▪ I. will, n.1
(wɪl)
Forms: 1–2 willa, (1 -o), 1–7 wil, 2–4 wile, 2–7 wille, 3–6 wylle, 4–6 wyll, wyl (2 welle, 4 wele, Sc. vil, 5 wel, well, wulle, wyle, 6 Sc. vill, 9 Sc. dial. wull), 1– will.
[OE. willa wk. masc. = OFris. willa (EFris. wel, WFris. wille), OS. willio, MDu. wille, Du. wil, OHG. willo, willjo (MHG., G. wille, willen), ON. vili, vilja- (Sw. vilja, Da. vilje), Goth. wilja:—OTeut. *wiljon-:—pre-Teut. *weljon-; also OE. wil(l str. n. (chiefly in gen.: see sense 10), = ON. vil, and OE. ᵹewil, -wile str. n. i-will; see will v.1]
I. 1. a. Desire, wish, longing; liking, inclination, disposition (to do something). In mod. use coloured by or merged in sense 5.
| Beowulf 635 Þæt ic anunga eowra leoda willan ᵹeworhte. a 900 Cynewulf Juliana 50 Ic beo ᵹearo sona..willan þines. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. John i. 13 Ða ne synt acennede..of flæsces willan, ne of weres willan; ac hiᵹ synt of gode acennede. a 1225 Ancr. R. 60 Wilnen, & habe wille uorte beon iwilned. 12.. Moral Ode 172 (Egerton MS.) Þe brode stret is vre iwil ðe is us lod for to lete. Þe ðe al folewed his wil, fared bi þusse strete. c 1300 Beket 121 So gret wille him com to To wende eft to the holi lond, that he nuste what do. c 1315 Shoreham i. 421 Ac nou þat wil þat is to gode His al iset bi-hinde. 1340 Ayenb. 9 Wyþoute greate wille an willinge uor to harmi oþren. 1375 Barbour Bruce xv. 79, I trow that he Sall haf no gret will for to ficht. c 1450 Knt. de la Tour 14 Fastinge..refrainithe the flesshe of euelle willes. 1485 Caxton Paris & V. (1868) 69 He had grete wylle to goo to Iherusalem. 1568 Grafton Chron. I. 91 As he and his Souldiours had no will to marrie the daughters of the Frenchmen. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. i. iii. 63 My will is something sorted with his wish. 1601 ― Jul. C. iii. iii. 3, I haue no will to wander foorth of doores, Yet something leads me foorth. |
| 1837 Dickens Pickw. xvii, Don't stop him, Maria,..if he has the will to strike me, let him. 1844 Kinglake Eothen vii, There was a will, and a longing, more imperious than mere curiosity. 1896 A. E. Housman Shropsh. Lad xxxiii, This long and sure-set liking, This boundless will to please. |
b. An inclination to do something, as contrasted with power or opportunity.
| 1594 Kyd Cornelia iii. iii, Shee hath not onely power and will T'abuse the vulgar wanting skill. 1647 W. Browne Polexander iii. iv. 113 The Queene..is perswaded I have serv'd her because I had a will to it. 1667 Earl of Orrery St. Lett. (1742) 308 They desired the power, and want not the will, to do us an ill turn. 1697 Dryden æneis vii. 279 Not forc'd to Goodness, but by Will inclin'd. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 178 ¶14 Great Numbers who quarrel with their Condition have wanted not the Power but the Will to obtain a better State. 1818 Scott Br. Lamm. xxv, Your lordship..will experience that the faculty of the present proprietor to entertain his friends is greatly abridged,..the will, I need hardly say, remains the same. 1832 Lander Exped. Niger xxi. III. 263 Mr. Lake had certainly a will or inclination to enter into arrangements with him. 1879 Froude Cæsar x. 111 No one questioned that it could be done if there was a will to do it. |
† 2. spec. Carnal desire or appetite: = desire n. 2.
| 971 Blickl. Hom. 91 Þa flæsclican willan & þa unᵹereclican uncysta. c 1000 Sax. Leechd. I. 358 Weres wylla to ᵹefremmanne nime bares ᵹeallan. c 1400 Rule St. Benet (verse) 37 All fleschly wyll for to for-sak. 1593 Shakes. Lucr. 247 Thus..holds he disputation, Tweene frozen conscience and hot burning will. 1603 ― Meas. for M. ii. iv. 164. |
3. a. transf. (chiefly as obj. of have): That which one desires, (one's) ‘desire’. Now arch. or poet.
| c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. John v. 30 Ne soeco ic uillo min ah uillo his seðe mec asende. a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1097 Se cyng ᵹeseah þæt he nan þingc his willes þær ᵹeforðian ne mihte. a 1300 Cursor M. 26880 Þe warlau sal noght in þis man Haue sa mikel of his will, Als if he desseli did ill. a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. x. 37 Have ȝe or wyl, ȝe waxeth unwraste. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 73 He..With blinde tales so hire ladde, That all his wille of hire he hadde. c 1420 ? Lydg. Assembly of Gods 1309 Bettyr were a chylde to be vnbore, Then let hyt haue the wyll & for euer be lore. a 1508 Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen 336 Quhill I oucht wantit of my will, or quhat I wald desir. 1593 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, i. iv. 144 Would'st haue me weepe? why now thou hast thy will. 1593 ― Lucr. 128 The sundrie dangers of his wils obtaining. 1611 W. Adams Let. in Rundall Mem. Japon (Hakl. Soc.) 25 God..would not suffer them to haue their willes of vs. 1693 Locke Educ. §35 He had the Will of his Maid before he could Speak or Go. 1798 Coleridge Anc. Mar. i. iv, The Wedding-Guest..listens like a three-years' child: The Mariner hath his will. 1865 Swinburne Atalanta 929 Have all thy will of words; talk out thine heart. 1896 A. E. Housman Shropsh. Lad xxv, A lad that lives and has his will Is worth a dozen dead. |
b. A desire or wish as expressed in a request; hence (contextually) the expression of a wish, a request, petition (sometimes passing into the sense ‘a command’: see 7). arch. or dial.
what's your will? (now arch. or dial., esp. Sc.): What do you want? What do you wish me to do?
| 1340 Ayenb. 138 Þanne zayþ he..þet he y-herþ þe benes and þe wylles of þe poure. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1918 When Castor hade clanly consayuit his wille, He onswared hym honestly with ornyng a litill. a 1510 Douglas K. Hart ii. 21 May thow nocht heir? Langar how I culd schout! What war ȝour will? I will cum in but dout. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. iv. ii. 92 Sil. What's your will? Pro. That I may compasse yours. Sil. You haue your wish: my will is euen this, That you hie you home to bed. 1606 ― Ant. & Cl. i. ii. 7 Alex. Soothsayer. Sooth. Your will? Char. Is this the Man? Is't you sir that know things? 1775 Sheridan Rivals v. iii, Tell me now, Mr. Acres, in case of an accident, is there any little will or commission I could execute for you? 1808 Jamieson s.v., What's your will? a common Scotticism for, ‘What did you say?’ It is also given as a reply to one who calls. 1826 Galt Last of Lairds i. 5 When..one of the lasses looks from behind it, and says, ‘What's your wull and pleasure?’ |
c. to take one's will: to do as one pleases (in respect of). Chiefly Sc.
| 1825 Jamieson s.v., To tak one's will o'. 1. To treat or use as one pleases. 2. To take as much of any thing as one pleases. 1882 G. Macdonald Castle Warlock vi, He..jist loot the maister tak his wull o' 'im! 1890 Good Words Aug. 565/2 Carr let his own horse take his will. |
4. † a. Pleasure, delight, joy. Obs.
| Beowulf 824 Denum eallum wearð æfter þam wælræse willa ᵹelumpen. a 1000 Andreas 356 Forᵹife þe dryhten domweorðunga willan in worulde & in wuldre blæd. a 1240 Ureisun 46 in O.E. Hom. I. 193 Mid englene wille. Ibid. 62 Inouh liues wil and eche pleie. [a 1250: see 12 a.] a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. iv. 23 This wilde wille went a-wai, with mone and mournyng muchel un-mete. |
b. to have no will of (Sc.), † in: to take no pleasure in, have no liking for.
| 1609 Bible (Douay) Mal. i. 10, I have no wil in you. c 1626 in W. K. Tweedie Sel. Biogr. (Wodrow Soc.) I. 353, I have na will of strangers. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxii, Na, man; I hinna will o't. |
II. 5. a. The action of willing or choosing to do something; the movement or attitude of the mind which is directed with conscious intention to (and, normally, issues immediately in) some action, physical or mental; volition.
| 971 Blickl. Hom. 35 We..agyltaþ þurh feower þing, þurh ᵹeþoht, & þurh word, & þurh weorc, & þurh willan. c 1230 Hali Meid. (Titus MS.) 123 Ga ut þrof wið wil of þin heorte. a 1300 Cursor M. 13759 He said noght allan, ‘namar þou sin,’ Bot ‘lok þi will bi noght þar-in.’ c 1386 Chaucer Sqr.'s Prol. 5, I wol seye as I kan With hertly wyl. c 1475 Stonor Papers (Camden) I. 160 Yff..he wull geve hys dowttyr hys part of Snowys well..I wold with the glader wyll dele with hym. a 1619 Fletcher, etc. Q. Corinth iii. ii, You know well Even actual sins committed without will, Are neither sins nor shame. 1742 Young Nt. Th. iv. 615 But since the naked will obtains thy smile, Beneath this monument of praise unpaid. 1831 James Phil. Augustus xxviii, He strove to speak, but no voice answered his will. 1861 Mill Utilitar. iv. 59 Will, the active phenomenon, is a different thing from desire, the state of passive sensibility. |
b. Intention, intent, purpose, determination. ? Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 23552 If it sett þam in to will To mak anoiþer erth or heuen. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxxiii. (George) 1 Ȝete of sancte george is my wil,..To translat þe haly story. 1390 Gower Conf. viii. 3037* With al the wil that I mai yive. c 1400 Destr. Troy 4222 Þai wetyn full wele þe wyllys of vs here, That we purpos a pouer to put in hor lond. 1450–1530 Myrr. our Ladye ii. 267 Hou we oughte..to say that salutacion wyth wylle to leue synne and to do good dedes. 1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) 547 By one wylle and volente. 1477 Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes (1877) 1, I rested in that wyll & purpose. 1483 Cath. Angl. 418/2 Of an [= one] Wille, vnanimis. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. xxxix. 22/2 Whan the flemynges..sawe the fierse wylles of them within. 1619 J. Taylor (Water P.) Kicksey Winsey B 2, Your wills are good, and whilst I keepe your bills Instead of paiment I accept good wills. 1712 Arbuthnot John Bull iv. iii, My Will at present is to have Dinner. |
c. will to with n. or inf. (after G. wille zu). Chiefly used in the names (often hyphenated) of supposed natural instincts or drives, as will to art [tr. G. wille zur kunst]; will to be, believe, live (also transf.); will to (or † unto) power [tr. G. wille zur macht], in Nietzsche's philosophy and, later, in analytic psychology (esp. A. Adler's individual psychology): the driving force behind all human behaviour which should lead to self-mastery but when frustrated can become the will to dominate others; cf. power-drive n. 2.
Cf. Der Wille zum Leben in the title of Schopenhauer's Welt als Wille und Vorstellung iv., 1819.
| 1823 J. C. Robertson Percy Anecdotes XI. Imagination 87 (heading) The Will to be Well. 1889 G. B. Shaw How to become a Musical Critic (1960) 147 Vegetarianism, the higher Buddhism..negation of the Will-to-Live..all these are but samples of what Wagnerism involves nowadays. 1891 ― Let. 29 July (1965) I. 301 John Robertson seeks for facts that support his will-to-believe that Materialist-Rationalists are the only honest Secularists. 1896 Tille tr. Nietzsche's Thus Spake Zarathustra 163 Wherever I found living matter I found will unto power. 1903 Chesterton R. Browning vi. 139 That really boisterous will to live which may be found in Martin Chuzzlewit. 1907 Zimmern tr. Nietzsche's Beyond Good & Evil 20 Life itself is Will to Power. 1908 R. Bagot A. Cuthbert xxviii. 370 The triumph of the will to live over the threatening assaults of death. 1923 J. van Teslaar tr. Stekel's Psychoanal. ii. 61 That ‘will to power’ means, ‘Above all, I want to be loved.’.. Will to power is will to be loved. 1926 Galsworthy Silver Spoon i. xiv. 110 Humanity has got to save itself! To save itself—what was that, after all, but expression of ‘the will to live’? 1929 H. Read Staffordshire Pottery Figures 21 The ‘folk’ spirit which makes the early salt-glaze..figures so precious as evidences of an innate ‘will-to-art’. 1930 D. H. Lawrence Virgin & Gipsy ii. 35 Yvette suddenly saw the stony, implacable will-to-power in the old..Granny. 1931 J. S. Huxley What dare I Think? iv. 143 Only by banishing the driving force of emotion and the false certitude of the will-to-believe..does she [sc. Science] arrive at greater power. 1945 W. de la Mare Burning-Glass 12 And naught but his marooned precarious self For questing consciousness and will-to-be. 1948 R. Stagner Psychol. of Personality (ed. 2) xv. 288 Adler believed..that the will to power was a fundamental drive, and that it was thwarted by some inferiority. 1963 N. Frye Romanticism Reconsidered 14 The tremendous will-to-power finales of Beethoven. 1972 D. V. Tansley Radionics iv. 33 The ancient seers of India..observed that the base chakra was responsible for..providing a channel for the will-to-be to express itself. 1976 J. Goode in Mitchell & Oakley Rights & Wrongs of Women vii. 232 Partly this is based on a will to power, the demand for a totally submissive love. 1977 Times 2 Dec. 21/3 The [Crown] agents' ‘remarkable will to live’ pushed them into critical change in their financial operation in 1966. 1979 E. H. Gombrich Sense of Order vii. 193 That ‘will to art’, which Riegl had conceived as an alternative to the mechanistic explanations of individual motifs, developed into a vitalistic principle underlying the whole history of art. 1985 E. Gellner Psychoanalytic Movement i. 27 The Will to Power is a far, far more disturbing, more corrosive idea for human optimism than is the domination of the human psyche by sexuality. |
6. a. The power or capacity of willing; that faculty or function which is directed to conscious and intentional action; power of choice in regard to action. (See also free will.)
| c 888 ælfred Boeth. xiv. §2 Andᵹit & ᵹemynd, & se ᵹesceadwislica willa þæt hine þara tweᵹa lyste. c 1000 ælfric Hom. I. 288 Of ðam willan cumað ᵹeðohtas, and word, and weorc. a 1175 Cott. Hom. 219 Se fader and his wisdom..hare beire wille þat is se hali gast. c 1200 Ormin 11509 Wille iss hire þridde mahht Þurrh whatt menn immess ȝeornenn. a 1300 Cursor M. 664 He þam gaf þer will alfre; Þe gode to do, to leue þe ill. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 322 Thi will is thi principal, And hath the lordschipe of thi witt. c 1460 Wisdom 213 in Macro Plays 42 And I of þe soull am þe wyll. 1538 Starkey England (1878) 29 Euer the wyl chesyth the yl, and leuyth the gud. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. ii. ii. 115 The will of man is by his reason sway'd. 1594 Hooker Eccl. Pol. i. vii. §3 Appetite is the wills sollicitor, and the will is appetites controller; what we couet according to the one, by the other we often reiect. 1597 Ibid. v. xlviii. §9 Will, whether it be in God or man, belongeth to the essence and nature of both. 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. ii. ii. 71 The cause is in my Will, I will not come. 1635 A. Stafford Fem. Glory 63 Whose Wils and Vnderstandings have a combat before they can bee brought to a consent. 1667 Milton P.L. i. 106 All is not lost; the unconquerable Will,..And courage never to submit or yield. 1738 Pope Universal Prayer iii, Who..binding Nature fast in Fate, Left free the Human Will. 1848 R. I. Wilberforce Doctr. Incarnation iv. (1852) 80 In our Lord, first of all descendants of Adam, was will exhibited in that complete freedom, which was its normal condition and perfect state. 1880 Goldw. Smith in Atlantic Monthly Feb. 203 The spring of all existence, and so of evil, is will, which Schopenhauer erects into a universal substance, apart from intelligence and consciousness. |
b. With qualification, in reference to individual character; idiomatically in a will of one's own, implying a strong or self-assertive will, and hence used as a euphemism for ‘wilfulness’.
| c 1470 Gol. & Gaw. 100 Schir Kay wes haisty and hate, and of ane hie will. 1752 C. Lennox Female Quix. i. xi, Since I am not allowed any will of my own,..it matters not whether I am pleased or displeased. 1760 Foote Minor i. i, Was Charlotte to set up a will of her own,..she must expect to share the fate of her sister. 1798 S. & Ht. Lee Cant. T., Young Lady's T. II. 341 If once she could be brought to assert a will of her own. 1907 Verney Mem. I. 422 A girl of high spirit and strong will. |
7. a. Intention or determination that something shall be done by another or others, or shall happen to take place; (contextually) an expression or embodiment of such intention or determination, an order, command, injunction (cf. 3 b). Also fig.
