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will - 16 dictionary results

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will

1 [wil]

auxiliary verb and 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.

Use will in a Sentence

–auxiliary verb

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

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

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

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

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

6.	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.

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

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

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

–verb (used with object), verb (used without object)

10.	to wish; desire; like: Go where you will. Ask, if you will, who the owner is.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME willen, OE wyllan; c. D willen, G wollen, ON vilja, Goth wiljan; akin to L velle to wish

Usage note:
See shall.

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will

2 [wil]

noun, verb, willed, will⋅ing.

–noun

1.	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.

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

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

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

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

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

7.	disposition, whether good or ill, toward another.

Law.

a.	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.

b.	the document containing such a declaration.

–verb (used with object)

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

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

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

12.	to influence by exerting will power: She was willed to walk the tightrope by the hypnotist.

–verb (used without object)

13.	to exercise the will: To will is not enough, one must do.

14.	to decide or determine: Others debate, but the king wills.

—Idiom

15.

at will,

a.	at one's discretion or pleasure; as one desires: to wander at will through the countryside.

b.	at one's disposal or command.

Origin:
bef. 900; (n.) ME will(e), OE will(a); c. D wil, G Wille, ON vili, Goth wilja; (v.) ME willen, OE willian to wish, desire, deriv. of the n.; akin to will ¹

Related forms:

willer, noun

Synonyms:
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.

Will

[wil]

–noun

a male given name, form of William.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source

Link To will

will¹ (wĭl)

1. The mental faculty by which one deliberately chooses or decides upon a course of action: championed freedom of will against a doctrine of predetermination.
2. The act of exercising the will.
3. Diligent purposefulness; determination: an athlete with the will to win.
4. Self-control; self-discipline: lacked the will to overcome the addiction.
5. A legal declaration of how a person wishes his or her possessions to be disposed of after death.
6. A legally executed document containing this declaration.
1. Diligent purposefulness; determination: an athlete with the will to win.
2. Self-control; self-discipline: lacked the will to overcome the addiction.
3. A legal declaration of how a person wishes his or her possessions to be disposed of after death.
4. A legally executed document containing this declaration.
A desire, purpose, or determination, especially of one in authority: It is the sovereign's will that the prisoner be spared.
Deliberate intention or wish: Let it be known that I took this course of action against my will.
Free discretion; inclination or pleasure: wandered about, guided only by will.
Bearing or attitude toward others; disposition: full of good will.
1. A legal declaration of how a person wishes his or her possessions to be disposed of after death.
2. A legally executed document containing this declaration.

v. willed, will·ing, wills

v. tr.

To decide on; choose.
To yearn for; desire: "She makes you will your own destruction" (George Bernard Shaw).
To decree, dictate, or order.
To resolve with a forceful will; determine.
To induce or try to induce by sheer force of will: We willed the sun to come out.
To grant in a legal will; bequeath.

v. intr.

To exercise the will.
To make a choice; choose.

[Middle English, from Old English willa; see wel-¹ in Indo-European roots.]

will² (wĭl)

aux.v. Past tense would (wŏŏd)

Used to indicate simple futurity: They will appear later.
Used to indicate likelihood or certainty: You will regret this.
Used to indicate willingness: Will you help me with this package?
Used to indicate requirement or command: You will report to me afterward.
Used to indicate intention: I will too if I feel like it.
Used to indicate customary or habitual action: People will talk.
Used to indicate capacity or ability: This metal will not crack under heavy pressure.
Used to indicate probability or expectation: That will be the messenger ringing.

tr. & intr.v. To wish; desire: Do what you will. Sit here if you will. See Usage Note at shall.

[Middle English willen, to intend to, from Old English willan; see wel-¹ in Indo-European roots.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Will

Will\, n. [OE. wille, AS. willa; akin to OFries. willa, OS. willeo, willio, D. wil, G. wille, Icel. vili, Dan. villie, Sw. vilja, Goth wilja. See Will, v.]

1. The power of choosing; the faculty or endowment of the soul by which it is capable of choosing; the faculty or power of the mind by which we decide to do or not to do; the power or faculty of preferring or selecting one of two or more objects.

It is necessary to form a distinct notion of what is meant by the word "volition" in order to understand the import of the word will, for this last word expresses the power of mind of which "volition" is the act. --Stewart.

