A wife as of herself no thing ne sholde [should] Wille in effect, but
as her husband wolde [would].
Chaucer.
Caleb said unto her, What will thou ?
Judg. i. 14.
They would none of my counsel.
Prov. i. 30.
2. As an auxiliary, will is used to denote futurity dependent on the
verb. Thus, in first person, "I will" denotes willingness, consent,
promise; and when "will" is emphasized, it denotes determination or
fixed purpose; as, I will go if you wish; I will go at all hazards. In
the second and third persons, the idea of distinct volition, wish, or
purpose is evanescent, and simple certainty is appropriately expressed;
as, "You will go," or "He will go," describes a future event as a fact
only. To emphasize will denotes (according to the tone or context)
certain futurity or fixed determination.
Will, auxiliary, may be used elliptically for will go. "I'll to her
lodgings." Marlowe.
As in shall (which see), the second and third persons may be virtually
converted into the first, either by question or indirect statement, so
as to receive the meaning which belongs to will in that person; thus,
"Will you go?" (answer, "I will go") asks assent, requests, etc.; while
"Will he go?" simply inquires concerning futurity; thus, also,"He says
or thinks he will go," "You say or think you will go," both signify
willingness or consent.
Would, as the preterit of will, is chiefly employed in conditional,
subjunctive, or optative senses; as, he would go if he could; he could
go if he would; he said that he would go; I would fain go, but can not;
I would that I were young again; and other like phrases. In the last
use, the first personal pronoun is often omitted; as, would that he
were here; would to Heaven that it were so; and, omitting the to in
such an adjuration. "Would God I had died for thee." Would is used for
both present and future time, in conditional propositions, and would
have for past time; as, he would go now if he were ready; if it should
rain, he would not go; he would have gone, had he been able. Would not,
as also will not, signifies refusal. "He was angry, and would not go
in." Luke xv. 28. Would is never a past participle.
In Ireland, Scotland, and the United States, especially in the southern
and western portions of the United States, shall and will, should and
would, are often misused, as in the following examples: —
I am able to devote as much time and attention to other subjects as I
will [shall] be under the necessity of doing next winter.
Chalmers.
A countryman, telling us what he had seen, remarked that if the
conflagration went on, as it was doing, we would [should] have, as our
next season's employment, the Old Town of Edinburgh to rebuild.
H. Miller.
I feel assured that I will [shall] not have the misfortune to find
conflicting views held by one so enlightened as your excellency.
J. Y. Mason.
<! p. 1654 !>
Will (?), v. i. To be willing; to be inclined or disposed; to be
pleased; to wish; to desire.
And behold, there came a leper and worshiped him, saying, Lord if thou
wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus . . . touched him, saying, I
will; be thou clean.
Matt. viii. 2, 3.
This word has been confused with will, v. i., to choose, which, unlike
this, is of the weak conjugation.
Will I, nill I, or Will ye, hill ye, or Will he, nill he, whether I,
you, or he will it or not; hence, without choice; compulsorily; —
sometimes corrupted into willy nilly. "If I must take service willy
nilly." J. H. Newman. "Land for all who would till it, and reading and
writing will ye, nill ye." Lowell.
Will, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Willed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Willing. Indic.
present I will, thou willeth, he wills; we, ye, they will.] [Cf. AS.
willian. See Will, n.]
1. To form a distinct volition of; to determine by an act of choice; to
ordain; to decree. "What she will to do or say." Milton.
By all law and reason, that which the Parliament will not, is no more
established in this kingdom.
Milton.
Two things he [God] willeth, that we should be good, and that we should
be happy.
Barrow.
2. To enjoin or command, as that which is determined by an act of
volition; to direct; to order. [Obs. or R.]
They willed me say so, madam.
Shak.
Send for music, And will the cooks to use their best of cunning To
please the palate.
Beau. & Fl.
As you go, will the lord mayor . . . To attend our further pleasure
presently.
J. Webster.
3. To give or direct the disposal of by testament; to bequeath; to
devise; as, to will one's estate to a child; also, to order or direct
by testament; as, he willed that his nephew should have his watch.
Will, v. i. To exercise an act of volition; to choose; to decide; to
determine; to decree.
At Winchester he lies, so himself willed.
Robert of Brunne.
He that shall turn his thoughts inward upon what passes in his own mind
when he wills.
Locke.
I contend for liberty as it signifies a power in man to do as he wills
or pleases.
Collins.
Wil"lem*ite (?), n. [From Willem I., king of the Netherlands.] (Min.) A
silicate of zinc, usually occurring massive and of a greenish yellow
color, also in reddish crystals (troostite) containing manganese.
Will"er (?), n. One who wills.
Wil"let (?), n. (Zoöl.) A large North American snipe (Symphemia
semipalmata); — called also pill-willet, will-willet, semipalmated
tattler, or snipe, duck snipe, and stone curlew.
Carolina willet, the Hudsonian godwit.