Formerly freq. in the ejaculations (by) God's will, occas. 'ods my will (Shakes. A.Y.L. iv. iii. 17): see god n. 14 a.
| Beowulf 1739 Him eal worold wendeð on willan. 835 in Birch Cartul. Sax. (1885) I. 575 Ic Abba ᵹeroefa Cyðe & writan hate hu min willa is þæt mon ymb min ærfe ᵹedoe æfter minum dæᵹe. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. vi. 10 Ᵹewurþe ðin willa on eorðan, swa swa on heofonum. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 21 We suneȝiet on-ȝein drihtenes welle ofter þene we scolde. c 1200 Ormin 2381 All ȝho leȝȝde þatt o Godd & onn hiss lefe wille. a 1250 Prov. Alfred 399 in O.E. Misc. 126 Bute if we wurcheþ wyllen cristes. a 1300 Cursor M. 12322 Sco..duted noght, Þat godds wil ne suld be wroght. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. II. 55 Al þing þat shal come moot nedis come bi Goddis wille. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 48 Mi will is ferst that thou be schrive. c 1450 Holland Howlat 874, I wait ȝour will, and quhat way ȝe wald that I wrocht. 1464–5 in Acts Parlt. Scot. (1874) XII. 31/1 Thai..sall..entire þe kingis ward and there abide Enduring þe kingis will. 1543–4 Act 35 Hen. VIII, c. 1. §1 It is the onlye pleasure and will of Almightie God howe longe his Highnes..shall lyve. 1558 in J. M. Stone Hist. Mary I (1901) App. 518 My mynd and will ys, that the said Codicell shall be accepted. 1601 Shakes. All's Well ii. iv. 56 In euery thing I waite vpon his will. 1603 ― Meas. for M. ii. ii. 7 Is it your will Claudio shall die to morrow? 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 1025 Such was the will of Heav'n. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 96. ¶2 It was the Will of Providence that Master Harry was taken very ill of a Fever. 1756 C. Lucas Ess. Waters II. 144 They are all..dependent on the will of the magistrate. 1833 Tennyson Dream Fair Women lix, It comforts me in this one thought to dwell, That I subdued me to my father's will. 1841 Myers Cath. Th. iii. §1 The Books commonly called The Bible contain special Revelations of the Will of God. 1842 Tennyson Dora 43 My will is law. 1888 Bryce Amer. Commw. xcvii. III. 360 This method of consulting the popular will. |
† b. Consent, acquiescence, permission, favour, good will. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 199 Wit crist will þan sal I telle How he siþen hared helle. c 1440 Gesta Rom. xxxviii. 154 In so moche þat he wanne ther by the wille & the love of Eueri man. c 1450 Godstow Reg. 362 With the wille and graunte of Raaf his sone and heire. 1535 Coverdale Jer. xliv. 19 Did we..poure vnto her drinkofferinges, to do her seruyce, without oure huszbondes wylles? |
c. Intent, purport (of a document; cf. 23); also, in Sc. Law, a clause in a summons expressing a royal command (see quot. 1684).
| 1439 in Ancestor (1904) July 18 After that the will of my testament be fulfilled and my dettes paid. 1684 Sir G. Mackenzie Inst. Law Scot. iv. i. (1694) 236 The King in his Summons says, Our will is, &c. that ye cite such and such Persons, &c. which is called the Will of the Summons, and which Will of the Summons does comprehend a Command to the Messengers to cite the Defenders. 1743 Kames Decis. Crt. Sess. 1730–52 (1799) 67 It was necessary for the suspender to follow out the will of the letters. |
8. Qualified by possessive, esp. in such phr. as † if his will be, if it be his will (= if it be his good pleasure) and as obj. of do, work, or the like: That which one wills should be done; (one's) ‘pleasure’.
| c 825 Vesp. Ps. xxxix. 9 [xl. 8] Ðæt ic doe willan ðinne, god. 971 Blickl. Hom. 205 To secenne hwæt þæs willa sie. a 1000 Menologium 201 Sancta symbel þara þe sið oððe ær worhtan in worulde willan drihtnes. a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1085 Ᵹebete hit God elmihtiᵹa þonne his willa sy. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 121 Ȝif hit hys willa nere, ne mahte him nan deð ne nan pine derian. c 1205 Lay. 2793 & euer ælc wilde mon hefde al his wil to don. c 1220 Bestiary 41 Ðo ure driȝten ded was, And doluen, also his wille was. a 1300 Cursor M. 407 Þe sex dais he wroght þat was his will. Ibid. 1229 To wrik þare wik[ke] wil þai thoght. 13.. K. Horn 201 (Harl. MS.) Ah ȝef hit is þi wille Help vs þat we ne spille. c 1400 Rule St. Benet (prose) 10 Ye sal leue yure ahen propir will, and do oþir mens. c 1420 Avow. Arth. xxxiii, Bothe my dethe and my lyfe, Is inne the wille of thi wife. c 1420 Anturs of Arth. 197 One þing wold I wite, if þi wil ware. 1535 Coverdale Ps. xxvi[i]. 12 Delyuer me not in to the wylles of myne aduersaries. 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. 295 The stronger must bee obeyed & haue his wille. 1590 Lodge Rosalynde (1592) O 2 b, Shall I then haue..no comfort, but bee posted off to the will of time? 1607 Shakes. Cor. iv. iv. 7 Direct me, if it be your will, where great Auffidius lies: Is he in Antium? 1765 Gray Shakespeare 13 If then he wreak on me his wicked will. 1818 Scott Br. Lamm. xii, If it's your wull, I'll just tak a step as far as Dunse. 1865 Ruskin Sesame ii. §90 Leaving misrule and violence to work their will among men. |
† 9. a. Undue assertion of one's own will; wilfulness, self-will. Obs.
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 9 Ȝif hwa is swa sunful..þet nulle..for his fule heorte wil his scrift ihalden. c 1325 Spec. Gy Warw. 169 Þat þurw here pride and here wil Þeih fallen ofte in gret peril. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. vi. 77 Alle þe walles beþ of wit to holde wil þeroute. 1401 26 Pol. Poems iii. 38 By witles wille þey gedre pres. a 1500 Ratis Raving 1562 With wyll and ȝouthed duellis hee. 1546 J. Heywood Prov. i. xi. (1867) 28 Wyll wyll haue wyll, though will wo wyn. a 1568 R. Ascham Scholem. i. (Arb.) 48 Lyinge, pickinge, slouthe, will, stubburnnesse. 1615 J. Taylor (Water P.) Urania xli. B 8, When hare-braind Will, o're Wit doth rule & raigne. |
b. A piece of wilfulness, a whim. Obs. rare.
| 1619 Purchas Microcosmus lxii. 623 Shall Christians lose..the Hopes of Heauen..for a Will, for a Humour, for malicious Spight. |
III. Special uses and phrases.
*
† 10. gen. sing. willes, etc., as adv. (or in advb. phr.) or predicative adj. Obs. a. simply (also in phr. willes and woldes: see wield n. 1 b), or with poss. pron.: Of one's own will; voluntarily; intentionally, purposely. (Cf. selfwilles.)
| c 960 æthelwold St. Benet 28 Ᵹeneadod to anre mile gange, gang willes twa. c 1000 in Thorpe Laws (1840) II. 180 Be þam men ðe willes man ofslihð. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 221 Wilt þ{supu} silf willes lete þe slen þy purpos ne preyse y noȝt. c 1386 Chaucer Wife's Prol. 272 (Harl. MS.) Thing þat no man wol, his willes, holde. c 1450 Mirk's Festial 174, I am a fende of helle and wold not knele on noþyr kne my wylles, but I am made to do so aȝen my wylle. |
b. with poss. pron.: According to one's choice or desire, as one will: used pred. with impers. vb. to be, in such phrases as if your willes is = if you will, if you please, if you wish.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 1406 Inogh now liued haue .i., Þou tak mi saul out of þe flexs And do it ware þi wils [Gött. willes] es. Ibid. 10094 He moght do quat his wils [Gött. willis] was. 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 618 Giff that ȝour willis wer, Ic ask ȝow respyt for to se This lettir. c 1450 Holland Howlat 312 Ȝe sall heir in schort space Quhat worthy lordis thar was, Gif ȝour willis war. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 502, I wait not quhat his willis be. |
c. as predicative adj.: Voluntary.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 302 Schrift schal beon..dredful, & hopeful, wis, soð & willes. |
** with qualifying adjs.
11. a. good will, ill will (with various shades of meaning: cf. 1, 5–7): see goodwill, ill will. So with the comparative, † better will = ‘more goodwill’; † evil will = ill will.
| 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 237 To Leulyn forgaf he alle his euelle wille. 1357 Lay Folks' Catech. (T.) 565 To gif yhou better will for to kun tham. 1461 Paston Lett. II. 48 Because of such tales, your tenaunts owe hym the bettir will. c 1482 Cely Papers (Camden) 131, I wrote not so unto yow for no spyte nedor for no hewell well that I have to yow. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 35 b, He dyd so, of no euill wyll or contempte. 1621 Bp. R. Montagu Diatribæ 388 All such as haue an euil will to Sion. |
b. with the best will (in the world).
| 1857 B. Taylor Northern Trav. xxxii. (1858) 333 With the best will we found it impossible to eat anything. Ibid. xxxiii. 344 All that the old woman, with the best will in the world, was able to furnish, was milk, butter, [etc.]. |
c. See free will.
*** with prepositions.
† 12. a will [a prep.1 or prep.2] a. To (one's) pleasure or satisfaction. Obs.
| a 1250 Owl & Night. 1722 Heo [sc. the wren] hadde gode þrote & schille & fale monne song a wille [v.r. awille]. |
† b. At command or disposal. Obs.
| c 1430 Chev. Assigne 79 Bothe howndes & men haue hadde þe a wylle. |
† 13. after (one's) will [after prep. 13, 15]: according to one's choice or intention, as one will; according to one's wish or liking, as one desires.
| c 1205 Lay. 31650 And longe hit walden after heore willen. c 1290 St. Brendan 109 in S. Eng. Leg. 223 Þe see drof here schip after wil. a 1300 Cursor M. 15793 O þe forel a suerd he drogh, þe ere he smat of an; For had it ben efter his wil, he wald him fain ha slan. |
14. against († again) one's will [against 10, again B. 7]: in opposition to (one's own) inclination or liking, unwillingly (rarely, against one's purpose, unintentionally); in opposition to (another's) choice, intention, or desire.
| c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xviii. 85 He schall noȝt be brynt with hir agayne his will. c 1400 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) iv. xx. 68 Thou hast byreued me Ageyne my wyll, no thyng with myn assent. c 1450 [see 10 a]. 1512 Act 4 Hen. VIII. c. 20 Preamble, The said John..fortuned to be slayn..ayenst the will and mynde of your seid Besecher. 1559 Mirr. Mag., Dk. Suffolk xxii, King and queene were forst against their willes. 1605 Shakes. Lear i. iv. 116 This fellow ha's banish'd two on's Daughters, and did the third a blessing against his will. 1639 J. Clarke Parœm. 29 He is willing sore against his will. 1678 Butler Hud. iii. iii. 547 He that complies against his Will, Is of his own Opinion still. 1784 Cowper Task vi. 520 His steed Declined the death, and wheeling swiftly round,..Baffled his rider, saved against his will. 1845 McCulloch Taxation i. (1852) 38 The Grand Seignior cannot do a more absolute act than to order a man to be dragged away from his family, and, against his will, run his head against the mouth of a cannon. |
15. at (one's) will. a. According to one's volition or choice; as (when, where) one will. † occas., Of one's own free will, voluntarily.
(a) with possessive: at his, your, God's (etc.) will.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 6136 Ma sacrifice your lauerd vntill, Quar yee wil at your aun will. c 1325 Spec. Gy Warw. 19 Al at his wille he wole þe lede. 1389 in Engl. Gilds (1870) 30 Qwo-so schal ben escused for any oyer schyl, it schal ben at ye aldermannes wyl. c 1430 Syr Tryam. 257 At Goddys wylle muste hyt bene. 1570 T. Norton tr. Nowel's Catech. 67 b, God alone is able at his owne will to geue what soeuer he hath appointed. 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. ii. i. 17 We put a Sting in him, That at his will he may doe danger with. a 1721 Prior Songs xiii. 4 Enjoying sweetest liberty, And roving at my will. 1802, 1873 [see sweet a. 8 d]. |
(b) simply: at will.
| 13.. Cursor M. 19324 (Gött.) Na strinth did þai þaim till, For þai come wid þaim all at will. c 1400 26 Pol. Poems x. 4 For pride hem þenkeþ goddis pere, Þat welde þis worldis wele at wylle. c 1470 Gol. & Gaw. 253 Al thai that ar wrocht vndir the hie hevin Micht nocht warne thame at wil to ische nor entre. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. Sept. 144 They wander at will, and stray at pleasure. 1607 Shakes. Cor. i. vi. 39 Holding Corioles in the name of Rome, Euen like a fawning Grey-hound in the Leash, To let him slip at will. 1615 R. Cocks Diary (Hakl. Soc.) I. 42 [He] geveth out that he is not the Companies servant, but at will. 1667 Milton P.L. v. 295 Nature here Wantond as in her prime, and plaid at will Her Virgin Fancies. 1671 ― P.R. iv. 269 The famous Orators..whose resistless eloquence Wielded at will that fierce Democratie. 1825 Wordsw. To a Skylark 5 Thy nest which thou canst drop into at will. 1871 R. H. Hutton Ess. I. 47 The only test we have of the truth of scientific hypothesis is the degree of aid it gives us in representing to ourselves at will the facts of the universe. 1888 F. H. Bradley in Mind Jan. 27 And if we think of various sensations in parts of our bodies we can produce them at will. |
b. In readiness to be dealt with as one will; at one's command or disposal.
| 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 836 Al is yowre awen, to haue at yowre wylle & welde. 1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love iii. viii. (Skeat) l. 5 Sithen her restinge-place is now so nygh at my wil. c 1400 Parce Michi 165 in 26 Pol. Poems 147 Whyle I had my streyngth at wyll, fful many a man I dyd vnreste. c 1440 Generydes 33 Whenne he lyste she was all atte his wille. 1577 Googe Heresbach's Husb. i. 7 With wealth yenough and pastures wyde at wyll. 1604 Shakes. Oth. ii. i. 150 She that was euer faire, and neuer proud, Had Tongue at will, and yet was neuer loud. 1611 ― Cymb. iv. iii. 13 Sir, my life is yours, I humbly set it at your will. 1667 Milton P.L. v. 377 These mid-hours, till Eevning rise I have at will. 1784 Cowper Task ii. 202 What is his creation less Than a capacious reservoir of means Formed for his use, and ready at his will? 1913 M. Roberts Salt of Sea ix. 218 At sunset the wind failed and left me at the will of the tides. |
† c. According to one's desire, as one wishes or likes; esp. (pred. or compl.) of wind or weather, Favourable. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 2243 Quen þai at wil had festend grund Þe wark þai raised in a stund. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 1 Whan þis weith at his wil weduring hadde. c 1400 Rule St. Benet (verse) 492 All þat nedes ȝou vntill Sal ȝe haue at ȝour awne wyll. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. ii. viii. 710 Þai tuk wp sayl and past in hy Withe wynde at wil to Brigancy. a 1533 Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) E vj b, Thus haue ye had the goddes at wyl. 1579 T. Stevens in Hakluyt Voy. (1589) 161 Our Pilot..thinking himselfe to haue wind at will. 1825 Jamieson s.v., At a' will, to the utmost extent of one's inclination or desire. |
d. In reference to an estate held during the owner's or lessor's pleasure, from which the tenant may be ousted at any time: chiefly in phr. estate, tenant, etc. at will.
| 1451 Rolls of Parlt. V. 217/2 Grauntes of..annuitees, made by you of estate of enheritaunce, for terme of lif, or terme of yeris, or at wille. 1589 in Trans. Cumbld. & Westmld. Antiq. Soc. (N.S.) XX. 222 Which castell..John glaisters balyfe there occupyethe at will and ought to pay yerely the said rents. 1603 G. Owen Pembrokeshire (1892) 191 They were not tenantes at will at the Comon lawe. 1663 Butler Hud. i. ii. 1022 For we are their true Landlords still, And they our Tenants but at will. 1766 Blackstone Comm. II. ix. 145 An estate at will is where lands and tenements are let by one man to another, to have and to hold at the will of the lessor. 1794 Vancouver Agric. Cambr. 52 The largest farm is held at will. 1868 Rogers Pol. Econ. xiii. (1876) 178 The customary occupation was reduced to a tenancy at will. |
† 16. by one's will: with one's consent, or of one's own free will, willingly; according to one's desire, if one had one's wish. (Cf. goodwill 3 b.)
| c 1393 Chaucer Mariage 12, I dar seyn, were he oute of his peyne, As by his wille, he wolde be bounde nevere. c 1400 Rom. Rose 5728 For by her wille withoute lees Eueriche man shulde be seke. 1599 Shakes. Much Ado iii. iii. 67 Ver. You haue bin alwaies cal'd a merciful man partner. Dog. Truely I would not hang a dog by my will. 1601 ― Twel. N. iii. iii. 1. |
17. in will. † a. With the will or intention, intending, purposing (to do something); to be (also have) in will, to intend, purpose. (Also in a will.)
| a 1300 Cursor M. 4125 All he sagh þam in a wil Þair broþer sacles for to spil. Ibid. 11525 Þai had in wil þat ilk night To torn be herods. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 6985, Y was yn wyl for þe feste Þat euery hadde a peny. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxxiv. (Pelagia) 8 Of his mysdide hafand hert sare, In wil to mysdo nomare. c 1400 Gamelyn 173 Gamelyn was in wille to wende þerto. 1513 Douglas æneis ix. xii. 27 His broderis slauchtyr to revenge in wyll. |
† b. to put oneself in, or to come in (a person's) will, also to come in will to (a person): to submit oneself to his will, surrender at discretion. Sc. Obs.
