English dictionary
will
verbPronunciation
/wɪl/
Audio pronunciation
Parts of speech
Definitions
verb
- (now uncommon or literary) To wish, desire (something).
- (nowadays rare) To wish or desire (that something happen); to intend (that).
- (auxiliary) To habitually do (a given action).
- (auxiliary) To choose to (do something); used to express intention but without any temporal connotations (+ bare infinitive), often in negation.
- (auxiliary) Used to express the future tense, sometimes with some implication of volition when used in the first person. Compare shall.
- (auxiliary) To be able to, to have the capacity to.
- (auxiliary) Expressing a present tense with some conditional or subjective weakening: "will turn out to", "must by inference".
noun
- One's independent faculty of choice; the ability to be able to exercise one's choice or intention.
- One's intention or decision; someone's orders or commands.
- The act of choosing to do something; a person’s conscious intent or volition.
- Law A formal declaration of one's intent concerning the disposal of one's property and holdings after death; the legal document stating such wishes.
- That which is desired; one's wish.
- Desire, longing. (Now generally merged with later senses.)
verb
- To wish, desire.
- To instruct (that something be done) in one's will.
- To try to make (something) happen by using one's will (intention).
- To bequeath (something) to someone in one's will (legal document).
Example sentences
Do what you will.
I’ve told him three times, but he won’t take his medicine.
Unfortunately, only one of these gloves will actually fit over my hand.
Of course, man's will is often regulated by his reason.
Eventually I submitted to my parents' will.
Most creatures have a will to live.
He felt a great will to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
All the fans were willing their team to win the game.
He willed his stamp collection to the local museum.