Will is an ambiguous word, being sometimes put for the faculty of willing; sometimes for the act of that faculty, besides [having] other meanings. But "volition" always signifies the act of willing, and nothing else. --Reid.

Appetite is the will's solicitor, and the will is appetite's controller; what we covet according to the one, by the other we often reject. --Hooker.

The will is plainly that by which the mind chooses anything. --J. Edwards.

2. The choice which is made; a determination or preference which results from the act or exercise of the power of choice; a volition.

The word "will," however, is not always used in this its proper acceptation, but is frequently substituted for "volition", as when I say that my hand mover in obedience to my will. --Stewart.

3. The choice or determination of one who has authority; a decree; a command; discretionary pleasure.

Thy will be done. --Matt. vi. 10.

Our prayers should be according to the will of God. --Law.

4. Strong wish or inclination; desire; purpose.

Note: "Inclination is another word with which will is frequently confounded. Thus, when the apothecary says, in Romeo and Juliet,

My poverty, but not my will, consents; . . . Put this in any liquid thing you will, And drink it off. the word will is plainly used as, synonymous with inclination; not in the strict logical sense, as the immediate antecedent of action. It is with the same latitude that the word is used in common conversation, when we speak of doing a thing which duty prescribes, against one's own will; or when we speak of doing a thing willingly or unwillingly." --Stewart.

5. That which is strongly wished or desired.

What's your will, good friar? --Shak.

The mariner hath his will. --Coleridge.

6. Arbitrary disposal; power to control, dispose, or determine.

Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies. --Ps. xxvii. 12.

7. (Law) The legal declaration of a person's mind as to the manner in which he would have his property or estate disposed of after his death; the written instrument, legally executed, by which a man makes disposition of his estate, to take effect after his death; testament; devise. See the Note under Testament, 1.

Note: Wills are written or nuncupative, that is, oral. See Nuncupative will, under Nuncupative.

At will (Law), at pleasure. To hold an estate at the will of another, is to enjoy the possession at his pleasure, and be liable to be ousted at any time by the lessor or proprietor. An estate at will is at the will of both parties.

Good will. See under Good.

Ill will, enmity; unfriendliness; malevolence.

To have one's will, to obtain what is desired; to do what one pleases.

Will worship, worship according to the dictates of the will or fancy; formal worship. [Obs.]

Will worshiper, one who offers will worship. [Obs.] --Jer. Taylor.

With a will, with willingness and zeal; with all one's heart or strength; earnestly; heartily.

Will

Will\, v. t. & auxiliary. [imp. Would. Indic. present, I will (Obs. I wol), thou wilt, he will (Obs. he wol); we, ye, they will.] [OE. willen, imp. wolde; akin to OS. willan, OFries. willa, D. willen, G. wollen, OHG. wollan, wellan, Icel. & Sw. vilja, Dan. ville, Goth. wiljan, OSlav. voliti, L. velle to wish, volo I wish; cf. Skr. v[.r] to choose, to prefer. Cf. Voluntary, Welcome, Well, adv.]

1. To wish; to desire; to incline to have.

A wife as of herself no thing ne sholde [should] Wille in effect, but as her husband wolde [would]. --Chaucer.

Caleb said unto her, What will thou ? --Judg. i. 14.

They would none of my counsel. --Prov. i. 30.

2. As an auxiliary, will is used to denote futurity dependent on the verb. Thus, in first person, "I will" denotes willingness, consent, promise; and when "will" is emphasized, it denotes determination or fixed purpose; as, I will go if you wish; I will go at all hazards. In the second and third persons, the idea of distinct volition, wish, or purpose is evanescent, and simple certainty is appropriately expressed; as, "You will go," or "He will go," describes a future event as a fact only. To emphasize will denotes (according to the tone or context) certain futurity or fixed determination.

Note: Will, auxiliary, may be used elliptically for will go. "I'll to her lodgings." --Marlowe.

Note: As in shall (which see), the second and third persons may be virtually converted into the first, either by question or indirect statement, so as to receive the meaning which belongs to will in that person; thus, "Will you go?" (answer, "I will go") asks assent, requests, etc.; while "Will he go?" simply inquires concerning futurity; thus, also,"He says or thinks he will go," "You say or think you will go," both signify willingness or consent.