| c 1430 Syr Tryam. 1009 He wylle put hym yn yowre wylle. c 1470 Henry Wallace ix. 984 Quhill tha, for hungyr sor, Cum in his will. 1560 Rec. Inverness (New Spalding Club) I. 46 The said Thom Stuert is cumin in the townis wyll, and dome gyffin thairapon. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. (S.T.S.) II. 218 Al the rest with Sinklar cam in wil to thame of Orknay. a 1670 Spalding Troub. Chas. I (Bannatyne Club) I. 3 The honest men..was forced to come in the earle's will, whilk was not for their weill. 1690 Rec. Burgh Lanark (1893) 237 All quhich [offences] Nathaneell acknowledged and came in will. 1756 Pennecuik's Coll. Sc. Poems 108 Come in his will; Lay down the talents, or be debtor By band or bill. |
18. of (one's) will. a. Of one's own accord, spontaneously, voluntarily. Now only with poss. and own, e.g. ‘He did it of his own (free) will’.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. iii. pr. iv. (1868) 74 Yif þat dignites wexen foule of hir wille by þe filþe of shrewes. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints iii. (Andreas) 685 And to þe tormentoris of will He gafe þame. c 1400 Rom. Rose 7441 He knewe nat that she was constrayned,..But wende she come of wyl al free. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 541 For that I hecht of my will, And na man threit me thair till, That I am haldin to fulfill. 1825 Jamieson s.v., O' will, spontaneously. |
† b. of will: with the intention, on purpose (to do something). Obs.
| c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxxvi. (Baptista) 479 Nocht of resone, bot of wil A wyfis ȝarnyng til fulfil. |
† 19. on will: = at will (15 c). Obs. rare.
| c 1205 Lay. 1102 Heo wunden up seiles, wind ston [= stod] an willen. Ibid. 7845 Weder heom stod on wille. |
† 20. to (one's) will: as one will, as one chooses; at one's disposal; to one's liking: = at will, 15 a, b, c. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 3647 It sal him sauur al to will. Ibid. 23432 O welthes mar mai na man tell, Þan haf to will o welth þe well. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 301 And wild ȝour self to will, nyll he so will he. c 1400 Rule St. Benet (prose) 7 May þai ler at serue him to will. c 1430 Chev. Assigne 181 Thenne hadde I þis londe hollye to myne wylle. |
21. with (one's) will. † a. Intentionally; willingly; voluntarily: = 16, 18. Obs.
| c 1230 [see 5]. a 1300 Cursor M. 6673 Qua slas animan wit will. c 1325 Poem Times Edw. II 431 in Pol. Songs (Camden) 343 So the fend hem prokede uch man to mourdren other wid wille. c 1400 Rule St. Benet (verse) 1971 When we þam resaue with wil Crist resaue we vs vntil. 1485 Caxton Paris & V. (1868) 6 They ansuerd to them ye shal now come to hym other wyth your wylle or by force. 1513 in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. iii. I. 156, I see veray few.. that with their wills wold go agayne to the trade. |
b. with a will: with determination, resolutely, vigorously, energetically.
| 1848 Dickens Dombey l, He turned to (as he himself said) with a will. 1866 Ruskin Crown of Wild Olive i. 44 Work is only done well when it is done with a will. 1896 A. E. Housman Shropsh. Lad vii, I picked a stone and aimed it And threw it with a will. |
****
22. In allusive or proverbial phrases, e.g. in contrast with deed, esp. in to take the will for the deed; † will is no skill (skill n.1 3); where there's a will there's a way (way n.1 13).
| 13.. Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1903) 251–2 Wil is wo..Wil is Red. c 1460 Wisdom 221 in Macro Plays 43 Wyll for dede oft ys take. c 1520 Skelton Magnyf. 148 But haue ye not herde say that Wyll is no Skyll? 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lx. §6 Where we cannot doe what is inioyned vs [God] accepteth our will to doe instead of the deede itself. 1661 Morgan Sph. Gentry To Rdr. b 2, The reasonable will accept the will for the deed. 1801 Lamb Let. to Godwin 9 Sept., In this little scrawl you must take the will for the deed. 1842 Car. Ward Nat. Prov. 152 Where there's a will there's a way. 1853 Lytton My Novel i. iii, Oh, sir, it is not the deed—it is the will. a 1865 Mrs. Gaskell Wives & Dau. xiv. (1867) 147 We will take the will for the deed, as the common people express it. 1880 Meredith Tragic Com. vi, ‘Two wishes make a will,’ you say. |
IV. 23. a. A person's formal declaration of his intention as to the disposal of his property or other matters to be performed after his death, most usually made in writing (but see nuncupative 1, parol a. 1, quot. 1706); commonly transf. the document in which such intention is expressed.
Formerly properly used only in reference to the disposal of real property, thus distinguished from a testament relating to personal property; whence the phrase (now tautological, but still in formal use) last will and testament: see testament n. 1.
(a) qualified by last († latter obs. rare).
| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) IV. 11 Þanne Alisaundre loste his speche, and wroot his laste wille. 1424, 1464, 1590, 1637 [see testament n. 1, 1 c]. 1467 Stonor Papers (Camden) I. 94 The last wulle of the seyd Thomas Sakevyle. 1575–6 Reg. Privy Council Scot. Ser. i. II. 497 In his testament and latter will. 1768 Sterne Sent. Journ., Fragment, Paris, He disposed every thing to make the gentleman's last will and testament. |
(b) simply.
| c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 48 Þis testament is riȝtful wille of dede fraunseis. 1439 E.E. Wills (1882) 128 If ther be eny clause or matier in his olde will. 1463 [see testament n. 1]. 1549 Bk. Com. Prayer, Visit. Sick rubric, If he haue not afore disposed his goods, let him then make his will. 1595 Shakes. John i. i. 109 Vpon his death-bed he by will bequeath'd His lands to me. 1758 Johnson Idler No. 29. ¶9 She threw her will into the fire. 1766 Blackstone Comm. II. xxxii. 496 Every person hath full power and liberty to make a will, that is not under some special prohibition by law or custom. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) VI. 61 Where a will is written on several sheets of paper, it is the usual practice for the testator to sign each of them. 1827 Jarman Powell's Devises (ed. 3) II. 11 A will of real estate, wherever it be made, or in whatever language it be written. 1858 Bright Sp., Reform 27 Oct. (1868) II. 10 If it [sc. landed property] were left to him by will,..it paid no legacy duty. |
| fig. 1719 De Foe Crusoe (Globe) 180 A most monstrous..He-goat,..making his Will, as we say, and gasping for Life, and dying indeed of meer old Age. |
b. = testament n. 5 a. ? nonce-use.
| [c 1570 Latimer's Protest. in Strype Eccl. Mem. (1721) III. App. xxxiv. 91 If God wolde have had a newe kynde of sacrificynge preste..then he, or some of his Apostles, wolde have made some mention therof in their master Christ's will.] a 1893 J. Paul in Ford Harp Perthsh. 364 A tawny tattered leaf atween the Auld Will an' the New. |
V. 24. attrib. and Comb. a. Simple attrib., as will-force, will-power, will-spirit, will-web. b. Objective, instrumental, and locative, as will-commanding adj., (in sense 23) will-maker, will-making; will-fraught, will-strong adjs. c. Special Combs.: will-fire (see quot.); will-form, a form on which a will may be made out; † will government, arbitrary or autocratic government; will-office, an office in which wills of deceased persons are kept; † will-wisdom, wisdom depending on one's will or fancy without divine influence; † will-work, a work performed by the human will, without divine grace (cf. will-worship).
| a 1644 Quarles Sol. Recant. solil. vi. 62 This *will-commanding Saint. |
| 1826 Monthly Rev. 24 June 399/2 The fuel was ignited by *will-fire, that is, fire obtained by friction. |
| 1886 W. Wallace in Encycl. Brit. XXI. 451/1 The *will-force operating in all is the same. |
| 1924 D. H. Lawrence England, my England 150 Say I want to see Mr. Whittle as soon as he can, and will he bring a *will-form. 1948 ‘J. Tey’ Franchise Affair vi. 56 An old woman..wanted to alter her will... So Robert had taken some new will-forms. |
| 1649 Howel Pre-em. Parlt. 5 Tyrannical Rule, and unbounded *Wil government. |
| 1880 Disraeli Endym. vi, Events..which alike consigned the will and the *will-maker to oblivion. |
| 1828 Lytton Pelham xxvii, A thing of state and solemnity—long faces—early rising—and *will-making. |
| 1672 Wood Life (O.H.S.) II. 243 This journey was taken to London by A. W. purposely to peruse the *Will-Office then in or neare Exeter-house. |
| 1874 Hopps Relig. Moral. xiv. 44 The drunkard..whose *will-power and whose moral force have been conquered by degraded appetite. 1899 Allbutt's Syst. Med. VIII. 315 Insanity of doubt, due to loss of will-power. |
| a 1761 Law Comf. Weary Pilgr. (1809) 11 Whilst your *will-spirit is good..the changes of creaturely fervour lessen not your union with God. |
| 1654 Gataker Disc. Apol. 73 His *Will-strong Objector. 1866 Whipple Char. 322 No opinionated, will-strong, untamable passion. |
| 1904 Hardy Dynasts I. i. 6 As key-scene to the whole, I first lay bare The *Will-webs of thy fearful questioning. |
| 1647 Trapp Comm. Rev. xiii. 18 Humane inventions and *will-wisdome. |
| 1538 Bale God's Promises vii. E iv, In hys onlye deathe was mannys lyfe alwayes restynge, And not in *wyll workes. 1580 T. Vautrollier Luther on Ep. Gal. 85 They take from him y⊇ power both to iustifie and saue, and geue y⊇ same to their owne wilworks. |
▪ II. † will, n.2 Obs. rare.
Forms: 3 wil, 4 wille.
[f. will a.]
Bewilderment, distraction.
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1079 Wil siðen cam on euerilc on. [a 1400 Morte Arth. 3836 And for wondsome and wille alle his wit failede. (See for prep. 10.)] |
▪ III. will, n.4
[f. will v.1]
a. An utterance of the auxiliary verb ‘will’; a determination expressed by this. b. The auxiliary verb ‘will’ as used in contradistinction to ‘shall’.
| 1677, 1837–1891 [see shall n. 1, 2]. |
▪ IV. will, a. (adv.) Now only Sc. and dial.
Forms: 3–5 wil, wille, (4 Sc. vill), 4–5 wyl(le, 5–6 wyll, 4–6, 8–9 Sc. and dial. will, (9 Sc. wull).
[a. ON. villr bewildered, erring, astray: see wild a.]
1. Going or gone astray; that has lost his way, or has nowhere to go for rest or shelter; straying, wandering, ‘lost’.
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 975 Ðo fleȝ agar fro sarray,..In ðe diserd, wil and weri. 13.. Cursor M. 23091 (Edin.) Quen I was wil and out of rest, Godli tok ye me to rest. c 1400 Destr. Troy 2369 All wery I wex and wyll of my gate. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. vi. xvi. 1614 He trawalit al day, qwhil þe nycht Hym partit fra his company. Þan was he wil of herbery. c 1460 Towneley Myst. xxx. 450 When I was will and weriest ye harberd me full esely. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 35 In thay Montanis, I-wis, he wox all will. 1806 [see waif n.1 B. 2]. 1815 G. Beattie John O' Arnha' (1826) 62 His will and weary ghost. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxvii, Gyaun awa' to Aiberdeen like a wull chucken. |
2. fig. † a. Going astray in thought, belief, or conduct; going wrong, erring; wayward, ‘wild’.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 7310 Noght yow allan, bot your ox⁓spring, Sal reu ful sare your will ȝerning. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 76 More to wyte is her wrange, þen any wylle gentyl. Ibid. C. 473 Þen wakened þe wyȝe of his wyl dremes. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxviii. (Margaret) 360 Ȝoure consal is wikit & wil. |
b. Not knowing what to do or how to proceed; at a loss, at one's wit's end, uncertain, perplexed.
| c 1300 Havelok 863 Hwan he kam þer, he was ful wil, Ne hauede he no frend to gangen til. Ibid. 1042 Of puttingge he was ful wil, For neuere yete ne saw he or Putten the stone, or þanne, þor. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 12208 Arthur was al wyl On whilk hil þe geaunt was. c 1440 York Myst. xviii. 208 Allas! Joseph for woo Was neuer wight in worde [= world] so will! 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 53 [They] had sik drede that thai war will quhat to do. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 138 Ȝit was I mekle willar than. 1721 Kelly Sc. Prov. 375 You are so will of your wooing, you wat not where to wed. Note, You have such Choice of Mistresses. |
3. Phrases. † a. will of wane (wone) [wane n.2, wone n.2: lit. wandering without a dwelling-place, homeless] = 1; also fig. = 2 b. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 980 Adam went out ful will o wan. 1375 Barbour Bruce ii. 471 And he wes als sa will off wane, That he trowit in nane sekyrly. Ibid. vii. 2 The kyng toward the vod is gane, Wery for-swat and vill of vayn. c 1440 York Myst. xix. 217 Was neuere so wofull a wyffe, Ne halffe so wille of wone! c 1480 Henryson Test. Cress. 543 Wrappit in wo, ane wretch full will of wane. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. (Rolls) II. 343 So will of wane [printed wand], and weipand for greit wo. |
† b. will of rede [rede n.1 2: lit. at a loss for a plan or scheme] = 2 b. Also will of good rede.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce iii. 494 He wes alsua will off red, That he durst rest in-to na place. c 1400 Ywaine & Gaw. 379 That weder made me so will of rede, I hopid sone to have my dede. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. vi. xvi. 1652 His lemman was wil of gud rede. 1513 Douglas æneis ii. xi. 6 The top of litle Ascanius heid, Amang the dulefull armes, will of reid Of his parentis. |
c. will gate (Sc.), † gate will [gate n.2]: going astray.
| c 1440 Alphabet of Tales 90 Þan sho went in & tolde hym þe cauce of hur gate will. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 527/2 Wylgate, or wronge gate, deviacio. 1825 Jamieson, Will-gate, wull-gate. 1. An erroneous course, literally used. S. 2. In a moral sense, any course that is improper. |
4. compl. or as adv. (chiefly with go): Astray, out of the way (lit. and fig.); to go will, to go astray, lose one's way, wander, err.
| c 1220 Bestiary 52 Silden he us wille, If we heren to his word Ðat we ne gon nowor wille. a 1300 Cursor M. 4100 Bot ar he till his breþer wan, Will he yode, and mett a man. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxiii. (vii Sleperis) 255 Wenand þat he had gane wil, Ane vthyre ȝet þane ȝed he til. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. iv. xxi. 1987 Welth and riches wont was ay In wantones mare wil to draw Þan hawynge fayr and mesoure haw. c 1440 Alphabet of Tales 453 He gaff vnto ane honeste womman in wyldrenes, goand wyll, iij c penys. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 73 Walkand will of his way. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems lxvi. 74 It is so lang in cuming me till, I dreid that it be quyt gane will. 1567 Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.) 92 Thocht I wauer, or ga wyll, Or am in danger for to die. 1724 Ramsay Vision iii, I deimt dame Nature was gane will To rare with rackless reil. 1855 N. & Q. 1st Ser. XII. 489/1 Each time she attempted to cross this place she was irresistibly, and against her will, prevented by some invisible power; or, as she said, was ‘Will led’. |
† 5. Of a place: Out-of-the-way, unfrequented, desolate. Obs.
| 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 2084 Wela wylle was þe way, þer þay bi wod schulden. c 1425 Engl. Conq. Irel. li. 129 Hit was wille londe and woddy. 1513 Douglas æneis iv. vi. 61 To nane wncouth landis,..Nother to fremmyt place, nor steddis will. Ibid. xi. x. 64 Him self ascendis the hie band of the hyll By wentis strait and passage scharp and wyll. |
Hence † willness (whylenes), wildness, madness.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 9327 What whylenes or wanspede wryxles our mynd? |
▪ V. will, v.1
(wɪl)
Pa. tense would (wʊd). Forms: see below.
[OE. *willan, pres. tense wille, willaþ, pa. tense wolde, Anglian walde, = OFris. willa, wille, wilde, wolde, OS. willian, williu, williad, wolda, (M)LG. willen, (M)Du. willen, wilde, ON. vilja, vil, vilda, viljat (Sw. vilja, ville, Da. ville, vilde), Goth. wiljan, wiljau, wilda:—OTeut. *wel(l)jan, parallel with OTeut. *wal(l)jan, whence OFris. wella, welde, OS. wellian, welda, MLG. wellen, OHG. wellen, well, wellemes, etc., welta, wolta (MHG. wellen, wollen, wöllen, welte, wolte, gewellt, G. wollen, will, wollen, wollte, gewollt), ON. velja, vel, valði, valiðr (Sw. välja, Da. vælge) to choose, (see wele v.), Goth. waljan to choose; for other Teut. derivatives see will n.1, will v.2, wale n.2 choice, well adv.: f. Indo-Eur. wel-: wol-: wl-, represented by L. velle, volo, (velim, voluī), Lith. v{etilde}lyju, v{etilde}lyti to wish, pa-velmi to allow, viltis hope, OSl. velĕti to command, voliti to will, choose, volja will, W. gwell better, Skr. várati chooses, wishes, prefers, vára- wish, choice, váram better, vṛṇati wishes, prefers.
The most remarkable feature of this vb., besides its many idiomatic and phrasal uses, is its employment as a regular auxiliary of the future tense, which goes back to the OE. period, and may be paralleled in other Germanic languages, e.g. MHG.
