willed
- having a will (usually used in combination): strong-willed; weak-willed.
Origin of willed
will
1- am (is, are, etc.) about or going to: I will be there tomorrow. She will see you at dinner.
- am (is, are, etc.) disposed or willing to: People will do right.
- am (is, are, etc.) expected or required to: You will report to the principal at once.
- may be expected or supposed to: You will not have forgotten him. This will be right.
- am (is, are, etc.) determined or sure to (used emphatically): You would do it. People will talk.
- 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.
- am (is, are, etc.) habitually disposed or inclined to: Boys will be boys. After dinner they would read aloud.
- am (is, are, etc.) capable of; can: This tree will live without water for three months.
- am (is, are, etc.) going to: I will bid you “Good night.”
- to wish; desire; like: Go where you will. Ask, if you will, who the owner is.
Origin of will
1Usage note
will
2- 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.
- power of choosing one's own actions: to have a strong or a weak will.
- the act or process of using or asserting one's choice; volition: My hands are obedient to my will.
- wish or desire: to submit against one's will.
- purpose or determination, often hearty or stubborn determination; willfulness: to have the will to succeed.
- the wish or purpose as carried out, or to be carried out: to work one's will.
- disposition, whether good or ill, toward another.
- Law.
- 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.
- the document containing such a declaration.
- to decide, bring about, or attempt to effect or bring about by an act of the will: He can walk if he wills it.
- to purpose, determine on, or elect, by an act of will: If he wills success, he can find it.
- to give or dispose of (property) by a will or testament; bequeath or devise.
- to influence by exerting control over someone's impulses and actions: She was willed to walk the tightrope by the hypnotist.
- to exercise the will: To will is not enough, one must do.
- to decide or determine: Others debate, but the king wills.
- at will,
- at one's discretion or pleasure; as one desires: to wander at will through the countryside.
- at one's disposal or command.
Origin of will
2Synonyms for will
Related Words for willed
desire, discipline, resolve, power, wish, decision, mind, intention, attitude, determination, passion, feeling, resolution, inclination, character, insistence, fancy, yearning, design, likingExamples from the Web for willed
Contemporary Examples of willed
There is the Providence Place Mall, which Cianci willed into existence at the moment when retail shops were fleeing the downtown.
You have to be living a life of willed ignorance and denial to take issue with what Israel said.
But I got the script, read it, and we both felt like it should happen now, so we willed it to happen.
Aubrey Plaza on Playing A Zombie in ‘Life After Beth,’ the ‘Daria’ Movie, and MoreMarlow Stern
January 21, 2014
In fact, the surprise is not that she died so young, but that she willed herself to stay alive so long.
Part of the explanation for this dismal record of non-rescue is our capacity for willed blindness.
Historical Examples of willed
I had counted on my brother's love, but God has willed that it should be otherwise.
The White CompanyArthur Conan Doyle
He willed that all his bishops should set their hands to this decree.
The Formation of Christendom, Volume VIThomas W. (Thomas William) Allies
The tall German said never a word, but allowed the boys to do as they willed with him.
The Boy Scouts on Belgian BattlefieldsLieut. Howard Payson
There was not a corner of it that was not theirs to use as they willed.
Abbe Mouret's TransgressionEmile Zola
When they left Lafouasse, she was once more completely his; he could do what he willed with her.
Doctor PascalEmile Zola
willed
- (in combination) having a will as specifiedweak-willed
will
1- (esp with you, he, she, it, they, or a noun as subject) used as an auxiliary to make the future tenseCompare shall (def. 1)
- used as an auxiliary to express resolution on the part of the speakerI will buy that radio if it's the last thing I do
- used as an auxiliary to indicate willingness or desirewill you help me with this problem?
- used as an auxiliary to express compulsion, as in commandsyou will report your findings to me tomorrow
- used as an auxiliary to express capacity or abilitythis rope will support a load
- used as an auxiliary to express probability or expectation on the part of the speakerthat will be Jim telephoning
- used as an auxiliary to express customary practice or inevitabilityboys will be boys
- (with the infinitive always implied) used as an auxiliary to express desire: usually in polite requestsstay if you will
- what you will whatever you like
- will do informal a declaration of willingness to do what is requested
Word Origin for will
xref
will
2- the faculty of conscious and deliberate choice of action; volitionRelated adjectives: voluntary, volitive
- the act or an instance of asserting a choice
- the declaration of a person's wishes regarding the disposal of his or her property after deathRelated adjective: testamentary
- a revocable instrument by which such wishes are expressed
- anything decided upon or chosen, esp by a person in authority; desire; wish
- determined intentionwhere there's a will there's a way
- disposition or attitude towards othershe bears you no ill will
- at will at one's own desire, inclination, or choice
- with a will heartily; energetically
- with the best will in the world even with the best of intentions
- (also intr) to exercise the faculty of volition in an attempt to accomplish (something)he willed his wife's recovery from her illness
- to give (property) by will to a person, society, etche willed his art collection to the nation
- (also intr) to order or decreethe king wills that you shall die
- to choose or preferwander where you will
- to yearn for or desireto will that one's friends be happy
Word Origin for will
Word Origin and History for willed
will
Old English *willan, wyllan "to wish, desire, want" (past tense wolde), from Proto-Germanic *welljan (cf. Old Saxon willian, Old Norse vilja, Old Frisian willa, Dutch willen, Old High German wellan, German wollen, Gothic wiljan "to will, wish, desire," Gothic waljan "to choose"). The Germanic words are from PIE *wel-/*wol- "be pleasing" (cf. Sanskrit vrnoti "chooses, prefers," varyah "to be chosen, eligible, excellent," varanam "choosing;" Avestan verenav- "to wish, will, choose;" Greek elpis "hope;" Latin volo, velle "to wish, will, desire;" Old Church Slavonic voljo, voliti "to will," veljo, veleti "to command;" Lithuanian velyti "to wish, favor," pa-vel-mi "I will," viliuos "I hope;" Welsh gwell "better").
Cf. also Old English wel "well," literally "according to one's wish;" wela "well-being, riches." The use as a future auxiliary was already developing in Old English. 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
Old English will, willa, from Proto-Germanic *weljon (cf. Old Saxon willio, Old Norse vili, Old Frisian willa, Dutch wil, Old High German willio, German wille, Gothic 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 late 14c.
Idioms and Phrases with willed
will
In addition to the idiom beginning with will
- will not hear of
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