Note: Would, as the preterit of will, is chiefly employed in conditional, subjunctive, or optative senses; as, he would go if he could; he could go if he would; he said that he would go; I would fain go, but can not; I would that I were young again; and other like phrases. In the last use, the first personal pronoun is often omitted; as, would that he were here; would to Heaven that it were so; and, omitting the to in such an adjuration. "Would God I had died for thee." Would is used for both present and future time, in conditional propositions, and would have for past time; as, he would go now if he were ready; if it should rain, he would not go; he would have gone, had he been able. Would not, as also will not, signifies refusal. "He was angry, and would not go in." --Luke xv. 28. Would is never a past participle.

Note: In Ireland, Scotland, and the United States, especially in the southern and western portions of the United States, shall and will, should and would, are often misused, as in the following examples:

I am able to devote as much time and attention to other subjects as I will [shall] be under the necessity of doing next winter. --Chalmers.

A countryman, telling us what he had seen, remarked that if the conflagration went on, as it was doing, we would [should] have, as our next season's employment, the Old Town of Edinburgh to rebuild. --H. Miller.

I feel assured that I will [shall] not have the misfortune to find conflicting views held by one so enlightened as your excellency. --J. Y. Mason.

Will

Will\, v. i. To be willing; to be inclined or disposed; to be pleased; to wish; to desire.

And behold, there came a leper and worshiped him, saying, Lord if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus . . . touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. --Matt. viii. 2, 3.

Note: This word has been confused with will, v. i., to choose, which, unlike this, is of the weak conjugation.

Will I, nill I, or Will ye, hill ye, or Will he, nill he, whether I, you, or he will it or not; hence, without choice; compulsorily; -- sometimes corrupted into willy nilly. "If I must take service willy nilly." --J. H. Newman. "Land for all who would till it, and reading and writing will ye, nill ye." --Lowell.

Will

Will\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Willed; p. pr. & vb. n. Willing. Indic. present I will, thou willeth, he wills; we, ye, they will.] [Cf. AS. willian. See Will, n.]

1. To form a distinct volition of; to determine by an act of choice; to ordain; to decree. "What she will to do or say." --Milton.

By all law and reason, that which the Parliament will not, is no more established in this kingdom. --Milton.

Two things he [God] willeth, that we should be good, and that we should be happy. --Barrow.

2. To enjoin or command, as that which is determined by an act of volition; to direct; to order. [Obs. or R.]

They willed me say so, madam. --Shak.

Send for music, And will the cooks to use their best of cunning To please the palate. --Beau. & Fl.

As you go, will the lord mayor . . . To attend our further pleasure presently. --J. Webster.

3. To give or direct the disposal of by testament; to bequeath; to devise; as, to will one's estate to a child; also, to order or direct by testament; as, he willed that his nephew should have his watch.

Will

Will\, v. i. To exercise an act of volition; to choose; to decide; to determine; to decree.

At Winchester he lies, so himself willed. --Robert of Brunne.

He that shall turn his thoughts inward upon what passes in his own mind when he wills. --Locke.

I contend for liberty as it signifies a power in man to do as he wills or pleases. --Collins.

Language Translation for : will

Spanish: voluntad, albedrío,

German: der Wille,

Japanese: 意志

More Translations »

will (v.)

O.E. *willan, wyllan "to wish, desire, want" (past tense wolde), from P.Gmc. *welljan (cf. O.S. willian, O.N. vilja, O.Fris. willa, Du. willen, O.H.G. wellan, Ger. wollen, Goth. wiljan "to will, wish, desire," Goth. waljan "to choose"), from PIE *wel-/*wol- "be pleasing" (cf. Skt. vrnoti "chooses, prefers," varyah "to be chosen, eligible, excellent," varanam "choosing;" Avestan verenav- "to wish, will, choose;" Gk. elpis "hope;" L. volo, velle "to wish, will, desire;" O.C.S. voljo, voliti "to will," veljo, veleti "to command;" Lith. velyti "to wish, favor," pa-vel-mi "I will," viliuos "I hope;" Welsh gwell "better"). Cf. also O.E. wel "well," lit. "according to one's wish;" wela "well-being, riches." The use as a future auxiliary was already developing in O.E. The implication of intention or volition distinguishes it from shall, which expresses or implies obligation or necessity. Contracted forms, especially after pronouns, began to appear 16c., as in sheele for "she will." The form with an apostrophe is from 17c.

will (n.)