In some uses it is not always possible to distinguish this vb. from will v.2]
A. Inflexional Forms.
1. inf. 1 wyllan, 3–5 willen, (3 Orm. wilenn), 5 wylen, 5–7 wille, (7 wil), 4– will.
| c 1000 ælfric Gram. xxxii. (Z.) 200 Uelle, wyllan. c 1200 Ormin 5297, & te birrþ wilenn swelltenn. c 1400 Rom. Rose 2482 Thou shalt not willen to passen away. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 49 To wylen to mak God felow of þis violence. 14.. in Babees Bk. (1868) 331 Strangers,..the whiche they knowen you to wille for to admitte and receyue. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. i. i. i. xi. 44 Velle, and Nolle, will and nill. 1654 Vilvain Theorem. Theol. ii. 50 Man, at Creation, had to wil or nil naturaly. |
2. pres. tense. 1st and 3rd pers. sing. (α) 1–4 wile, wyle, 1–6 wille, wylle (1 North. willo, uillo), 4–6 wyl, wyll, 1 North., 4–7 wil, (1 uil, 6 Sc. vil), 1 North., 4– will. (β) 2–3 wulle, 3–5 wule, 5–6 wul, (7–9 dial.) wull, 9 dial. ull. (γ) 3–5 wole, 3–6 wolle, 4–6 wol(l (3 uole, 5 vol); 5–7 wooll (5 -lle, whowl), dial. 8–9 wool, woul, 9 ool. (δ) 1 Anglian, 3 welle, 3–5 wele, well, 4 wel, 8–9 dial. el.
| α c 888 ælfred Boeth. (MS. c 1100) iii. §4 Ic nu wille ᵹeornlice to Gode cleopian. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xvi. 24 Ᵹif hua wil [Rushw. wille, Ags. Gosp. wylle, Hatton wile] æfter meh ᵹecyme. Ibid Luke xiii. 31 Herodes will [Ags. Gosp. wyle] ðec ofslaa. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xx. 15 Oþþe ne mot ic don þæt ic wylle? c 1030 Rule St. Benet xlviii. 81 Se ðe wyle him sylfan rædan. a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 656, Ic þe wile finden þær to gold & siluer, land & ahte. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 57 Gif man beð forwunded, he wile anon sechen after leches. a 1300 Cursor M. 9018 To will als sott sco will him lede. 1340 Ayenb. 57 Huo þet wyle conne and weȝe þe zennes of þe tonge. a 1352 Minot Poems (ed. Hall) xi. 7 Of Gynes ful gladly now will I bigin. 1357 Lay Folks' Catech. (L.) 922 A lyte wyl of þe herte þat he wyl not ȝeve to hys god. 13.. Guy Warw. (A.) 535 Ȝif ich it hir schewe, sche wil telle Hir fader. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints iii. (Andreas) 1049, I wyll Ane vthyre questione send hym till. c 1430 Chev. Assigne 128, I wylle soone aske hym. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 1 Yf man wyll put to his good wyll to brynge hym safe to the ende of his said iourney. 1548 Hutten Sum of Div. K viij, God wylle all men to be saued. 1549 Compl. Scot. Ep. 3 Ther is na prudent man that vil iuge [etc.]. 1611 Bible Zech. xiv. 2, I wil gather all nations against Ierusalem to battell. |
| β c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 123 Þu helle ic wulle beon þin bite. c 1205 Lay. 3658 Wha swa wulle libba [c 1275 wole libbe]. a 1225 Ancr. R. 156 Hwo se wule wel don. c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode ii. liii. (1869) 96 Wule he other noon. 1448–9 J. Metham Amoryus & Cl. 163 As myn autor dothe wryte, ryght so wul I. 1616 B. Jonson Forest, To World 31 What bird, or beast, is knowne so dull, That fled his cage,..wull Render his head in there againe? 1836 [Hooton] Bilberry Thurland I. xviii. 307 To be sure, sartinly, that I wull. 1869 A. Macdonald Love, Law & Theol. xxiv. 542 ‘Oh, never mind Mrs. M{supc}Creesh.’ ‘Oh, but a wull mind.’ |
| γ a 1275 Prov. Alfred 688 in O.E. Misc. 137 He uole brinhin on and tuenti to nout. c 1290 Beket 121 in S. Eng. Leg. 110 Þat þing þat god helpe wole. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 669 Ich wolle telle þat cas. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 7 The werre wol no pes purchace. a 1436 Domesday Ipswich v. in Black Bk. Admir. (Rolls) II. 31 Ȝif that he wooll done his lawe. 1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) 29 Wole y or wole y not. 1505 in Mem. Hen. VII (Rolls) 261 And so wolle the kynge my lorde do. 1557 Lds. Wharton & Eure in Lodge Illustr. Brit. Hist. (1791) I. 267 We know yo{supr} Lordship's noble wysdome woll consyder thes. 1652 Hermeticall Banquet 82 Then drink't I wooll. 1718 J. Fox Wanderer 118 Write me down,..what wool please you. 1788 Vallancey Voc. Bargie in Trans. R. Irish Acad. II. 34 Woul, to wish. a 1801 Bloomfield Richard & Kate vii. in Rural Tales (1806) 3 Ay, Kate, I wool. 1875 ‘S. Beauchamp’ N. Hamilton II. 17 ‘A thinks a ool,’ says she. |
| δ [c 825 Vesp. Ps. v. 5 [4] Forðon ne wellende god unrehtwisnisse ðu earð.] c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. x. 39 Seðe welle losiᵹe sawel his. a 1275 Prov. Alfred 140 in O.E. Misc. 111 God may giuen wanne he wele goed after yuil. Ibid. 631. 136 Þanne welle he sawin sone one his worde. 13.. Cursor M. 11524 (Gött.) Ful wele he wele þaim quite þar mede. Ibid. 18462 And ȝe sal be, sua well iesu, All dumb of speche. 1474 Cov. Leet Bk. 397 If he well nott be war by iij warnynges. 1790 Mrs. Wheeler Westmld. Dial. ii. 50, Th reek el blaw ea yer feace. |
3. 2nd pers. sing. a. (α) 1– wilt; also 1, 4, 6 wylt, 3 Orm. willt, 5 wilte, 6 wylte. (β) 2–6 wult, 3 wlt. (γ) 3, 5, 7 wolt, 5–6 -e. (δ) 7 woo't, w'oot, wot, wut, 7, (9 dial.) woot.
| α c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xxvi. 39 Nallas sua ic wille ah sua ðu wilt. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xx. 21 Þa cwæð he hwæt wylt-tu? c 1200 Ormin 2039, & ȝiff þatt tu willt tælenn me. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 3730 Ȝyf þou yn yre a man hate, And þat wraþþe wylt nat late. c 1450 Merlin ii. 34 Yeve us counseile how thow wilte we shall sey. 1531 Elyot Gov. i. xiii, If thou wylte eshewe bytter aduenture. 1563 Whitehorne Onosandro Platon. 123 If thou wylt that speadelye some woorke be..doone. 1849 M. Arnold Sick King in Bokhara 131 Wilt thou they straightway bring him in? |
| β c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 25 Þu wult bi-haten god almihtin..þet þu wult forleten þine misdede. c 1205 Lay. 694 Ȝif þu wlt [c 1275 wolt] þu miht wel. c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode ii. liii. (1869) 96 If thou wult,..thou shalt make him chek and maat. 1557 T. Phaer æneid. vi. (1558) S j, Wult see the Tarquin kings? |
| γ c 1205 Lay. 1577 Goffar mid þire ferde, wi wolt þu fleam makian? 1390 Gower Conf. I. 118 If thou wolt live In vertu, thou most vice eschuie. c 1400 Love Bonaventura's Mirr. x. (Gibbs MS.), Ȝyfe þow wolte seen ensaumple hier of Jhū. c 1430 Hymns Virgin (1867) 17 Bringe, if þou wolt, þo soulis to blis. 1540 Palsgr. Acolastus ii. iii. M ij, Wolte thou not take vs in to the nomber of thy clientes? 1602 Marston Ant. & Mel. i. C 2, Wolt doe me a favour? |
| δ 1602 Shakes. Ham. v. i. 297 Woo't weepe? Woo't fight? Woo't teare thy selfe? 1602 Middleton Blurt ii. ii. C 4 b, Wut open doore? 1607 ― Fam. Love i. ii, Wo't thou forsake me then? 1620 I. C. Two Merry Milk-maids iv. i. L 1 b, Wut thou be iust to me? 1639 Shirley Ball iv. i, Thou wot stop a breach in a mudde wall. |
b. 4 wille, wile, wel, 4–5 will, wolle, 4, 6 wil, woll, 5 wole, 6 wyll.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 5632 Wil þou i ga..To fot a womman o þat lede? Ibid. 20657 It sal be al als tu it wille. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. ix. 153 Wolle þow, ne wolle þow, we wolleþ habbe oure wil. c 1400 Rule St. Benet (prose) 2 Yef þu will haue þat ioy. 1513 Douglas æneis v. iv. 15 Quhare, dismale, wil thow now? gan Gyas cry. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 6 b, Wyll thou or nyll thou, thou mayst lese thy goodes. 1534 Whitinton Tullyes Office i. A 2, Thou shalt lerne as longe as thou woll. |
4. pl. (α) 1 willaþ, wyllaþ, 3–4 willeþ, 4 wylleþ, 5 -yth; 1 (subj.) willen, -on, -an, 3 wilen, 4 willen, 4–5 wylen, -yn, wiln, 5 wyllen, willyn; 5 wyn; (1), 2–6 wille, 3–4 wile, 4–5 wil, 4–6 wyll, 5 wylle, Sc. vyll, 4– will. (β) 2 wuleþ, 2–4 wulleþ, (3 -et, wlleð, -et); 5 wull(e, 5–6 wul. (γ) 3–4 wolleþ, 5 woleth; 4–5 wol(l)en; 4–5 wol(l)e, 4–6 wol(l. (δ) 1 North. welle, 4 welen, -yn; 4 wel, 4–5 wele, well(e. (ε) 1 North. wallað, -as, 5 wal.
| α c 825 Vesp. Psalter xxxiv. [xxxv.] 27 Ᵹefiað & blissiað ða willað rehtwisnisse mine. c 1000 ælfric Gram. xxxii. (Z.) 199 Uolumus, we wyllað. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 13 Þenne wille ȝe hit bireusian. c 1250 Kent. Serm. in O.E. Misc. 33 Yef we uilleth don his seruise. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 191 Leunes and beres him wile to-draȝen. Ibid. 2304 If ȝe wilen ȝu wið treweiðe leden. a 1300 Cursor M. 14951 Þai wil me neuer luue. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 16 Fyrst we wylyn [v.r. welyn] of hem be shreuyn. 1340 Ayenb. 16 Huanne hi wylleþ by aboue oþren. 13.. Cursor M. 4118 (Gött.) Nou þai wil him noght spar. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 249 Ydel schaueldouris willen loke to be festid of siche curatis. 1382 ― Isa. xiii. 17 That siluer sechen not, ne gold wiln. c 1400 Rule St. Benet (prose) 11 Yef ye wile cume to þe ioy of heuin. 1411 E.E. Wills (1882) 21 Os ȝe wylle answere a-fore god. c 1420 Anturs of Arth. xx, Sethyn charitè is chefe to those that wyn be chast. c 1425 Stonor Papers (Camden) I. 42, I beseche ȝow þat ȝe willyn speke to John Martyn. 14.. in Babees Bk. (1868) 331 They wyllen to do that ye wylle to do. 1466 in Bull. Inst. Hist. Research I. 72 note, Rather then we wyll suffre hytt ther shall xx personys dye in j day. 1491 Acta Dom. Conc. (1839) 177/2 Sic richtis as þai vyll vse in þe said mater. ? 1545 Brinklow Compl. xxiv. (1874) 70 It is euydent thei wil no wyues. 1562 Winȝet Cert. Tractatis i. Wks. (S.T.S.) I. 7 Quhat wyll ye geve me? |
| β c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 7 Nu we wulleð seggen mare wet þis godspel itacnet. Ibid. 41 Ȝef ȝe lusten wuleð. c 1205 Lay. 3056 Men þe wllet luuien. a 1225 Ancr. R. 168 We wulleð foluwen þe; we wulleð don al so. c 1400 Destr. Troy 11419 We wull treate of a trew. 1482 Monk of Evesham (Arb.) 66 They wulle haue be to me as enemyes. 1490 wul [see B. 6]. 1581 A. Hall Iliad i. 3 Although conceale they wul A crosse receivde of simple wight. |
| γ c 1205 Lay. 479 Þat heo moten wonien wer swa heo wolleð. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 3261 Hii wolleþ yswyke by daye. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 1026 Þanne we wollen of þe watur wilfully drinke. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. vi. 44 Ȝif ȝe wolleþ I-wite wher þat he dwelleþ. c 1386 Chaucer Sompn. T. 129 What wol ye dyne? a 1400 Pistill of Susan 123 We wol wassche us. c 1400 Love Bonavent. Mirr. xiii. (Gibbs MS.) lf. 30 Ȝyfe we woleth hier take good entent. c 1440 Generydes 4403 They wolle shende oure purpose euery dele. c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. vi. 171 Perauenture summen wolen in other wise seie. a 1450 Myrc 150 A-nother tyme gyf hem folghthe As the fader & þe moder wolþe. 1534 in Lett. Suppr. Monast. (Camden) 46 We wol not be so bolde. 1534 in Leadam Sel. Cases Crt. Requests (Selden Soc.) 43 We..desire you that..ye woll groundely examyne the said witnesses. |
| δ c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. vii. 12 Quaecunque uultis, sua huæt ᵹie welle. a 1300 Cursor M. 16327, I wat and seis þai wel noght fine. 13.. welyn [see α1303]. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 23 Þes coueitous symonyentis welen be þe firste to lette hem. 14.. Gosp. Nicod. (S.) 100 We welle lay our lyfe to wedde. c 1450 wele [see B. 48]. |
| ε c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xx. 32 Quid uultis, huæt wallað ᵹie? 1436 in Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., Var. Coll. (1907) IV. 199 Praynge yow..that ye wal tenderly consider..the thynges afore rehersed. 1452 Ibid. 201 Suche men as wal have ther service accordyng to the statutes thereof made. |
5. Reduced forms: a. 1st sing. pres. combined with pron. ich, I: 3 icholle, (ich chulle), ychulle, 3–4 ichulle, 5 y chull, 6 chil, chyll, 6–7 chill, 7 'chill, 8 chell.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 126 Forȝif, & ichulle forȝiue þe. a 1240 Lofsong in O.E. Hom. I. 213 Forto þe one ich chulle trusten. 13.. K. Horn 3 (Harl.) A song ychulle ou singe. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 908 Sone, he sayde, y chulle ȝow telle. |
For other evidence see ch, 'ch, I pron. β2, β3.
b. Contracted 'll (since the 17th cent.), esp. after prons.: I'll (aɪl), 6–7 Ile, 7 I'le, 8 I'il; he'll (hiːl), 8 hee'l; she'll (ʃiːl), 6–7 sheele, 7 shele; it'll (ˈɪt(ə)l); we'll (wiːl), 6–7 weele, (6 wyll), 7 wee'l(e, wee'll; you'll (juːl), 6–7 youle, 7 you'le; ye'll (jiːl), 8 yeil; they'll (ðeɪl), 7 theile, 7–8 they'l; who'll (huːl), 7 whole.
| ? 15.. King Estmere xii. in Child Ballads II. 52, I doubt sheele do you the same. 1578 Whetstone Promos & Cass. ii. iii. ii, And for this faulte, wyll passe it ore in ieaste. c 1590 Sir T. More ii. iv. 166 Yf youle stand our freind. 1591 Lyly Endym. i. iii, Next time weele haue some prettie Gentle-women with vs to walke. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. ii. vi. 29 And Valentine Ile hold an Enemie. 1602 Marston Antonio's Rev. iv. ii, They'l wriggle in and in. 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. iii. vii. 60 Wee'l to our Ship. 1607 Dekker & Webster Westw. Hoe v. i, Theile scrape themselues into your company. 1608 Shakes. Lear v. i. 34 (Qo. 1) Sister you'l [Qo. 2 youle; Folio you'le] goe with vs? 1610 Heywood Gold. Age i. i, I'le not kill my part. 1623 Shakes. Two Gent. ii. ii. 6 Wee'll make exchange. 1676 Hobbes Iliad To Rdr. (1686) A 3 b, How is it possible (you'll say) to please them all? Ibid., I'll name as many as shall come into my mind. c 1730 Ramsay Wyfe of Auchtermuchty iii, Yeil ken what drinkers drie. 17.. Johnie Armstrang in Ever-Green (1761) II. 192 I'il gie thee all these Milk whyt Steids. 1785 Burns Holy Fair v, Gin ye'll go there, yon runkl'd pair. 1833 Tennyson May Queen ii. xii, She'll find my garden-tools upon the granary floor. 1842 Browning Caval. Tunes, Give a Rouse i, Who'll do him right now? 1859 H. Kingsley G. Hamlyn xiv, It'll be known all over the country. 1859 Ruskin Two Paths i. §21 To see if they'll bear shaking. 1904 S. Weyman Abb. Vlaye ix, You'll laugh on the other side of your faces. Mod. (colloq.) There, that'll do! That dog'll bite you. These chimneys'll fall down soon. |
c. 2nd sing. pres. ind.: thou'lt, († thou't).
