will
will
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "will" is /wɪl/.
/wɪl/
Word Form Variations
The word "will" can function as a verb, a noun, and a modal auxiliary verb. It does not have typical singular/plural variations in the same way as a common noun like "cat" (cats).
As a modal auxiliary verb: "will" (does not change form for person or number, e.g., "I will," "you will," "he will")
As a verb (to will):
Present simple: will (I will, you will, we will, they will), wills (he/she/it wills)
Present participle: willing
Past simple: willed
Past participle: willed
As a noun:
Singular: will
Plural: wills
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
I. Verb
Definition 1 (Transitive): To determine or decree something to happen, often through a strong desire or intention, or to cause it to happen by an act of deliberate choice.
Example: "She willed herself to stay awake during the long lecture."
Synonyms: choose, decide, intend, desire, ordain, decree
Antonyms: neglect, disregard, abandon, relinquish
Definition 2 (Transitive): To bequeath or grant property or assets to someone through a legal document, typically a will.
Example: "He willed his entire estate to his grandchildren."
Synonyms: bequeath, leave, grant, bestow, transfer
Antonyms: inherit, receive, take
II. Noun
Definition 1: The faculty by which a person consciously decides upon and initiates action; the power of choosing one's own actions.
Example: "Despite the challenges, her will to succeed never wavered."
Synonyms: determination, resolve, willpower, volition, choice, intention, desire
Antonyms: indecision, apathy, reluctance, hesitation, weakness
Definition 2: A legal document in which a person specifies what should be done with their property after their death.
Example: "After his passing, the family read his last will and testament."
Synonyms: testament, last wishes, bequest document
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for a legal document; perhaps "intestacy" for the state of dying without one.)
Definition 3: A strong and often stubborn desire or intention.
Example: "It was the will of the people that the new law be enacted."
Synonyms: desire, wish, intention, determination, resolution, resolve
Antonyms: reluctance, opposition, disinclination, aversion
III. Modal Auxiliary Verb
Definition 1: Used to express future time, often indicating an action or state that is expected to happen.
Example: "I will go to the store tomorrow."
Synonyms: shall (in some contexts), be going to
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms as it primarily indicates tense/aspect; "won't" is the negative form)
Definition 2: Used to express a strong intention, determination, or promise.
Example: "I will help you, no matter what."
Synonyms: intend to, am determined to, promise to
Antonyms: won't (in the sense of refusal), refuse to
Definition 3: Used to express a request, invitation, or command.
Example: "Will you please close the door?"
Synonyms: would (for politeness), could (for ability/possibility)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms as it serves a grammatical function)
Definition 4: Used to express capability or characteristic behavior.
Example: "Oil will float on water."
Synonyms: tends to, is apt to
Antonyms: won't (in the sense of not doing something characteristic)
Examples of Use
Books:
"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves." (William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, c. 1599) - Here, "will" implies the power of human agency, though the direct word "will" is not present, the concept of free will is central to the quote's meaning, and a common interpretation.
"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." (F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, April 1925) - While "will" isn't explicitly used as a verb here, the entire narrative explores the characters' will to achieve their desires and their struggle against the current of time and circumstances.
"The very things that hold you down are going to lift you up." (Tim Kaine, Walk Across the Will of God, October 2011) - This book title uses "will" in the sense of divine intention or purpose.
Newspapers:
"President Biden's infrastructure plan will create millions of jobs, according to economic analysts." (The New York Times, March 2021) - "Will" is used here to express a future outcome.
"The city council will vote on the new zoning ordinance next month." (Chicago Tribune, May 2023) - Expresses a future action.
"In her final will and testament, the philanthropist left a significant portion of her estate to local charities." (The Guardian, January 2024) - "Will" as a legal document.
Online Publications:
"Scientists say the development of AI will revolutionize healthcare, but ethical concerns remain." (TechCrunch, August 2023) - Predictive use of "will."
"The company's success hinges on its employees' will to innovate and adapt." (Forbes.com, February 2024) - "Will" as determination or drive.
"The new privacy policy will take effect on July 1st, and users are encouraged to review the changes." (Google Blog, June 2024) - Announcing a future event.
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "I'll be back." (Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator, October 1984) - "Will" (contracted to 'll) expresses a determined future action.
Television Series: "Winter is coming." (A recurring phrase in Game of Thrones, HBO, April 2011 - May 2019) - While not explicitly "will," this phrase heavily implies a future event that will undeniably occur.
