will
1will
verb \wəl, (ə)l, əl, ˈwil\ past would\wəd, (ə)d, ˈwu̇d\ present singular & plural will
Definition of WILL
transitive verb
verbal auxiliary
1
—used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent, or in negative constructions refusal <no one would take the job> <if we will all do our best> <will you please stop that racket>
2
—used to express frequent, customary, or habitual action or natural tendency or disposition <will get angry over nothing> <will work one day and loaf the next>
3
—used to express futurity <tomorrow morning I will wake up in this first-class hotel suite — Tennessee Williams>
4
—used to express capability or sufficiency <the back seat will hold three passengers>
5
—used to express probability and often equivalent to the simple verb <that will be the babysitter>
6
a —used to express determination, insistence, persistence, or willfulness <I have made up my mind to go and go I will> b —used to express inevitability <accidents will happen>
7
—used to express a command, exhortation, or injunction <you will do as I say, at once>
intransitive verb
: to have a wish or desire <whether we will or no>
See Usage Discussion at shall
— if you will
: if you wish to call it that <a kind of preoccupation, or obsession if you will — Louis Auchincloss>
Origin of WILL
Middle English (1st & 3d singular present indicative), from Old English wille (infinitive wyllan); akin to Old High German wili (3d singular present indicative) wills, Latin velle to wish, will
First Known Use: before 12th century
Rhymes with WILL
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