| 1588 Shakes. Tit. A. iv. i. 117 Come, come, thou'lt do thy message, wilt thou not? 1607 ― Timon i. i. 195 That's a deed thou't dye for. a 1849 Beddoes Wolfram's Dirge, And there alone..thou'lt meet her. |
6. a. With prons. affixed: 1st pers. sing. 1 North. willic, 3–4 willy, 4 wyly, wol(l)y, 5 whilli; 2nd pers. sing. 1, 8 Sc. wiltu, 3 wultu, 3–5 woltou, 4 weltu, wilte, 4–5 wil(l)tou, -ow, 5 woltowe, wyltowe, whylte.
| c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xv. 32 Misereor turbae, willic milsa ðreatas. c 975 Rushw. Gosp. Matt. xiii. 28 Wiltu we gæn & ᵹesomniᵹe hiæ? a 1225 Leg. Kath. 2064 Hwerto wultu wreastlin wið þe worldes wealdent? 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 6375 Hou woltou it ȝelde me. a 1300 Harrow. Hell (O.) 75 Wiþ reisoun willy tellen þe. c 1300 Havelok 528 Wilte don mi wille al [etc.]. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 4595 Ȝit wyly make assay. a 1352 Minot Poems (ed. Hall) ii. 21 Whider wiltou fare? c 1400 Love Bonavent. Mirr. xii. (Gibbs MS.) lf. 30 Sone wyltowe not gone home aȝayne wyt vs. Ibid. xxxiv. 65 Howe longe woltowe make vs in suspens? 14.. Northern Passion II. 174/401 For þe þanne whilli take þat deþ. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon i. 28 Lorde god..whylte deffende me this daye from shamefull dethe. 1721 Ramsay Elegy on Patie Birnie 23 O wiltu, wiltu do't again! a 1776 in Herd Scot. Songs II. 98 O sleepy body, And drowsy body, O wiltuna waken and turn thee? |
b. With negative not (na) affixed: (α) 5 wynnot, 6–9 wonnot, 7 woonnot, 7–8 wo'not, 7–9 wonot, (9 winnot, wunnet); 7– won't (7–8 wont); 8 we'n't, 9 willn't, willot. (Won't alone survives in gen. colloq. use; the rest are obs. or dial.) (β) Sc. and north. dial. 8– winna (9 wunna).
| c 1420 Liber Cocorum (1862) 45 Ȝif þay ben harde and wynnot alye. 1584 R. Wilson Three Ladies Lond. D, Sirra Ile tell thee, I wonnot tell thee, and yet Ile tell thee, nowe I member me too. 1631 Shirley Sch. Compl. iv. i. 56, I..can worke, and woonnot. 1633 Rowley Match at Midn. iv. i. H 3 b, You wonnot pull off your bootes too will you? 1666 Char. Province of Mary-Land (1869) 44 In relieving at a distance the proud poverty of those that wont be seen they want. 1667 Pepys Diary 10 June, People that have been used to be deceived by us as to money, won't believe us. 1670 Dryden 1st Pt. Conq. Granada iv. ii. (1672) 49 But what I cannot grant, I will not hear. Almanz. You wonnot hear! 1686 tr. Agiatis or Civ. Wars Lacedemonians 101 Wo' not you pardon me? 1708 Caldwell Papers (Maitland Club) I. 213 Nanse has a good steady heart that wont soon break. 1721 Ramsay Richy & Sandy 5 Na, na, It winna do! 1754 J. Shebbeare Matrimony (1766) II. 53 That we'n't bring thee a great Income. 1802 R. Anderson Cumbld. Ball. 32, I fear His word he wunnet keep! 1820 Scott Abbot xvii, To leave the place while the lad is in jeopardy, that I wonot. 1824 Carr Craven Gloss., Willot, Winnot. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet let. x, He wunna budge. 1849 C. Brontë Shirley xviii, That willn't wash, Miss. 1897 M. Kingsley W. Africa 240 They don't, and I fancy won't. |
c. Written continuously with the inf. be.
| c 1440 Generydes 6516 And so to leve in rest and it wilbe. 1475 Bk. Noblesse (Roxb.) 30 A noble..cheveteyn, whiche wolbe a leder of a felowship in werre. 1573 in Cath. Tractates (S.T.S.) 18 It wilbie verray hard to me. |
7. imp.. 1 pl. willaþ, North. wællað, -as, wallað, 4 wile, 5 wylleth, wyl.
| c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Mark xvi. 6 Nolite expauescere, ne wællas ᵹefrohtiᵹa. 1382, c 1400 [see B. 12 b]. |
8. pa. tense. 1st and 3rd sing. (and pl.) (α) 1–6 wolde, 4–7 wold (1, 3 wuolde, 3 weolde, (Orm.) wollde; 4 wolld, woled, 5 volde, wholde, 6 woold(e, wolt, 7 vold); 3–5 wulde, 5 wuld, wude, 7 wud, wu'd; (5 whowl(l)de, whowllyd;) 6– would (6 woulde, owld); 5 whowde, 6 wood, 7 woo'd, wo'd, pl. (dial.) wouden, 7–8 wou'd; 5– (now dial.) wod.
| c 888 ælfred Boeth. (MS. c 960) xvi. §2 Hu wunderlic wolde eow ðæt þincan; hwelce cehhettunge ᵹe woldan þæs habban, & mid hwelce hleahtre ᵹe woldon beon astered. c 1200 Ormin 150 Forr þatt he wollde himm frofrenn. c 1205 Lay. 4052 Þat heo wuolden al þis lond dælen heom bi-twenen. Ibid. 8453 An of þon he weolden him don. 13.. Cursor M. 13701 (Gött.) Þair lau wold men suld hir stane. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 247 Be so that thei him helpe wolde. 1399 Langl. Rich. Redeles iv. 87 Somme dede rith so, and wolld go no fforþer. 1473 J. Warkworth Chron. (Camden) 11 Alle tho that wolde holde with hym. 1480 Cely Papers (Camden) 34 The woll..whos not so good as I wholde hyt had bene. ? 15.. Love Songe in Ritson Anc. Songs (1792) 115 Chryst wolt the ffuger of hur swete face Were pyctored wher euer I be. 1530 Cromwell in Merriman Life & Lett. (1902) I. 330, I woolde haue sene your grace long er this. 1551 in Feuillerat Revels Edw. VI. (1914) 59 We wolde you sholde send vs convenient apparell. 1557 Tottel's Misc. (Arb.) 175 Whom if the perfect vertues wolden daine To be set forth with foile of worldly grace. 1693 Col. Rec. Pennsylv. I. 390 And yt he wold promote it as much as he can. |
| c 1205 Lay. 7964 Þæt Cesar wulde þe ȝet wunnien þar. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1071 Oc he ne wulden his doȝtres noȝt. c 1440 Generydes 374 Of his labour wuld he neuer sese. 1620 I. C. Two Merry Milk-maids ii. ii. F 2 b, Wud I were i' the Countrey againe. 1650 Heath Clarastella 19 What mortal wu'd Believe? |
| c 1469 Stonor Papers (Camden) I. 104, I woll hertely pray ȝow..that ȝe wod do make astate wnto me. 1480 Cely Papers (Camden) 55 (MS.), I whowlde a wyse yow brynge houer aulle yowr trottynge hors. 1481 Ibid. 76, I whowllyd fayn heyr some good tydyngys of yowr matter. 1487 Ibid. 158, I whowde awysse my syster & yow to com agayne into Essex. a 1500 Flower & Leaf 216 As it would seme. a 1533 Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1559) Hh viij, What is that realme that sleeth theim that wold their wealth, and are angry with them that woulde helpe their yll. 1587 in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. III. 23 Yf I had bid ought I owld have bid by yt. c 1620 T. Goffe Careless Shepherdess iii. i, You had better have been hang'd at first, as I wo'd had you. 1658 J. Jones Ovid's Ibis 86 Or like Admetus father-law that would, Return to youthful years when he was old. 1665 R. Flecknoe Erminia iii. iii. 49, I wod not force what I might obtain by gentleness. Er. You wod not? you cannot Sir. 1688 Shadwell Sqr. Alsatia i. i. 4 Yeow wouden ha leen a Bed aw th' morn. 1697 Dryden æneis xi. 189 Wou'd I your Justice or your Force express. 1711 Shaftesbury Charac. II. 227 Wou'd you then appeal..? Most certainly I shou'd appeal, said I. 1787 E. Inchbald Such things are i. i, Why, you wou'd not inform against me sure! 1790 Mrs. Wheeler Westmld. Dial. 5, I wod fain hev hed him tae hed a Docter. 1828 Carr Craven Gloss., Wod, Wold, would. |
(β) Chiefly north. and Sc. 1–6 walde (1, 3 wælde, ualde), 3–8 wald, (4 walld, 4, 6 vald, 5 wallde, wauld); 8– wad (6 waude, wawd).
| c 825 Vesp. Ps. xxxix. 9 Volui, ic walde. c 897 ælfred Gregory's Past. C. lviii. 443 He walde..ðæt hi wæren ᵹedrefde. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. John vii. 44 Sumo..of ðæm ualdon ᵹegrioppa hine. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 7 Walden heo naldden heo. c 1205 Lay. 1416 Wheþer heo walden hælden grið. a 1352 Minot Poems (ed. Hall) iv. 56 Þat king Edward in feld walld dwell. 1375 Barbour Bruce v. 126 To se quha frend or fa vald be. c 1440 York Myst. xv. 70 What it was fayne witte walde I. c 1470 Henry Wallace xi. 1400 Quhill thai till him had done all at thai wauld. 1487 Cely Papers (Camden) 69 The pope hollynes..wallde a sente me home agayn. 1581 J. Hamilton in Cath. Tract. (S.T.S.) 76 All thame, quha vald not be reformit. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 2 Gif quha walde knawe the name of Britannie monie referris it vnto Brutus. c 1620 A. Hume Brit. Tongue (1865) 10 Heer I wald commend to our men quhae confoundes these the imitation of the south. 1674 G. Fox in Jrnl. Friends' Hist. Soc. (1914) July 100 Be cas I wald not be a capting aganst the king. 1724 Ramsay Vision ix, The hardy wald, with hairty wills, Upon dyre vengeance fall. 1825 Jamieson, Wald..1. Would..2. Should, or ought to be. |
| 1564–78 W. Bullein Dial. agst. Pest. (E.E.T.S.) 5 God..sende you comfort of all thynges that you waude haue gud of. 1581 N. Woodes Confl. Consc. iii. iv. in Five Old Plays (Roxb.) 32 It wawd theam all deceue. 1720 Ramsay Edinb. Salut. to Ld. Carnarvon ii, My auld grey-head I yet wad rear. 1816 Scott Old Mort. xxxviii, I wad kill him a chicken in an instant. 1825 Brockett N.C. Words s.v. Wad, He wad, at wad he. |
(γ) 4–5 wyld, 4–5, 7 wild (4 weld, wijld, 4, 6 wylde, wilde, 5 whelde), 6 willed.
Orig. northern, from ON. vilda; late examples may belong to will v.2
| a 1300 Cursor M. 8446 His fader biding wel he heild, And did al þat his moder weld. Ibid. 21773 Sco delt it wiseli als sco wild. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 6933 And he myȝt helpe, ȝyf he wylde. 1476 Stonor Papers (Camden) II. 14 My cosyn..askyde me whenne ye wyld cum hyddyr. 1481 Cely Papers (Camden) 74 Sche [sc. a bitch] whelde newyr hett mette and so sche ys Deyd. 1546 Bale Engl. Votaries i. 31 b, Least wanton youthe wolde brynge them togyther wylde they nylde they. 1583 tr. Maison Neuve's Gerileon i. 52 b, Willed or nilled his Maister. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. i. 270 Constantine..they forced wild he, nild he, to usurpe the empire. |
9. 2nd pers. sing. (α) 1–5 woldest, (1 waldes, 1, 3 ualdes, 3 wældest, waldest, wuldes), 3–4 wost, 4 wldest, 4–5 woldist (4 -ez, 5 -es, -ust, -yst, 6 -ys), 6– wouldest, wouldst (6 woldst, 7 wudst, 9 would'st).
| c 825 Vesp. Psalter xl. 12 Voluisti, ðu waldes. 971 Blickl. Hom. 85 Þu woldest symle þone besmitan þe þu nan wiht yfles on nystest. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 93 Hwi woldest þu swikian on þine aȝene þinge. c 1205 Lay. 7376 Þu waldest beon min hærrn. Ibid. 18815 Þat þu wældest. c 1220 Bestiary 501 Ðat tu wuldes seien ȝet ȝef [etc.]. c 1275 Lay. 16035 Ȝef þou were so wis man..þanne þou wost axi of þine mochele care. 1303 wldest [see win v.1 9 b]. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 2128 Þat lelly me layne, I leue wel þou woldez! c 1320 Sir Tristr. 2076 Þat þou wost hir se Wiþ siȝt. 1382 Wyclif Matt. xxiii. 37 And thou woldist nat. 1426 Audelay Poems 11 And do as thou woldust me dud by the. c 1449 Pecock Repr. i. xx. 123 Loke how thou woldist in this case answere to me. 1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) 13 What woldest thou that I shold do. 1518 Sel. Pleas Star Chamber (Selden) II. 134 Thow woldys nott delyuer one of my bullockes. 1550 Crowley Last Trumpet 308 Lest, when thou wouldst, it be to late. 1620 I. C. Two Merry Milk-maids iii. i. I 1, What wudst thou doe? 1810 Crabbe Borough ii. 53 And would'st thou, artist, with thy tints and brush, Form shades like these? 1839 Lane Arab. Nts. I. 97 Thou wouldest nothing but my destruction. |
(β) (orig. subj.). 1, 5 walde, 3 wld, 4 wild, 4–6 wald, 5 wold, 7 vold, would.
| c 825 Vesp. Psalter l. 18 Si voluisses, ᵹif ðu walde. a 1275 Prov. Alfred 681 in O.E. Misc. 138 Ȝif [MS. þif] þu wld don after mi red. a 1300 Cursor M. 6233 Qui wald þou ledd vs o þat land? Ibid. 9641 Þat sua þou wald his sorus slak. 13.. Ibid. 901 (Gött.) Þou þu wild euer haue hat stede, In cald sal euer be þi bede. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 690 Þat I couet to ken, if þou me kythe wald. c 1400 Anturs Arth. lii, The wurschip of Wales to weld, and thou wold. 1562 A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) i. 37 Wald thow be servit, and thy cuntre sure. 1588 Shakes. Tit. A. iii. i. 209 What would thou kneele with me? 1602 Colville Parænese 163 Vold thou then knou the incertenty of thy speculatyue knouleg. 1670 J. Stubbs in Jrnl. Friends' Hist. Soc. (1914) Oct. 154 If thou would Order me soe to doe. |
10. Reduced forms: a. with pron. ich (cf. 5 a): 4–5 ycholde. b. Contracted 'ld (formerly -ld), 'd ('ud), as I'd († I'ld), he'd († held, he'ld), we'd, you'd, they'd, who'd. c. 2nd pers. 7 thoud'st, 8 thou'dst.
| a 1327 [see i pron. A. β2]. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 1223 W{supt} as gode wylle y cholde hym seruy. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. iv. iii. 3 Ther's some great matter she'ld employ me in. 1607 ― Timon i. i. 208 Ape... I eate not Lords. Tim. And thou should'st, thoud'st anger Ladies. 1610 ― Temp. i. ii. 198 Sometime I'ld diuide And burne in many places. 1676 Hobbes Iliad ii. 261 To Sea they'ld go. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 326 ¶5 My Request to you is, that..you'd speedily afford us your Assistance. 1737 Gentl. Mag. VII. 50 He swore fra thence he'd ne'er remove. 1835 Dickens Sk. Boz, Mistaken Milliner, They all agreed that it ‘'ud serve 'em quite right’. 1862 Calverley Verses & Transl., Voices of the Night v, Albert..Whom almost any lady'd Have given her eyes to get. 1883 Harper's Mag. Aug. 457/2 Anybody 'd say you were a Bull of Bashan. |
11. a. With pron. affixed: 1st pers. sing. 5 woldy; 2nd pers. sing. 3 wostou, 3–5 woldestou, 4 -ustow, -estow, 9 dial. wodto.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 1339 Wat wostou more of him bote þat he truage þe bere? c 1300 Beket 35 Woldestou..Tholie deth for thi Louerdes love? 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. iii. 50 Woldustow Glase þe Gable and graue þerinne þi nome. a 1425 Cursor M. 17622 (Trin.) Woldestou þe seme To com wiþ vs to speke & mele. 14.. Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1903) 253 Ne woldy ȝeue a pese iwis. |
b. With negative affixed: 9 wouldn't (north. wad-n't, waddent); Sc., etc. 8 wadna, 9 wudna, wunna, wanna, oodna.
| 1785 Burns Halloween viii, Wha 'twas, she wadna tell. 1828 Carr Craven Gloss., Wad-n't, would not. 1836 Dickens Sk. Boz, Gt. Winglebury Duel, You wouldn't have me..run away with an old one, I presume? 1863 Tyneside Songs 92 An he waddent let yen doon belaw tyest a bit. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb iii, I wudna advise you to dee that. 1879 G. F. Jackson Shropsh. Word Bk. s.v. Sick, I oodna let 'im. |
12. pres. pple.: see willing ppl. a.
13. pa. pple. 4–6 wold(e, 5 i-wollyd, 6–7 would.
In form i-wollyd, formed as a regular pa. pple. from the form woll of the pres.
| c 1380–1633 [see B. 49]. |
B. Signification and uses. I. The present tense will.
* Transitive uses, with simple obj. or obj. clause; occas. intr.