O.E. will, willa, from P.Gmc. *weljon (cf. O.S. willio, O.N. vili, O.Fris. willa, Du. wil, O.H.G. willio, Ger. wille, Goth. wilja "will"), related to *willan "to wish" (see will (v.)). The meaning "written document expressing a person's wishes about disposition of property after death" is first recorded c.1380.

Will

A legally enforceable declaration of how a person wishes his or her property to be distributed after death. In a will a person can also recommend a guardian for his or her children. Also known as a "will and testament".

Investopedia Commentary

Making a will is a very important component of estate planning. In it you declare who gets your belongings and assets when you die. If you do not have a will, the distribution of your property is left up to the government, and may even end up becoming state property. A will therefore helps ensure your wishes are carried out, and can make things simpler and easier for your heirs.

Main Entry: will
Function: noun
1 : the desire, inclination, or choice of a person or group
2 : the faculty of wishing, choosing, desiring, or intending
3 : a legal declaration of a person's wishes regarding the disposal of his or her property after death; especially : a formally executed written instrument by which a person makes disposition of his or her estate to take effect after death —see also CODICIL, LIVING WILL, TESTAMENT

antenuptial will
: a will that was executed by a person prior to that person's marriage and is usually revocable by the court if no provision was made for the person's spouse unless an intention not to make such a provision is manifest

conditional will
: a will intended to take effect upon a certain contingency and usually construed as having absolute force when the language pertaining to the condition suggests a general purpose to make a will

counter will
: MUTUAL WILL in this entry

holographic will
: a will written out in the hand of the testator and accepted as valid in many states provided it meets statutory requirements (as that no important parts have been altered or replaced in the hand of another and that it has been properly witnessed)

international will
: a will written in any language and executed in accordance with procedures established as a result of an international convention so as to be valid as to form regardless of the location of its execution or the assets, nationality, domicile, or residence of the testator
NOTE: A properly executed international will is still subject to local probate laws; the validity deriving from adherence to statutory requirements for such wills is purely formal, and a will invalid in respect to such requirements may still be valid under other rules.

joint and mutual will
: a single will jointly executed by two or more persons and containing reciprocal provisions for the disposition of property owned jointly, severally, or in common upon the death of one of them called also joint and reciprocal will

joint will
: a single will jointly executed by two or more persons and containing their respective wills joint will or mutual wills does not create a presumption of a contract not to revoke the will or wills —Maine Revised Statutes> —compare JOINT AND MUTUAL WILL in this entry
NOTE: A joint and mutual will is a joint will, but a joint will need not contain reciprocal provisions.

mutual will
: one of two separate wills that share reciprocal provisions for the disposition of property in the event of death by one of the parties mutual will executed in connection with an agreement based on sufficient consideration is both contractual and testamentary in nature —Pruss v. Pruss, 514 North Western Reporter, Second Series 335 (1994)> called also counter will reciprocal will —compare JOINT AND MUTUAL WILL in this entry

mystic will
in the civil law of Louisiana : a will signed, sealed, witnessed, and notarized according to statutory procedure called also mystic testament secret testament
NOTE: The Louisiana Civil Code requires that for a mystic will to be valid, the will document itself or the envelope containing it must be closed and sealed and thus presented to the notary public and witnesses, or closed and sealed in their presence, and the testator must declare that it contains his or her signed will. The envelope or closed document must be subscribed by the testator, witnesses, and notary public.

non·in·ter·ven·tion will
/"nän-"in-t&r-'ven-ch&n-/
: a will that provides for an executor to administer the estate without judicial involvement

nuncupative will
: a will allowed in some states that is dictated orally before witnesses and set down in writing within a statutorily specified time period (as 30 days) and that is allowed only for one in imminent peril of death from a terminal illness or from military or maritime service

pour–over will
: a will that provides for a transfer of assets (as the residue of the estate) to a trust (as an inter vivos trust) upon the death of the testator

reciprocal will
: MUTUAL WILL in this entry—at will : subject to an individual's discretion; specifically : without a requirement that the employer have just cause for terminating an employee at will>

Main Entry: will
Function: transitive verb
1 : to order or direct by will <willed that his money be given to charity>
2 : to dispose of by will <willed the house to their children>

will

In addition to the idiom beginning with will, 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.

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