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\ wəl, (ə)l, ᵊl, ˈwil 
\
\ past would\ wəd , (ə)d , ˈwu̇d \; present singular and plural will
\; present singular and plural willDefinition of will
(Entry 1 of 3)
1 —used to express futuritytomorrow morning I will wake up in this first-class hotel suite— Tennessee Williams
2 —used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent, or in negative constructions refusalno one would take the jobif we will all do our bestwill you please stop that racket
3 —used to express a command, exhortation, or injunctionyou will do as I say, at once
4 —used to express frequent, customary, or habitual action or natural tendency or dispositionwill get angry over nothingwill work one day and loaf the next
5 —used to express probability and often equivalent to the simple verbthat will be the babysitter
6a —used to express inevitabilityaccidents will happen
b —used to express determination, insistence, persistence, or willfulnessI have made up my mind to go and go I will
7 —used to express capability or sufficiencythe back seat will hold three passengers
: to have a wish or desire
whether we will or no
if you will
: if you wish to call it that
a kind of preoccupation, or obsession if you will— Louis Auchincloss
will
noun\ ˈwil \
\Definition of will (Entry 2 of 3)
1 : a legal declaration of a person's wishes regarding the disposal of his or her property or estate after death especially : a written instrument legally executed by which a person makes disposition of his or her estate to take effect after death
4a : mental powers manifested as wishing, choosing, desiring, or intending
b : a disposition to act according to principles or ends
c : the collective desire of a group
the will of the people
5 : the power of control over one's own actions or emotions
a man of iron will
at will
: as one wishes : as or when it pleases or suits oneself
will
verb (2)\ ˈwil \
\willed; willing; wills
Definition of will (Entry 3 of 3)
1a : to cause or change by an act of will
believed he could will himself to succeed also : to try to do so
d : to determine by an act of choice
2a : to dispose of by or as if by a will : bequeath willed his entire estate to his son
b : to order or direct by a will
willed that her property be divided among her children
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Synonyms for will
Synonyms: Noun
- continence,
- restraint,
- self-command,
- self-containment,
- self-control,
- self-discipline,
- self-government,
- self-mastery,
- self-possession,
- self-restraint,
- willpower
Examples of will in a Sentence
Noun
In her will, she asked that her money be donated to the church.
He made a will only days before his death.
He has no will of his own.
a government that reflects the will of the people
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More Definitions for will
will
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of will
law : a legal document in which a person states who should receive his or her possessions after he or she dies
: a strong desire or determination to do something
: a person's choice or desire in a particular situation
See the full definition for will in the English Language Learners Dictionary
will
helping verb\ wəl , ˈwil \
, ˈwil \ past would\ wəd , ˈwu̇d \; present singular & plural will
Kids Definition of will
(Entry 1 of 3)
1 : wish to
They will have milk.
2 : am, is, or are willing to
I will go if you ask me.
3 : am, is, or are determined to
We will go in spite of the storm.
4 : am, is, or are going to
Everyone will be there.
5 : is or are commanded to
You will obey.
6 : is or are able to
The car will hold six people.
7 : is or are likely or bound to
The truth will come out.
will
noun\ ˈwil \
\Kids Definition of will (Entry 2 of 3)
1 : a firm desire or determination
They have the will to win.
2 : the power to decide or control emotions or actions
He quit smoking through his own will.
3 : a particular person's decision or choice
It's the king's will that he be jailed.
4 : a legal paper in which a person states to whom his or her property is to be given after death
will
verb\ ˈwil \
\willed; willing
Kids Definition of will (Entry 3 of 3)
1 : to intend or order
It will happen if God wills it.
2 : to bring to a certain condition by the power of the will
Jonas felt himself losing consciousness and with his whole being willed himself to stay upright …— Lois Lowry, The Giver
3 : to decide on by choice
Go where you will.
4 : to leave by will
They willed the house to me.
will
nounLegal Definition of will
(Entry 1 of 2)
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
the execution of a 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
a mutual will executed in connection with an agreement based on sufficient consideration is both contractual and testamentary in nature — Pruss v. Pruss, 514 N.W.2d 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.
— nonintervention will \ ˌnän-ˌin-tər-ˈven-chən- \
: 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 could be discharged at will
will
transitive verbLegal Definition of will (Entry 2 of 2)
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
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Time Traveler for will
The first known use of will was before the 12th century
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