† 1. trans. with simple obj.: Desire, wish for, have a mind to, ‘want’ (something); sometimes implying also ‘intend, purpose’. Obs.
| c 825 Vesp. Ps. lxvii[i]. 31 [30] Tostenc ðiode ða ᵹefeht willað. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Luke v. 39 Ne drincð nan man eald win, & wylle sona þæt niwe. c 1205 Lay. 3570 Wenne þu wult more suluer, sæche hit at me suluen. a 1225 Ancr. R. 398 Wultu kastles and kinedomes? a 1300 [see A. 3 b]. 1382 [see A. 4 α]. 1423 Jas. I Kingis Q. cvi, This will my son Cupide, and so will I. a 1450 Myrc Par. Pr. 962 Þou dost syngen ylle, Þy neghbores wyf for to wylle. 1470–85 Malory Arthur iii. iii. 102 Wylt thow ony thynge with hym? 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour viii. a vij, Ye ar moche beholden to serue god, whan he wylle youre saluacion. 1545 Taverner Erasm. Prov. 48 Whan that thynge can not be done that thou woldest, woll that thou cannest. 1560 Bible (Geneva) Judges i. 14 And Caleb said vnto her, What wilt thou? 1577 Grange Golden Aphrod. I iij b, Who wil the curnell of the nut must breake the shell. 1601 Shakes. (title) Twelfe Night, Or what you will. 1654 Whitlock Zootomia 44 Will what befalleth, and befall what will. 1734 tr. Rollin's Anc. Hist. V. 31 He that can do what ever he will is in great danger of willing what he ought not. |
b. intr. with well or ill, or trans. with ns. of similar meaning (e.g. good, health), usually with dat. of person: Wish (or intend) well or ill (to some one), feel or cherish good-will or ill-will. Obs. (cf. will v.2 1 b). See also well-willing a.
| c 1000 ælfric Saints' Lives xvi. 254 Þæt is seo soðe lufv, þæt man his scyppend lufiᵹe..and ða menn þe wel willað. c 1000, etc. [see well-willing a.]. 1414 Brampton Penit. Ps. (Percy Soc.) 46 Myn enemyes that wole me ille. c 1450 Godstow Reg. 88 Gregory,..willyng helth and his blissyng to his welbeloued children. 1450–1530 Myrr. our Ladye iii. 313 In that he ys father, he muste nedes wylle all good to hys chyldren. 1513 Douglas æneis Direction 99, I will weill otheris can say mair curyusly. Bot I haue said eftir my fantasy. a 1592 Greene Jas. IV, iv. ii, Frolic huntsmen of the game Will you well and give you greeting. |
c. trans. with negative (will no{ddd}, will none of, etc.) = have no desire for, do not wish for, ‘don't want’: often implying ‘refuse, decline’.
| c 1325 Metr. Hom. 148 Yef he wil noht of glotounye. c 1374 Chaucer Anel. & Arc. 244, I wolle noon oþer medecyne ne lore. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. ii. 8 Þei willen no betere. c 1400 Rule St. Benet (verse) 207, I wil not þe dede of sinful man, Bot þat he turn hym & lif þan. 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. 128 The oxe eateth heigh, the lyon woll none of it. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, ii. iv. 81 Ile no Swaggerers:..shut the doore, there comes no Swaggerers heere. 1606 ― Tr. & Cr. v. v. 47 Hector, wher's Hector? I will none but Hector. |
d. to will well that: to be willing that (cf. 17 d).
| 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 166/1, I wyl wel that thou say, and yf thou say ony good, thou shalt be pesybly herde. |
† 2. trans. with obj. clause (with vb. in pres. subj., or in periphrastic form with should), or acc. and inf.: Desire, wish; sometimes implying also ‘intend, purpose’ (that something be done or happen). Obs. or arch.
| 971 Blickl. Hom. 61 Deme ᵹe nu swa swa ᵹe willon þæt eow sy eft ᵹedemed. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 13 Uwilc mon scal beoden oðre alswa he wile þet me him beode. a 1225 Ancr. R. 72 Ichulle þet ȝe speken selde. a 1300 [see A. 3 b]. c 1350 Will. Palerne 281 Þat y am þat ilk weiȝh i wol wel þou wite. c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶1 Owre swete lord..þat no man wil perisshe, but wil þat we commen all to the knowlecch of hym. 1470–85 Malory Arthur vii. xxi. 246, I wil syster that ye wete he is a ful noble knyȝt. 1548 Hutten Sum of Diuinitie K viij, God wylle all men to be saued. 1561 Hoby tr. Castiglione's Courtyer i. (1577) E vij, Will you (quoth he) custome shoulde be more apprised in the vulgar tong, than in the Latin? 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. i. viii. 34 Thus have we made a briefe enumeration of these learned men, not willing any to decline their Workes,..but to apply themselves with caution thereunto. a 1761 Law Comf. Weary Pilgr. (1809) 54 This is not willing Christ to be thy Saviour. 1849 [see A. 3 a. α]. |
† 3. Denoting expression (usually authoritative) of a wish or intention: Determine, decree, ordain, enjoin, give order (that something be done). Obs.
| a 1325 MS. Rawl. B. 520 lf. 32 b, Ant te King wole þat in his oune demeine wodes..te weies ben i largist. a 1431 Stonor Papers (Camden) I. 47, Y..wole and hertely prey you..that ye seale the deedes. c 1470 Gol. & Gaw. 145, I will na vittale be sauld your senyeour vntill. 1528 Cromwell in Merriman Life & Lett. (1902) I. 320 His grace then wille that thellection of a new Dean shalbe emonges them of the colledge. 1560 in Feuillerat Revels Q. Eliz. (1908) 112 We woll and commaunde that Imediatly vppon the sight hereof ye delyuer..vnto Sir Thomas Benger [etc.]. 1682 [see 23]. |
b. spec. in a direction or instruction in one's will or testament; hence, to direct by will (that something be done). Cf. will v.2 3 a.
| 871–89 Charter in O.E. Texts 452 Ic ælfred willio & wille þæt hio sion soðfestlice forðweard ᵹetrymed me & minum erfeweardum. 1430–31 [see 23]. 1504 Bury Wills (Camden) 99, I wyll that Rose Plandon shall haue x marc. 1557 in Lanc. Wills (Chetham Soc. 1884) 58 My bodye I wyll be buryed in the Parysshe Churche of Manchester. 1820 Gifford's Compl. Engl. Lawyer 672, I..do hereby will and direct that my executrix..do excuse and release the said sum of 100l. to him. |
† c. fig. of an abstract thing (e.g. reason, law): Demands, requires. Obs. (See also 17 c.)
| a 1300 Cursor M. 11663 ‘Ioseph,’ sco said, ‘fain wald i rest.’.. ‘Gladli,’ said he, ‘þat wil resun.’ 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xix. 392 That is my conseille,..Þat vche man forȝyue other, and þat wyl þe paternoster. 1556 Aurelio & Isab. N 4, The perputall feithe geuen amonge hus will [orig. veult] that whan I shall be in my liberte that I followe thy. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, iv. i. 157 Our Battaile is more full of Names then yours... Then Reason will, our hearts should be as good. |
† 4. transf. (from 2). Intends to express, means; affirms, maintains. (Cf. 10 c.) Obs.
| 1534 Tindale James Prol., When he sayth that a man is iustified by dedes & not of fayth onlye, he will no more then that fayth dothe not so iustifie euery where, that nothinge iustifieth saue fayth. 1602 Dolman La Primaud. Fr. Acad. (1618) III. 662 Hee will that this authority should be for a principle of demonstration. |
** With dependent infinitive (normally without to).
5. Desire to, wish to, have a mind to (do something); often also implying intention (cf. 7, 11, 13). Obs. or arch., or merged in other senses.
| Beowulf 2864 Se ðe wyle soð specan. 971 Blickl. Hom. 233 Ᵹif þu þonne wille mildheortnesse us don, sæᵹe us þæt hrædlice. a 1000 Guthlac 5 Ᵹif we haliᵹ bebodu healdan willað. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 37 Ȝif þu wult habben bone to drihten, þu most beon on ward þine sunnen. a 1225 Ancr. R. 398 Wultu welden al þene world? 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. v. 40 Þe Englich of þis latyn is, who-so wil it knowe, Who-so spareth þe sprynge, spilleth his children. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. II. 56 Wolt þou be hool? seide Crist to him. c 1440 Generydes 4432 ‘Yet woll I wete,’ quod he,..‘From whense she came, and what she is’. 1527 St. Papers Hen. VIII. IV. 471 Meanes thowe to strive with me? woll thowe wynne any thing at my handes? 1562 Winȝet Cert. Tractatis iii. Wks. (S.T.S.) I. 24 Sen now al men wilbe theologis. 1697 C'tess D'Aunoy's Trav. (1706) 149, I will not write to you often, because I will always have a stock of News to tell you, which..is pretty long in picking up. a 1704 Locke Hum. Und. i. iv. §8 The great Encomiasts of the Chineses, do all to a man agree and will convince us that the Sect of the Literati..are..Atheists. 1862 Thackeray Philip iii, He..examines the dinner-card..; points..to the dishes which he will have served. |
6. In relation to another's desire or requirement, or to an obligation of some kind: Am (is, are) disposed or willing to, consent to; † in early use sometimes = deign or condescend to.
With the (rare and obs.) imper. use, as in quot. 1490, cf. b and the corresponding negative use in 12 b.
| 832 Charter in O.E. Texts 447 Se man se ðis healdan wille & lestan ðet ic beboden hebbe..se him seald & ᵹehealden sia hiabenlice bledsung. a 1000 Cædmon's Genesis 559 Ᵹif þu þeah minum wilt, wif, willende wordum hyran. c 1200 Ormin 5297 & te birrþ wilenn swelltenn Forr Cristess þeowwess. c 1205 Lay. 13063 Ȝif þu wult me swærie aðes, ich wulle don of þe þas claðes. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 701 Ich þe wole marie wel..To þe nobloste bacheler þat þin herte wile to stonde. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. iii. 106 Ȝif he wilne þe to wyf, wolt þou him haue? 1470–85 Malory Arthur ix. xxxix. 402 Fayre lordes said he wille ye preue ony aduenture in the forest of Morris..? Syr said sir kay I wille preue hit. 1490 Caxton Eneydos xix. 72 O goddes celestial,..gyue socours to me,..and wul permute rigoure to equyte. 1508 Kennedie Flyting w. Dunbar 470 Thair is na schip that wil the now ressaue. 1605 Shakes. Lear ii. iv. 207 If..You will returne and soiourne with my Sister,..come then to me. 1791 Cowper Iliad xiii. 450, I will confess, That thou art more than mortal, if thou yield To ancient Priam all thy promis'd aid. 1800 Wordsw. Hart-Leap Well 134 There's neither dog nor heifer, horse nor sheep, Will wet his lips within that cup of stone. 1865 Ruskin Sesame ii. 192 Will you never..fence them in their shuddering from the fierce wind? 1921 Times Lit. Suppl. 10 Feb. 88/3 Literature thrives where people will read what they do not agree with, if it is good. |
b. In 2nd person, interrog., or in a dependent clause after beg or the like, expressing a request (usually courteous; with emphasis, impatient).
| a 1300 Vox & Wolf 186 in Hazl. E.P.P. I. 64 Thou hauest ben ofte min i-fere, Woltou nou mi srift i-here? a 1400 Pistill of Susan 135 Wolt þou, ladi, for loue, on vre lay lerne? 1470–85 Malory Arthur i. vi. 42 Sir said Ector vnto Arthur woll ye be my good and gracious lord when ye are kyng? 1592 Greene Philomela To Rdr., I..craue that you will beare with this fault. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, ii. i. 47 Will you shogge off? 1605 [see beg v. 2 d]. 1721 Ramsay Yng. Laird & Edin. Katy 9 O Katy, wiltu gang wi' me, And leave the dinsome Town a while? 1824 Scott St. Ronan's xxx, I desire you will found nothing on an expression hastily used. 1878 Hardy Ret. Native v. iii, O, O, O,..O, will you have done! |
7. Expressing voluntary action, or conscious intention directed to the doing of what is expressed by the principal verb (without temporal reference as in 11, and without emphasis as in 10): = choose to (choose v. B. 3 a).
The proper word for this idea, which cannot be so precisely expressed by any other.
| 971 Blickl. Hom. 23 Nu eft sceolan [we] oþerne eþel secan, swa wite, swa wuldor, swe we nu ᵹeearnian willaþ. a 1300 Cursor M. 5987 Gas þan, sin yee wil þider ga. c 1386 Chaucer Melib. Prol. 8 Why so? quod I, why wiltow lette me Moore of my tale than another man? 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. i. i. (1495) A iij b/2 [God] may do euery thyng that he woll doo, but he wyll not do euery thyng that he may doo. c 1420 Avow. Arth. xxxiii, Bothe my dethe and my lyfe, Is inne the wille of thi wife, Quethur ho wulle stynte me of my strife, Or putte me to payne! c 1470 Henry Wallace v. 124, I bott rahers as my autour will say. 1528 in Leadam Sel. Cases Star Chamber (Selden Soc.) II. 19 Mulso..sayeth..that your sayed besechar shall..pay hym suche a Fyne..as he woll demaund at hys pleasure. 1578 Whetstone Promos & Cass. iv. vii, Dalia, arte thou gone? what wolt serue me soe? 1685 Baxter Paraphr. N.T. Matt. ix. 25 When God will tell us we shall know. 1746 Francis tr. Horace, Ep. i. i. 42 You cannot hope for Lynceus' piercing eyes: But will you then a strengthening salve despise? |
8. Expressing natural disposition to do something, and hence habitual action: Has the habit, or ‘a way’, of ―ing; is addicted or accustomed to ―ing; habitually does; sometimes connoting ‘may be expected to’ (cf. 15).
| c 893 ælfred Oros. v. vii. 230 Elpendes hyd wile drincan wætan ᵹelice & spynge deþ. 13.. Eufrosyne 424 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1878) 179 Whom he loueþ, he wol chastise. c 1366 Chaucer Rom. Rose 1683 Brode Roses and open also Ben passed in a day or two, But knoppes will fresh be Two dayes atte leest or thre. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xxii. 100 Þai er rowgh and will clymbe in to treesse als lightly as þai ware apes. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour xxiv. 34 Women that wol goo to see iustinge..and also wol go on pilgrimage more for sporte than for deuocion. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon vii. 174, I have bounde this horse thus by cause he wyll fyghte. c 1520 Skelton Garl. Laurel 32 Humors superflue, that often wyll crepe Into the brayne. 1539 Bible (Great) Ecclus. xxi. 24 A foole will pepe in at the window into the house, but he that is wel nourtured, wyll stande without. 1599 Shakes. Much Ado ii. iii. 206 The man doth fear God, howsoeuer it seemes not in him, by some large ieasts hee will make. 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. iii. xv. 142 Crabs move sideling, Lobsters will swim swiftly backward. 1780 Mirror No. 93 Of those trifles, the nature will commonly mark the man. 1865 Ruskin Sesame ii. §91 Men, by their nature, are prone to fight; they will fight for any cause, or for none. 1884 Times (weekly ed.) 26 Sept. 13/3 Should they make a good haul on Monday, they will lounge away the rest of the week. |
9. Expressing potentiality, capacity, or sufficiency: Can, may, is able to, is capable of ―ing; is (large) enough or sufficient to.
† it will not be: it cannot be done or brought to pass; it is all in vain. So, † will it not be?
