will

VERB · English

Experimental / limited support

Experimental coverage — measured below Partial on the number of recorded words, definitions, translations, word forms and pronunciation. Treat entries as evidence to check; meanings may be incomplete.

1. Definition: Used to express the future tense, sometimes with an implication of volition or determination when used in the first person. Compare shall.

   auxiliary · no-past-participle

   No translation has been attempted for this sense.

   • Do not forget, will you? Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • Will you be doing the shopping this evening? If so, will you do mine too, please? Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • Won't you have another glass of wine? — No, I think I’ll go to bed. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • Can somebody lend me a hand? — I will. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • I'm going to quit smoking. I really will! Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • The President will arrive at 10.00 — Will she be wanting lunch? Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • If you will come this way, I’ll show you your bedroom. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • I said I’d help, and help I will. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • If your sis won’t be here on Thu, we’d better cancel the booking. — I will pray that she arrives on time. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • That'll be £69.99, please. Last for ever this pair of jeans sure will. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • This breakthrough will mean that we spend less on the electricity bill. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • We'll finish ours sooner than you (do/will). Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • Dad, will you take me to the park? Will you, please? — Will you be quiet! I'm on the phone. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • I'll hold that for you, shall I? Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • If my plans change, I will let you know. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • If we don't go now, I will be late for my class. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • They will've forgotten what I look like by now. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • The baby will surely have green eyes, because both parents have. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • If you bring your tents, we will all camp on the coast. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • Good fool, as ever thou wilt deserve well at my hand, help me to a candle, and pen, ink and paper : as I am a gentleman, I will live to be thankful to thee for’t. c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)]:
   • “I will, with your leave, relate to you, miss, the story of one of our customers.” 1859, Charles Dickens, chapter 4, in A Tale of Two Cities, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC:
   • In the first place, although many people wanted nationalisation and it became the will of Parliament, there were many other people who did not want it, have never willingly accepted it, and never will. 1958 January 14, 'Borderer', “Ten Years of British Railways”, in Railway Magazine, page 12:

2. Definition: To be able to, to have the capacity to.

   auxiliary · no-past-participle

   No translation has been attempted for this sense.

   • Unfortunately, only one of these gloves will actually fit over my hand. Usage example — not an attested quotation.

3. Definition: Expressing a present tense or perfect tense with some conditional or subjective weakening: "will turn out to", "must by inference".

   auxiliary · no-past-participle

   No translation has been attempted for this sense.

   • He will be home by now. He always gets home before 6 o'clock. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • I can't find my umbrella. I will've left it at home this morning. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • I’ll kill anybody who touches my car. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • “That will be five zloty.” I reached into my pocket and came up with some coins. 2007, Edward Jesko, The Polish:
   • Unless she diverted on the ten minute walk home, she’ll have got home at about half past. 2012, Penny Freedman, All The Daughters:

4. Definition: To habitually do (a given action).

   auxiliary · no-past-participle

   No translation has been attempted for this sense.

   • Boys will be boys. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • People will talk. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • I will fall in love with the wrong women time and again. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • The shapes of clouds will often remind us of animals. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • Most nights I'll read a little before going to sleep. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • But which of you hauing a seruant plowing, or feeding cattell, will say vnto him by & by when he is come from the field, Goe and sit downe to meate? And will not rather say vnto him, Make ready wherewith I may suppe, and gird thy selfe, and serue me, till I haue eaten and drunken: and afterward thou shalt eate and drinke. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 17:7–8:
   • As young men will, I did my best to appear suave and sophisticated. 1994, Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela, London: Abacus, published 2010, page 28:
   • How telling is it that many women will volunteer for temporary disablement by wearing high heeled shoes that hobble them? 2009, Stephen Bayley, The Telegraph, 24 Sep 09:
   • So far neither side has scored a decisive victory, though each will occasionally claim one. 2011, “Connubial bliss in America”, in The Economist:

5. Definition: To choose or agree to (do something); used to express intention but without any temporal connotations, often in questions and negation.

   auxiliary · no-past-participle

   No translation has been attempted for this sense.

   • Will you marry me? Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • What will you drink? Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • I’ve told him three times, but he won’t take his medicine. Usage example — not an attested quotation.

6. Definition: To wish, desire (something).

   literary · no-past-participle · transitive · uncommon

   No translation has been attempted for this sense.

   • Do what you will. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • God willed it. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • If thou wilt fare well at meat and meal, come and follow me. c. 1450, The Macro Plays:
   • Twelfe Night, Or what you will (original spelling) 1601, William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, or What You Will:
   • And behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 8:2:
   • Grant what Thou dost command, and command what Thou wilt. 1944, St. Augustine, translated by FJ Sheed, Confessions:

7. Definition: To wish or desire (that something happen); to intend (that).

   archaic · intransitive · no-past-participle

   No translation has been attempted for this sense.

   • Consider, if you will, the possibility that the sherry glasses were misplaced accidentally. Usage example — not an attested quotation.
   • the disciples cam to Jesus sayinge unto hym: where wylt thou that we prepare for the to eate the ester lambe? 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Matthew:
   • see God's goodwill toward men, hear how generally his grace is proposed, to him, and him, and them, each man in particular, and to all. 1 Tim. ii. 4. "God will that all men be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth." 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC:

8. Definition: Implying will go.

   archaic · no-past-participle

   No translation has been attempted for this sense.

   • I’ll to England. c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):

No paradigm has been compiled for this word yet.

Etymology: From Middle English willen, wullen, wollen, from Old English willan (“to want”), from Proto-West Germanic *willjan, from Proto-Germanic *wiljaną, from Proto-Indo-European *welh₁- (“to choose, wish”). Cognates Cognate with Yola ill, weel, well, will, woul, wull (“will”), North Frisian wale, wel (“to want”), Saterland Frisian and West Frisian wolle (“to want”), Alemannic German and Central Franconian welle (“to want”), Cimbrian béllan, bölln (“to want”), Dutch willen (“to want”), German wollen (“to want”), Low German wüllen (“to want; will”), Luxembourgish wëllen (“to want”), Yiddish וועלן (veln, “to want”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål ville (“to want”), Faroese, Icelandic, and Swedish vilja (“to want”), Jamtish vili (“to want; wish”), Norwegian Nynorsk vilja, vilje (“want; will”), Gothic 𐍅𐌹𐌻𐌾𐌰𐌽 (wiljan, “to want”); also Latin velle (“wish”, verb), voleō, volo (“to please, to wish; to want”), French vouloir (“to want”), Italian volere (“to want”), Irish fleá, fleadh (“feast”), Scottish Gaelic fleadh (“feast”), Welsh gwledd (“banquet, feast”), Lithuanian viltis (“to hope; to rely; to expect”), Czech velet (“to command”), volit (“to choose; to elect”), Polish woleć (“to prefer”), Russian во́ля (vólja, “freedom”), во́льный (vólʹnyj, “free”), веле́ть (velétʹ, “to command, to enjoin, to order”), Ukrainian воля (volja, “freedom, liberty, will”), вільний (vilʹnyj, “free”), веліти (velity, “to will, to order, to command”), воліти (volity, “to will, to prefer”), Old Armenian գեղձ (gełj, “desire, wish”), Sanskrit वृणीते (vṛṇīte), वृणोति (vṛṇoti, “to choose”). The verb is not always distinguishable from Etymology 3, below. (indicating future action): Compare typologically Bulgarian ще (šte), Macedonian ќе (ḱe), Serbo-Croatian хтети (< Proto-Slavic *xotěti).

No related word is recorded for this word.