| voluntary (ˈvɒləntərɪ, -trɪ) |
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| —adj |
| 1. | performed, undertaken, or brought about by free choice, willingly, or without being asked: a voluntary donation |
| 2. | (of persons) serving or acting in a specified function of one's own accord and without compulsion or promise of remuneration: a voluntary social worker |
| 3. | done by, composed of, or functioning with the aid of volunteers: a voluntary association |
| 4. | endowed with, exercising, or having the faculty of willing: a voluntary agent |
| 5. | arising from natural impulse; spontaneous: voluntary laughter |
| 6. | law |
| | a. acting or done without legal obligation, compulsion, or persuasion |
| | b. made without payment or recompense in any form: a voluntary conveyance |
| 7. | (of the muscles of the limbs, neck, etc) having their action controlled by the will |
| 8. | maintained or provided by the voluntary actions or contributions of individuals and not by the state: voluntary schools; the voluntary system |
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| —n , -taries |
| 9. | music a composition or improvisation, usually for organ, played at the beginning or end of a church service |
| 10. | work done without compulsion |
| 11. | obsolete a volunteer, esp in an army |
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| [C14: from Latin voluntārius, from voluntās will, from velle to wish] |
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| volun'tarily |
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| —adv |
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| 'voluntariness |
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| —n |