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. v. pr. ii. (1868) 153 In spiritz Iugement is more clere and wil nat be corumped. c 1430 Two Cookery-bks. 31 Ley þe quarterys v. or vj. in a dysshe, as it wole come a-bowte. c 1440 Generydes 6516 That ye speke with hir that she may haue hir pece, And so to leve in rest and it wilbe. c 1537 R. De Benese Measurynge Lande Cont., To knowe howe many foote of borde or stone wyll borde or paue it. 1538 Elyot Dict., Trochum, a certayne stoole or chaire, whiche wyll be tourned aboute. 1592 Shakes. Ven. & Ad. 607 But all in vaine, good Queene, it will not bee. 1592 ― Rom. & Jul. iv. v. 11, I must needs wake her: Madam, Madam, Madam... Will it not be? 1690 Locke Hum. Und. iii. i. §1 Parrots..will be taught to make articulate Sounds. 1710 S. Palmer Proverbs 47 The Hazard of being Ridiculous won't Ballance the Inclination to be talk'd on. 1728 E. S[mith] Compleat Housew. (ed. 2) 98 When the Oven is ready, pour in your Stuff... Half an hour will bake it. 1750–1848 [see do v. 20]. 1790 Cowper Let. 21 Mar., My periwig is arrived,..my head will only go into the first half of it. 1833 N. Arnott Physics (ed. 5) I. 597 The heart will beat after removal from the body. 1866 R. Simpson Life Campion ix. (1907) 279 [His] words, though they will bear, yet do not warrant, such a translation. |
10. As a strengthening of sense 7, expressing determination, persistence, and the like (without temporal reference as in 11). † a. Purposes to, is determined to. Obs.
| c 1489 Caxton Blanchardyn xli. 155 Men sayen comynly, that he whome god wyll haue kept, may not be peryshed. 1490 ― Eneydos xv. 55 Iuno the goddesse, wyllynge accomplysshe the maryge of Eneas to dydo. 1539 Bible (Great) Isa. lxvi. 6, I heare y⊇ voyce of the Lorde, that wyll rewarde, & recompence his enemyes. |
b. emphatically. Is fully determined to; insists on or persists in ―ing: sometimes with mixture of sense 8. (In 1st pers. with implication of futurity, as a strengthening of sense 11 a.) Also fig. = must inevitably, is sure to.
| c 1611 Chapman Iliad vi. 498 Fate's such a shrewish thing, She will be mistris. 1633 Ford 'Tis Pity v. iii, Vas. Dare come? Gio. So I said, and tell him more, I will come. 1673 Dryden Marr. à la Mode i. i. 5, I know not that; but obey I will and must. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho xxxi, If he will lock the door,..and take away the key, how am I to get out? 1802 Wordsw. To the small Celandine 51 Buttercups, that will be seen, Whether we will see or no. 1817 T. L. Peacock Nightmare Abbey xiii, There is a girl concealed in this tower, and find her I will. 1845 M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 9 An impulse which will vent itself in some form or other. 1892 E. Reeves Homeward Bound viii. 239, I have spent 6,000 francs to come here..and I will see it! |
c. In phr. of ironical or critical force referring to another's assertion or opinion. Now arch. exc. in will have it (see have v. B. 13 b).
| 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, ii. iii. 58 This is a Riddling Merchant for the nonce, He will be here, and yet he is not here. 1605 Verstegan Dec. Intell. ii. 25 Some, not contented to haue them [sc. the Saxons] a people of German race, wil needs bring them from elswhere. 1664 Butler Hud. ii. iii. 652 The Rosie-cross Philosophers, Whom you will have to be but Sorcerers. 1728 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Honey, Some naturalists will have honey to be of a different quality, according to the difference of the flowers..the bees suck it from. |
11. As auxiliary of the future tense with implication of intention or volition (thus distinguished from shall v. B. 8, where see note). a. In 1st person: sometimes in slightly stronger sense = intend to, mean to.
| 971 Blickl. Hom. 191 Hwyder wilt þu gangan? Min Drihten, ic wille gangan to Rome. a 1000 Cædmon's Genesis 1296 Ic wille mid flode folc æcwellan. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 13 Ic eou wille ȝeuan wela..inoȝe. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 485 Ichulle fordon þe wisdom of þeos wise worldmen. c 1320 Sir Tristr. 140 Mi rede is taken þer tille, Þat fare y wille wiþ þe. ? 1476 Paston Lett. III. 159, I wyll and shall at all seasons be redy. 1539 Bible (Great) John xii. 28, I haue both glorified it, and will glorify it agayne. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. v. iii. 2 To morrow will we be married. 1607 ― Cor. v. iii. 127 Ile run away Till I am bigger, but then Ile fight. 1777 C. Reeve Champion of Virtue 55 Never fear it..I will speak to Joseph about it. 1820 Keats Isabella xxvi, Good bye! I'll soon be back. 1842 Tennyson Morte d'Arthur 43 Yet I thy hest will all perform at full. |
b. In 2nd and 3rd pers., in questions or indirect statements.
| 971 [see a]. a 1300 Cursor M. 5671 Wil þou sla me als þou has slain Þis endir dai þe egypcian? 1450–80 tr. Secr. Secr. xi. 11 That eche mane se..that he dredith god, and that he wolle governe him aftir goddis plesaunce. 1610 Shakes. Temp. iv. i. 100 Her waspish headed sonne..Swears he will shoote no more. 1635 Shirley Lady Pleas. v. (1637) I 4 b, I know you..wonot ruine What you have built to honour you. 1795 Burns Heron Election Ball. i. i, Whom will ye send to London town, To Parliament and a' that? 1839 Lane Arab. Nts. I. ii. 85, I will cure thee without giving thee to drink any potion... When King Yoonán heard his words, he..said.., How wilt thou do this? |
c. will do (with omission of I): an expression of willingness to carry out a request. Cf. wilco. colloq.
| 1955 W. Tucker Wild Talent xvi. 217 ‘Paul! Bring my gate pass.’.. ‘Will do.’ 1967 L. White Crimshaw Memorandum v. 91 ‘And find out where the bastard was.’.. ‘Will do,’ Jim said. 1971 J. Wainwright Last Buccaneer ii. 220 ‘Make sure he comes.’ ‘Will do,’ said the D.D.I. 1981 A. M. Stein Body for Buddy ix. 176 ‘Let me know.’ ‘Will do,’ I said. |
12. With negative, expressing the contrary of senses 6, 7, 10, 11: thus commonly = refuse or decline to; emph. insist on or persist in not ―ing. Also fig. of a thing. (See also 9, 13.)
| a 1000 Cædmon's Gen. 2388 Ne wile Sarran soð ᵹelyfan wordum minum. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 3728 Ȝ yf þou for wraþþe wylt nat abyde. c 1386 Chaucer Wife's Prol. 347, I wol nat wirche as muche as a gnat. c 1440 Partonope 900 Partanope wole no lenger byde. 1526 Tindale John v. 40 And yett will ye nott come to me that ye myght have lyfe. 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. v. ii. 234 Heere is a rurall Fellow, That will not be deny'de your Highnesse presence. 1670 Dryden 2nd Pt. Conq. Granada iii. i, I wonnot lift an arm in his defence. 1710 S. Palmer Proverbs 351 Love and Tenderness won't permit a Good Man always to make a strict Computation. 1742 Richardson Pamela II. 290, I cannot, I wo'not sit down at Table with her. 1857 Ruskin Pol. Econ. Art ii. §90 All copies are bad; because no painter who is worth a straw ever will copy. 1885 Stevenson in Contemp. Rev. Apr. 557 Those blindest of the blind who will not see. 1891 19th Cent. Dec. 859 The Court cannot and will not stand..journalistic personalities about its members. |
† b. Rendering L. noli, nolite as auxiliaries of the negative imper. Obs.
| a 1000 Cædmon's Exod. 266 Ne willað eow andrædan deade feðan. c 1000 Ags. Ps. (Th.) cii[i]. 2 Ne wylt þu oferᵹeottul æfre weorðan ealra goda. 1382 Wyclif Ecclus. vii. 1 Wile thou not don eueles. c 1400 26 Pol. Poems xxiv. 37, Y shal saye to god..Wyl noȝt dampne me fro blisse. 1450–1530 Myrr. Our Ladye 151 Wylleth not geue place to the fende. |
13. In 1st pers., expressing immediate intention: I will = ‘I am now going to’, ‘I proceed at once to’. With negative, used idiomatically with say or the like: I will not = ‘I do not venture so far as to’.
| 12.. Moral Ode 155 in O.E. Hom. I. 169 I wule nu comen eft to þe dome þat ich er ow of sede. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 277 ‘Min fliȝt,’ he seide, ‘ic wile up-taken.’ c 1300 Havelok 3 Herknet to me..Of a tale þat ich you wile telle. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 42 And at a knyght than wol I first bigynne. c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. v. 167 That this conclusioun is trewe, y wole proue thus. 1582 Allen Martyrdom Campion (1908) 83 Sledd that Notorious varlet, and infamous Iudas (I will not say wickid homicid). 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. iii. i. 381. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. ii. vi. §38 I'le onely adde this short Story and then proceed. 1684 Bunyan Pilgr. ii. 134, I will not call them Cheaters. 1719 De Foe Crusoe i. (Globe) 122 In the Morning I had three very good, I will not say handsome, Pipkins. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair xxix, ‘I will go in and pay my respects to your wife’, said he. 1856 Olmsted Slave States 78 My host (whom I will call Mr. Newman) observed [etc.]. 1885 ‘Mrs. Alexander’ At Bay iii, Very well; I will wish you good-evening. |
b. In 1st pers. pl., expressing a proposal: we will († wule we) = ‘let us’.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 3 Here cumeð ure king; wule we fare toȝenes him. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 3021 Sore þey wepton & sayden, ‘wollen go henne, For we se welle þat hit is goddes owen wylle’. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. iv. i. 9 Peace: we'll heare him. 1610 ― Temp. i. ii. 308 Come on, Wee'll visit Caliban. 1798 Coleridge Nightingale 4 Come, we will rest on this old mossy bridge! 1824 Scott St. Ronan's xii, We will forget Mistress Dods for the present, if you please. |
† c. fig. (in 3rd pers.) of a thing: Is ready to, is on the point of ―ing. Obs. rare.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 254 A treou þet wule uallen, me underset hit mid on oðer treou. |
14. In 2nd and 3rd pers., as auxiliary expressing mere futurity, forming (with pres. inf.) the future, and (with pf. inf.) the future pf. tense: corresponding to shall in the 1st pers. (see note s.v. shall v. B. 8).
| c 1000 Ags. Ps. (Th.) lxxiii. 20 [lxxiv. 21] He wyle naman þinne neode herian. c 1000 ælfric Gram. xli. (Z.) 247 Loquuturus, se ðe wyle oððe sceal sprecan. c 1375 Cursor M. 12919 (Fairf.) Bot or he wille him ffully shaw, Bot ȝet a quile he wille a-bide. c 1400 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) iv. xxx. 80 No doute he wol be redy anon to the deth to kepe the countre and defende it fro his enemyes. a 1425 Cursor M. 12436 (Trin.), I drede men wol [other texts sal] þis childe forfare. 1459 Marg. Paston in P. Lett. I. 438, I hope he wyl be well demenyd to plese yow heraftyrward. 1529 in Lett. Suppr. Monast. (Camden) 4, I..have showed unto hym my full myende therin, the which I doubte not he wull declare unto your grace. 1592 Arden of Feversham v. i. 145 Mosbie will be there, whose very looks Will add unwonted courage to my thought. 1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, i. ii. 86 If we shall stand still, In feare our motion will be mock'd, or carp'd at. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 448 Time is lost, which never will renew. 1788 Cowper Let. to J. Newton 9 Dec., They will probably return this day fortnight. 1847 Tennyson Princess iii. 12 Rest, rest, on mother's breast, Father will come to thee soon. 1858 Lytton (title) What will he do with it? 1872 Morley Voltaire i. 12 His pigmy hope that life will one day become somewhat better. 1872 Hardy Under Greenw. Tree ii. iii, The sooner begun, the sooner over; for come it will. |
b. As auxiliary of future substituted for the imper. in mild injunctions or requests.
| 1824 Scott St. Ronan's xii, You will permit me to say [etc.]. 1831 ― Ct. Rob. vii, In your intercourse with their chiefs,..you will take care to give no offence to their natural presumption. 1876 Ruskin St. Mark's Rest i. §7 That they should use their own balances, weights, and measures; (not by any means false ones, you will please to observe). |
15. As auxiliary of future expressing a contingent event, or a result to be expected, in a supposed case or under particular conditions (with the condition expressed by a conditional, temporal, or imper. clause, or otherwise implied).
| c 888 ælfred Boeth. xxxvi. §3 Ᵹif þu æfre cymst..to þære stowe,..þonne wilt ðu cweþan [etc.]. c 897 ― Gregory's Past. C. xi. 71 Ᵹif hiere ne bið sona ᵹestiered, hio wile weahsan mid unᵹemete. a 1240 Lofsong in O.E. Hom. I. 215 Vnwrih him þene wei þet is þi wilnunge, and he wule hit forðen. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 297 For, bow he fra þe bataill,..Þen will he wed anoþire wife, & wayfe me for euer. c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. xii. 112 Yef hem this drynke, anoon they wole be sounde. 1563 W. Fulke Meteors (1640) 50 b, If a darke cloud be at the sunne rising, in which the Sunne soone after is hidde,..rayne will followe. 1573 Tusser Husb. (1878) 109 Let Iuie be killed, else tree will be spilled. 1602 Shakes. Ham. iv. v. 3 Qu. I will not speake with her. Hor. She is importunate, indeed distract, her moode will needs be pittied. 1605 ― Lear iii. vi. 85, I do not like the fashion of your garments. You will say they are Persian; but let them bee chang'd. 1664 Marvell's Corr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 98, I think it wilbee very vnseemely for you or them to endeavour the destruction of the others charter. 1661 Morgan Sph. Gentry To Rdr. b 2, The reasonable will accept the will for the deed. 1715 De Foe Fam. Instruct. i. i. (1841) I. 10 Won't God be angry with me if I should love him? 1738 Bolingbroke Patriot King Introd., He who abandons or betrays his country, will abandon or betray his friend. 1782 F. Burney Cecilia x. iv, If I am never happy till then,..sad, indeed, will be my life! 1842 Browning Cristina viii, And then, come next life quickly! This world's use will have been ended. 1861 M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 46 The lover of the Elizabethan drama will readily recal many such allusions. 1882 Besant All Sorts xxx, You'll be surprised when you find how easy it is, and yet how you can't do it. |
b. With pers. subject (usually 1st pers. sing.), expressing a voluntary act or choice in a supposed case, or a conditional promise or undertaking: esp. in asseverations (e.g. I will die sooner than{ddd}, I'll be hanged if{ddd}, etc.).
| 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xxi. 266 And ȝut ich, book, wol beo brent, bote he arise to lyue. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. i. ii. 75 He hath neither Latine, French, nor Italian, and you will come into the Court & sweare that I haue a poore pennieworth in the English. 1599 ― Much Ado i. i. 235 [That] is the opinion that fire cannot melt out of me. I will die in it at the stake. 1610 ― Temp. i. i. 49 Ile warrant him for drowning. 1769 Johnson 26 Oct. in Boswell (1904) I. 399 I'll take you five children from London, who shall cuff five Highland children. 1852 Thackeray Esmond i. vi, I will rather die than let you see this wardrobe. 1898 ‘H. S. Merriman’ Roden's Corner xiii. 138 But I will be hanged if I see what it all means, now. |
c. Expressing a determinate or necessary consequence (without the notion of futurity).
| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) II. 235 Þe comoun cubite..conteyneþ but a foot and an half..But a cubite of gemetrie conteyneþ sixe comoun cubites, þat wil be nyne foot long. c 1425 Craft Nombrynge (E.E.T.S.) 15 Doubull 2. þat wel be 4...þan doubul 5. þat wel be 10...þen draw downe 1 to 4 & þat woll be 5. 1592 Hues Treat. Globes iv. x, That Starre will set Heliacaly. 1709 J. Ward Yng. Math. Guide iii. ii. (1734) 293 Then ioyn the Points A and f with a Right-line, and it will form the Angle requir'd. 1838 De Morgan Ess. Probab. 140 That the mean risk of error will, in the long run, be 10/17 of that error which is as often exceeded as not. 1887 Fowler Deductive Logic (ed. 9) 47 From what has been said it will be seen that I do not agree with Mr. Mill. Mod. If, in a syllogism, the middle term be not distributed in either premiss, there will be no conclusion. |
d. With the notion of futurity obscured or lost: = will prove or turn out to, will be found on inquiry to; may be supposed to, presumably does. Hence (chiefly Sc. and north. dial.) in estimates of amount, or in uncertain or approximate statements, the future becoming equivalent to a present with qualification: e.g. it will be{ddd} = ‘I think it is{ddd}’ or ‘it is about{ddd}’; what will that be? = ‘what do you think that is?’
| c 1450 Cov. Myst., Assumption 349, I am aferd there wylle be sumthyng amys. 1584 Hornby Priory in Craven Gloss. (1828), Where on 40 Acres there will be xiij.s. iv.d. per acre yerely for rent. 1641 in Cochran-Patrick Rec. Coinage Scot. (1876) I. Introd. 31 The kings haill tale vpoun the bullioun will not be 3000 li by yeir. a 1791 Grose Olio (1792) 106, I believe he will be an Irishman. Ibid. 107 C. How far is it to Dumfries? W. It will be twenty miles. 1812 Brackenridge Views Louisiana (1814) 156 The agriculture of this territory will be very similar to that of Kentucky. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xiii, I think..ye will be the same lad that was for in to see her yestreen? 1852 M. Arnold Tristram & Iseult i. 5 What lights will those out to the northward be? 1859 Habits of Gd. Society v. (new ed.) 219 An untravelled man is always at some disadvantage in good English society, where almost every one but himself will have crossed the channel. 1876 Whitby Gloss. s.v. Biddels, This word we have only once heard, and that will be twenty years ago. |
¶ 16. Used where shall is now the normal auxiliary, chiefly in expressing mere futurity: since 17th c. almost exclusively in Scottish, Irish, provincial, or extra-British use (see shall v. B. 7, 8, 10).
| c 888 ælfred Boeth. x, Hwæt wille we cweðan be þinum twam sunum? 14.. in Anglia XXVII. 287 Blyþ will I be For to worschip þat wight. 1464 Stonor Papers (Camden) I. 67 Nothyng..attemptyng to the contrarie therof, as they woll answere at theyr parell. 1561 Hoby tr. Castiglione's Courtyer (1577) Author's Ep. B iv, If the booke shall generally please, I wyll count him good. 1590 Shakes. Com. Err. iv. i. 39 Perchance I will be there as soone as you. a 1600 in Ramsay Ever-Green (1761) II. 224 Allace! that Day I'll neir forzet. 1602 Shakes. Ham. v. ii. 184, I will win for him if I can: if not, Ile gaine nothing but my shame, and the odde hits. |
| 1733 W. Crawford Infidelity xiv. (1748) 107 Then we will be pleased with the Exertments of his Authority. a 1774 Goldsm. Surv. Exp. Philos. (1776) II. ii. 27 If I draw a cat⁓gut or any other cord to a great length between my fingers, I will make it smaller than it was before. 1793 Burns Thou hast left me ever, Jamie i, I maun see thee never, Jamie, I'll see thee never! 1822 Scott Let. 12 May in Davey Catal. (1895) 30, I will be happy to contribute anything in my power. 1825 ― in Lockhart Ballantyne-humbug (1839) 99, I expect we will have some good singing. 1875 E. H. Dering Sherborne xxxix, ‘Will I start, sir?’ asked the Irish groom. 1892 Gunter Miss Dividends ii, Perhaps you are right,..However, I will know all about it myself in a few weeks. 1923 S. Kaye-Smith House of Alard i. §21 But I'll be all right..if I go away. |
*** Elliptical and quasi-elliptical uses.
17. In absol. use, or with ellipsis of obj. clause as in 2: in meaning corresponding to senses 5–7.
if you will is sometimes used parenthetically to qualify a word or phrase: = ‘if you wish it to be so called’, ‘if you choose or prefer to call it so’.
| c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xxvi. 39 Nallas sua ic wille, ah sua ðu wilt. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 15 Al hit mei us rede and to lare ȝif we wulleð. 1340 Ayenb. 101 Ich wile þe zigge yef þou wylt. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. ix. 44 Euer is þi soule saaf Bote ȝif þi-self wolle. c 1400 Mandeville vii. [x]. (1919) I. 52 Whan god alle myghty wole, right als the londes weren lost,..so schulle þei ben wonnen. 1470–85 Malory Arthur i. iii. 38 Ye must puruey yow for the nourisshyng of your child. As thou wolt said the kyng be it. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 6 It neuer..leueth vs except we wyll. 1586 A. Day Engl. Secretorie i. (1625) 47 Let us consider if you will in generall. 1595 Spenser Epithal. 252 Poure not by cups, but by the belly full, Poure out to all that wull. 1696 Whiston The. Earth iv. i. §2. 218 Gravity..depends entirely on the constant and efficacious, and, if you will, the supernatural and miraculous Influence of Almighty God. 1821 Scott Kenilw. vii, The sober russet shall be donned to-morrow, if you will. 1876 Ruskin St. Mark's Rest vii. §78 Very savage! monstrous! if you will. |
b. In parenthetic phr. if God will († also will God, rarely God will), God willing: if it be the will of God, ‘D.V.’
