Will Definition

wĭl
wills, wo, would
noun
wills
The power of making a reasoned choice or decision or of controlling one's own actions.
A man of weak will.
Webster's New World
Diligent purposefulness; determination.
An athlete with the will to win.
American Heritage
Strong and fixed purpose; determination.
Where there's a will there's a way.
Webster's New World
Self-control; self-discipline.
Lacked the will to overcome the addiction.
American Heritage
Energy and enthusiasm.
To work with a will.
Webster's New World
verb
wills
To decide on or intend.
He can finish the race if he wills it.
American Heritage
To exert one's will.
To succeed by willing.
Webster's New World
To have as the object of one's will; desire; want.
To will another's happiness, to will to survive.
Webster's New World
To control or influence by the power of the will.
To will oneself into an action, to will others into submission.
Webster's New World
To decree, dictate, or order.
Believed that the outcome was willed by the gods.
American Heritage
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
pronoun

A diminutive of the male given name William. Also used as a formal given name.

Wiktionary

A patronymic surname.

Wiktionary
idiom
at will
  • Just as or when one wishes.
American Heritage
at will
  • when one wishes; at one's discretion
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Will

Noun

Singular:
will
Plural:
wills

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Will

Origin of Will

  • From Middle English willen, wullen, wollen, from Old English willan, wyllan (“to will, be willing, wish, desire, be used to, to be about to"), from Proto-Germanic *wiljanÄ… (“to desire, wish"), from Proto-Indo-European *(e)welǝ- (“to choose, wish"). Cognate with Dutch willen, Low German willen, German wollen, Swedish vilja, Latin velle (“wish", verb) and Albanian vel (“to satisfy, be stuffed") .It is not always distinguishable from Etymology 1, above.

    From Wiktionary

  • From Middle English wille, from Old English willa (“mind, will, determination, purpose, desire, wish, request, joy, delight, pleasure") (compare verb willian), from Proto-Germanic *wiljô (“desire, will"), from Proto-Indo-European *(e)welǝ- (“to choose, wish"). Cognate with Dutch wil, German Wille, Swedish vilja. The verb is not always distinguishable from Etymology 2, below.

    From Wiktionary

  • Shortened from William or, less often, from other given names beginning with Wil-, such as Wilfred or Willard.

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English willen to intend to from Old English willan wel-1 in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Middle English from Old English willa wel-1 in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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