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willed

willed [wild] SynonymsExamplesWord Origin adjective

having a will (usually used in combination): strong-willed; weak-willed.

Origin of willed Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at will2, -ed3 will 1[wil] auxiliary verb, present singular 1st person will, 2nd will or (Archaic) wilt, 3rd will, present plural will; past singular 1st person would, 2nd would or (Archaic) wouldst, 3rd would, past plural would; past participle (Obsolete) wold or would; imperative, infinitive, and present participle lacking.

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.”

verb (used with or without object), present singular 1st person will, 2nd will or (Archaic) wilt, 3rd will, present plural will; past singular 1st person would, 2nd would or (Archaic) wouldst, 3rd would, past plural would; past participle (Obsolete) wold or would; imperative, infinitive, and present participle lacking.

to wish; desire; like: Go where you will. Ask, if you will, who the owner is.

Origin of will 1 before 900; Middle English willen, Old English wyllan; cognate with Dutch willen, German wollen, Old Norse vilja, Gothic wiljan; akin to Latin velle to wishCan be confusedcan may shall will (see usage note at can1) (see usage note at shall)Usage note See shall. will 2[wil] noun

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.
1. 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.
2. the document containing such a declaration.

verb (used with object), willed, will·ing.

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.

verb (used without object), willed, will·ing.

to exercise the will: To will is not enough, one must do.
to decide or determine: Others debate, but the king wills.

Idioms

at will,
1. at one’s discretion or pleasure; as one desires: to wander at will through the countryside.
2. at one’s disposal or command.

Origin of will 2 before 900; (noun) Middle English will(e), Old English will(a); cognate with Dutch wil, German Wille, Old Norse vili, Gothic wilja; (v.) Middle English willen, Old English willian to wish, desire, derivative of the noun; akin to will1 Related formswill·er, nounSynonyms for will 3. choice. 4. pleasure, disposition, inclination. 5. resolution, decision. Will, volition refer to conscious choice as to action or thought. Will denotes fixed and persistent intent or purpose: Where there’s a will there’s a way. Volition is the power of forming an intention or the incentive for using the will: to exercise one’s volition in making a decision. 9. determine. 11. leave. Related Words for willed desire, discipline, resolve, power, wish, decision, mind, intention, attitude, determination, passion, feeling, resolution, inclination, character, insistence, fancy, yearning, design, liking Examples 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.

Can America’s Favorite Ex-Con Mayor Win Again?

David Freedlander

June 22, 2014

You have to be living a life of willed ignorance and denial to take issue with what Israel said.

You’re in Denial if You Think Steve Israel Is Wrong About GOP Racism

Michael Tomasky

April 14, 2014

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 More

Marlow 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.

New Questions Arise About Mary Richardson Kennedy’s Suicide

Nancy Collins

May 16, 2013

Part of the explanation for this dismal record of non-rescue is our capacity for willed blindness.

In Syria, Europe & Boston, the Past Is Never Finished

Kati Marton

May 11, 2013

Historical Examples of willed

I had counted on my brother’s love, but God has willed that it should be otherwise.

The White Company

Arthur Conan Doyle

He willed that all his bishops should set their hands to this decree.

The Formation of Christendom, Volume VI

Thomas 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 Battlefields

Lieut. Howard Payson

There was not a corner of it that was not theirs to use as they willed.

Abbe Mouret’s Transgression

Emile Zola

When they left Lafouasse, she was once more completely his; he could do what he willed with her.

Doctor Pascal

Emile Zola

British Dictionary definitions for willed willed adjective

(in combination) having a will as specifiedweak-willed

will 1 verb past would (takes an infinitive without to or an implied infinitive)

(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 Old English willan; related to Old Saxon willian, Old Norse vilja, Old High German wollen, Latin velle to wish, willxref See shall will 2 noun

the faculty of conscious and deliberate choice of action; volitionRelated adjectives: voluntary, volitive
the act or an instance of asserting a choice
1. the declaration of a person’s wishes regarding the disposal of his or her property after deathRelated adjective: testamentary
2. 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

verb (mainly tr; often takes a clause as object or an infinitive)

(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

Derived Formswiller, nounWord Origin for will Old English willa; related to Old Norse vili, Old High German willeo (German Wille), Gothic wilja, Old Slavonic volja Word Origin and History for willed will v.

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 n.

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