

3. Care in selecting; judgment or skill in distinguishing what is to be preferred, and in giving a preference; discrimination.

I imagine they [the apothegms of C[ae]sar] were collected with judgment and choice. --Bacon.

4. A sufficient number to choose among. --Shak.

5. The thing or person chosen; that which is approved and selected in preference to others; selection.

The common wealth is sick of their own choice. --Shak.

6. The best part; that which is preferable.

The flower and choice Of many provinces from bound to bound. --Milton.

To make a choice of, to choose; to select; to separate and take in preference.

Syn: Syn. - See Volition, Option.

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