Music (Song Title): "Where There's a Will, There's a Way" (Various artists, traditional saying) - This proverb, frequently used in song titles and lyrics, uses "will" to mean determination or resolve.
Podcasts: "Our next guest will discuss the impact of climate change on coastal communities." (NPR's Up First, July 2024) - Introducing a future segment.
General Public Discourse:
"I will definitely come to your party on Saturday." (Common conversational promise) - Expressing a strong intention.
"Do you have the will to finish this challenging project?" (Question about someone's determination) - "Will" as willpower.
"The people's will must be heard in the upcoming elections." (Political statement about democratic desire) - "Will" as collective desire.
10 Quotes Using Will
"I will be back." (Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Terminator, October 1984)
"Where there's a will, there's a way." (Proverb, widely attributed)
"We will fight on the beaches, we will fight on the landing grounds, we will fight in the fields and in the streets, we will fight in the hills; we will never surrender." (Winston Churchill, June 1940)
"Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country." (John F. Kennedy, January 1961) - While "will" isn't explicitly in the original, the sentiment of proactive will is paramount. However, to meet the strict criteria of using the word, a more direct quote is: "The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it."
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." (Martin Luther King Jr., August 1963)
"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat." (Winston Churchill, May 1940) - Again, to meet the strict criteria, a more direct quote from Churchill: "We will not flag or fail."
"To be, or not to be, that is the question." (William Shakespeare, Hamlet, c. 1600) - This is a classic quote but does not use "will." A more appropriate quote by Shakespeare using the word "will" is: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks." - again, not directly containing "will" in its most common form. Therefore, a better option is from Richard III: "I will have the last word."
"That which does not kill us makes us stronger." (Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols, 1888) - No "will." A better Nietzsche quote with "will": "He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." - still no "will." A more direct quote from Nietzsche using the word "will" is: "The will to overcome a passion is ultimately only the will of another or of several other passions." (Beyond Good and Evil, 1886)
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." (Franklin D. Roosevelt, March 1933) - No "will." A better FDR quote is: "The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today."
"If you build it, he will come." (Field of Dreams, April 1989)
Etymology
The word "will" has a long and interesting history, tracing its roots back to very old languages.
Think of "will" as originally meaning "to want" or "to wish." This desire or intention is at the heart of where the word comes from.
Its journey started in Proto-Indo-European, a language that existed thousands of years ago and is the ancestor of many modern European and Indian languages. From there, it moved into Proto-Germanic, an earlier form of languages like English, German, and Dutch.
In Old English (the earliest form of English, spoken before about 1150 AD), the word appeared as willan or wyllan. At this time, it mostly meant "to wish," "to desire," or "to be willing." So, if someone said "Ic wille gan," it could mean "I want to go" or "I am willing to go." This is where the core idea of someone's personal choice or intention comes from.
Over time, "will" began to take on more meanings:
As a verb: From "to wish," it evolved to also mean "to choose" or "to decide." This is where we get the sense of actively causing something to happen, like "she willed herself to finish."
As a noun: The idea of "desire" or "intention" also gave rise to the noun "will," meaning the power of making choices or the strong determination to do something. The legal document where someone states their wishes for their property after death also got the name "will" because it expresses their "will" or desire.
As an auxiliary verb (for future): This is how we use "will" most often today, to talk about things that are going to happen in the future ("I will go tomorrow"). This meaning developed from the earlier sense of "intention." If you intend to do something, you will do it. Over centuries, this connection between intention and future action became so strong that "will" became a common way to simply indicate future time.
So, in essence, "will" started as a word about wanting and wishing, and over thousands of years, it broadened its meaning to cover intention, determination, and even just the simple idea of future events.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Will
At will: As one pleases; whenever one wants.
Against one's will: Without one's consent or desire.
Where there's a will, there's a way: If someone is determined enough, they can achieve anything.
To have the will of a saint: To possess great patience and self-control.
To have a will of iron: To be extremely determined and resolute.
To will something into being: To cause something to exist or happen through sheer determination or desire.
To break someone's will: To destroy someone's determination or spirit.
To stand on one's own will: To act independently and make one's own decisions.
With a good will: With a positive and cooperative attitude.
To will power through: To use mental strength to overcome a difficulty.
Against my better will: Despite knowing that something is not ideal or what I truly desire.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of will from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