In OE. Gode williᵹende (will v.2) = L. Deo volente.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 18462 And yee sal be, sua wil iesu, Als dumb o speche wit ilk man. 13.. Ibid. 199 (Coll. of Arms MS.) Ȝif god wole þenne shal I telle How he..harrewede helle. 1438 in Fraser Lennox (1874) II. 67 Jhone Stewart,..God wylland, sall haff to wyff..Margaret off Mongomry. c 1470 Henry Wallace ix. 179 For thar, God will, is our purpos to be. 1520 in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. iii. I. 234 At my comynge thedyr God wyllynge I shale cawse the sayd Hanggyns to be made. 1544 St. Papers Hen. VIII, V. 396 We sall tak voyage, wilGod, with all diligence. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 5, I sall do bettir will god ane vthir day. 1605 P. Erondelle Fr. Gard. H 5 b, I shall see (God willing) how you will profit. 1716 Strype in Thoresby's Lett. (1832) II. 368 Next week, God willing, I take my journey to my Rectory in Sussex. |
† c. fig. Demands, requires (absol. or ellipt. use of 3 c). Obs.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 6979 Ich mot nede be milde, As kunde of moder wole & blod, aȝen my childe. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. x. 128 Folk þat ben I-weddet, And libbeþ as heore lawe wole. 1417 York Memorandum Bk. (Surtees) I. 184 To redresse it..als ryght wyll for the profit of the kinges poeple. c 1440 tr. Pallad. on Husb. i. 13 Plesaunce and fruyt the tilman forto bringe As seeson wol. a 1450 Myrc Par. Pr. (1868) 714 Oþer þan þe lawe of þe lond woll. 1511 Reg. Privy Seal Scot. I. 345/1 That na seculare personis have intrometting with thaim uther wais than law will. |
† d. Phr. I will well: I assent, ‘I should think so indeed’. Obs. (Cf. F. je veux bien.)
| 1470–85 Malory Arthur i. xvi. 59, I truste in god myn eure is not suche but some of them may sore repente thys, I wol wel said Arthur, for I see your dedes full actual. Ibid. iv. xxi. 146 Yonder is a knyht.., lete vs put it bothe vpon hym, and as he demeth so shall it be. I wylle wel said the knyght. |
18. With ellipsis of a vb. of motion. arch.
| Beowulf 318 Ic to sæ wille. c 1000 Ags. Ps. (Th.) c. 1 [ci. 2] Hwænne þu me wylle to [quando venies ad me]. a 1225 Ancr. R. 60 (MS. T.) Hund wile in at open dure, þer man him ne wernes. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 2132 Bot I wyl to þe chapel. 13.. Cursor M. 20356 (B. M. Add. MS.) Furst my lord was brouȝt to dede,..And now my ladi wil me fro! c 1386 Chaucer Friar's T. 89 Wher rydestow..? Seyde this yeman wiltow fer to day? c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 163 If a candel þat brenneþ..be putt al in oile..þe fier þerof wole out. c 1430 How Good Wife taught Dau. 165 in Hazl. E.P.P. I. 191 Borowed thinge wole home. 1532 Tindale Expos. Matt. v. (c 1550) 16 Who so euer will to heauen. c 1550 Lloyd Treas. Health X vj b, Geue ther of to the woundyd partye asmuche therof..as wil into an egges shell. 1598 Shakes. Merry W. iii. iii. 145 Ile in, Ile in. 1610 ― Temp. iii. i. 94 Ile to my booke. 1647 Trapp Comm. 2 Cor. xii. 20 They will on in sinne to their utter ruine. 1718 Entertainer No. 25. 167 Nothing will down with these Zealots but a preaching Ministry. 1822 Byron Werner i. i. (1823) 36 Sir, you will with me? 1825 Scott Betrothed xxx, ‘Thither will I then,’ said the Constable. 1885–94 Bridges Eros & Psyche Aug. xviii, I will to thee o'er the stream afloat. |
19. With ellipsis of active inf. to be supplied from the context.
| c 888 ælfred Boeth. v. §3 Cunna swa þu wille. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 77 [We] habbeð ou iseið twa uers and wule nuþe þet þridde. c 1205 Lay. 3320 Lete we sum þis mochele folc fare wher ha wulleð. a 1300 Cursor M. 4095 ‘Fader’, he said, ‘i will ful fayn, Þi bod i aght noght to stand agayn.’ c 1400 Maundev. xx. [xxiv.] (1919) I. 145 Whoso þat wole, may leve me ȝif he wille. 1470–85 Malory Arthur i. xxiii. 70 Who is greued with my custome, lete hym amende hit that wol. I wil amende it said Arthur. 1548–9 Bk. Com. Prayer, Matrimony, Wilt thou haue thys woman to thy wedded wyfe..? I will. 1599 T. Cutwode Caltha Poet. (Roxb.) xlii, That which will, will bee. a 1633 Herbert Jacula Prudentum Wks. (1857) 306 Marry your son when you will; your daughter when you can. 1692 Dryden Cleomenes iii. iii, Crat... Think not on us. Cleom. I wonnot. 1818 Keats Isabella v, I may not speak. And yet I will, and tell my love all plain. 1836 Dickens Sk. Boz, Steam Excurs., ‘Will you go on deck?’ ‘No, I will not.’ This was said with a most determined air. 1853 ― Bleak Ho. lii, I can't believe it. It's not that I don't or I won't. I can't! 1866 Ruskin Let. 10 May, I hope it may do you some good, as it won't me. 1870 Morris Earthly Par. (1890) 241/2 And so mid varied talk the day went by, As such days will, not quite unhappily. 1885 ‘Mrs. Alexander’ Valerie's Fate vi, ‘Do you know that all the people in the house will think it very shocking of me to walk with you?’.. ‘The deuce they will!’ |
b. With generalized ellipsis, esp. in proverbial saying (now usually as in quot. 1562, with will for would).
| 14.. Lat. & Eng. Prov. (MS. Douce 52, lf. 31), Who so wylle not when he may he shall not when he wylle. 1560 Becon New Catech. vi. Wks. 1564 I. 495 Therfore ought suche as be godly learned to trauaile with heretikes & to conuince them, not with fire & fagot, with swerde & halter, or with lawe will I. 1562 J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 130 He that will not when he may, When he would he shall haue nay. 1639 J. Clarke Parœm. 237 He that may and will not, when he would he shall not. 1736 A. Hill Zara Epil., A Woman Will, or Won't—depend on 't. |
c. With so or that substituted for the omitted inf. phr.: now usually placed at the beginning of the sentence.
| c 1430 Chev. Assigne 260 ‘A, boy,’ quod she, ‘wylt þou so, þou shalt sone myskarye.’ 1548–9 Bk. Com. Prayer, Catechism, Question. Doest thou not thinke that thou art bound to beleue, and to doe as they haue promised for thee? Aunswere. Yes verely. And by Gods helpe so I will. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. i. ii. 215 Hor. I promist we would..beare his charge of wooing... Gremio. And so we wil. 1607 [see so B. 2 b]. 1900 [see that dem. pron. 2 b]. |
d. Idiomatically used in a qualifying phr. with relative, equivalent to a phr. with indef. relative in -ever; often with a thing as subj., becoming a mere synonym of may: e.g. shout as loud as you will = ‘however loud you (choose to) shout’; come what will = ‘whatever may come’; be that as it will = ‘however that may be’.
| 1439 Cases bef. King's Council (Selden) 105 Complaine as yo wole y defie thi manasing. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. i. v. 38 'Tis since the Nuptiall of Lucentio, Come Pentycost as quickely as it will, Some fiue and twenty yeares. 1596 ― 1 Hen. IV, i. ii. 162 Well, come what will, Ile tarry at home. 1602 ― Ham. v. ii. 10. 1633 Earl of Manchester Al Mondo (1636) 186 Let his condition here civilly bee what it will, it will not content him. 1732 Pope Mor. Ess. iii. 153 The ruling Passion, be it what it will, The ruling Passion conquers Reason still. 1827 Scott Two Drovers i, The drovers usually sleep along with their cattle, let the weather be what it will. 1860 Ruskin Unto this Last iv. §61 Think what you will of it,..the value of the thing itself is neither greater nor less. |
† 20. With ellipsis of pass. inf. Obs. rare.
| a 1774 Goldsm. Surv. Exp. Philos. (1776) II. 145 The air's force is compounded of its swiftness and density, and as these are encreased, so will the force of the wind. |
21. In const. where the ellipsis may be either of an obj. clause (as in 17) or of an inf. (as in 19). a. In a disjunctive qualifying clause or phr. (usually parenthetic), as whether he will or no, will he or not, † (with pron. omitted) will or no, (with or omitted) will he will he not, will he nill he (see VI. below and willy-nilly), etc.
In quot. 1592 vaguely = ‘one way or another’, ‘in any case’.
| a 1425 tr. Arderne's Treat. Fistula, etc. 101 He schal slepe alsone, wille he wil he noȝt. 1568 Hacket tr. Thevet's New found World xiv. 21 b, They floote aboue water, will they or not, and by this meanes they are taken. 1581 A. Hall Iliad i. 12 They Bryseis fetche away, whether she wil or no Out of my Tent. 1592 Breton C'tess Pembroke's Love Wks. (Grosart) I. 21/1 Fortune? shee skornde: friendes? who durst be a foe? Seruants? a worlde would serue her will or no. |
II. The past tense would with temporal function.
* With simple obj. or obj. clause: corresponding to the pres. tense in I.*
† 22. (with simple obj.) Desired, wished for; sometimes implying or passing into the sense ‘intended’; with negative, often implying ‘refused’: cf. 1, 1 b, 1 c. Obs.
| c 900 tr. Bæda's Hist. iii. viii, [Heo] cwæð..þæt heo þa hy fruᵹne, hwæt heo sohten oððe hwæt heo þider wolden. c 1000 ælfric Saints' Lives xx. 13 Se ealdor-man ᵹewat þa ða hit wolde god. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3620 Ðis folc..Offreden him siluer and golde, And oðer metal swilc he wolde. a 1300 Cursor M. 16 Wit sarazins wald þai na saght. c 1380 Antecrist in Todd Three Treat. Wyclif (1851) p. cxxvi, Crist forsoke worldly glorie... Crist wold not worldly lordschip. c 1450 Merlin xiii. 192 Thei seide thei wolde the londe..for her oncle. 1470–85 Malory Arthur iv. xv. 138 He..asked yf she wold any thing vnto kynge Arthur. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. viii. 3/2 He wolde nothyng to her but all loue and good faith. 1629 Gaule Pract. Theories Christ 158 God and the Iewes, both would the Passion and Death of Christ. 1643 [Angier] Lanc. Vall. Achor 18 When we would no Pardon they laboured to punish us. 1692 Washington tr. Milton's Def. People xii. 238 To perform, not what he himself would, but what the People..requir'd of him. |
23. (with obj. cl., or acc. and inf.: cf. 2, 3.) Desired, wished; often implying ‘intended’; determined, ordained; fig. demanded, required (that something should be done). Obs. or rare arch.
| c 888 ælfred Boeth. iv, Hwy þu la Drihten æfre woldest þæt seo wyrd swa hwyrfan sceolde? c 897 ― Gregory's Past. C. xvi. 101 Hu he wolde ðæt mon him miltsode. 1154 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1132 Þa uuolde he ðat his nefe sculde ben abbot. c 1200 Ormin 7708, & tatt te Laferrd Jesu Crist þa wollde þatt hiss moderr Swa shollde to þe kirrke gan. a 1300 Cursor M. 1590 Wald he noght it war sua fordon. Ibid. 11212 Maria barn ber in chastite, Sin godd wald þat it sua suld be. Ibid. 13701 Þair lagh wald man suld hir stan. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. I. 107 Crist axide him, what he wolde þat Crist did to him. 1430–31 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 370/2 He wolde and bequath be the said Testament, yat [etc.]. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xii. 301 Ye shall see that Rowlande wold he had not gon there. 1513 Douglas æneis viii. vi. 26 He..wald also this regioun euery steid War callit Latium. 1535 Coverdale 1 Macc. iv. 27 Because Israel had not gotten soch mysfortune as he wolde they shulde. 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. 327 He would his richesse to bee a cloke of goodnesse. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. iii. ii. 161 Heauen would that shee these gifts should haue. 1682 Bunyan Holy War (1905) 263 He would that Captain Credence should join himself with them. 1868 Tennyson Lucretius 68 Because I would not one of thine own doves, Not ev'n a rose, were offer'd to thee. |
† 24. transf. (cf. 4.) Maintained, ‘wanted to make out’. Obs.
| a 1500 Bernard. de cura rei fam., etc. 25/82 He walde þat A watter, or a well, hayd wecht it away. 1545 Wriothesley Chron. (Camden) I. 152 Fayninge and counterfeyting a miracle that he woulde had done whilest he was at masse. 1567 Satir. Poems Reform. vii. 5, I vnderstuid thair sentence quhat thay wald. |
** With dependent infinitive (as in I.**).
25. (Cf. 5.) Wished to; often with implication ‘intended to’. Obs. or arch. exc. in dependence on a principal vb. in past time.
| c 888 ælfred Boeth. vii. §3 Wast þu hu ic ᵹewand ymb Croeses..þa þa hine Cirus..ᵹefangen hæfde, & hine forbærnan wolde? 900–30 O.E. Chron. (Parker MS.) an. 755, Ymb .xxxi. wintra þæs þe he rice hæfde, he wolde adræfan anne æþeling se was Cyneheard haten. Ibid. 877 Swa fela swa he habban wolde. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Luke x. 29 Ða cwæþ he to þam hælende, & wolde hine sylfne ᵹerihtwisian. a 1154 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1132, He uuolde underþeden ðat mynstre to Clunie. a 1300 Havelok 354 Deth him tok þan he best wolde Liuen. c 1386 Chaucer Friar's T. 80 (Petw.) Feynyng a cause for he wold haue a bribe. 1470–85 Malory Arthur ii. ii. 77 He..sawe this aduenture..and wolde assaye it as other knyghtes dyd. 1526 Tindale John xvi. 19 Jesus perceaved that they wolde axe hym. 15.. Christ's Kirk 26 in Bannatyne MS. (Hunter. Club) 283 Scho of lufe wes sillie;..Scho wald haif bot sweit Willie. 1611 Bible Transl. Pref. ¶2 Certaine, which would be counted pillars of the State. 1697 W. Dampier Voy. I. 302 To assist us in getting as many dry Coco-nuts as we would have. 1705 De Foe True Relation in Early Wks. (1889) 443 Mrs. Bargrave asked her whether she would drink some tea. 1808 Scott Marm. iv. i, Till one, who would seem wisest, cried, ‘What else but evil could betide..?’ 1810 Crabbe Borough xiv. 108 He now would build—and lofty seat he built. 1871 G. Macdonald Sonn. conc. Jesus xvi. 11 Thou of the truth not less than all wouldst make. 1876 March. Dufferin Canad. Jrnl. (1891) 291 They asked us if we would have tea, and as we ‘would’, they took us into an adjoining room. |
† b. in direct statement: Was about to. rare.
| a 950 Guthlac v. (Prose) 135/270 Ða hit þa on merᵹen daᵹian wolde [imminente aurora]. c 1450 Merlin 463 As the queene hem saugh she wiste well she was be-traied, and wolde crye as she that was sore affraied, and thei seide [etc.]. |
26. (Cf. 6, 7.) Was (were) willing to, consented to; † deigned to; chose to; † also in weakened sense (nearly = did). Now only in dependence on a principal vb. in past time.
| c 888 ælfred Boeth. iii. §4 Sint þis nu þa god..þe þu..ᵹehete þam monnum þe þe heorsumian woldan? a 1300 Cursor M. 6233 Qui wald [Gött. wild, Trin. woldes] þou ledd vs o þat land? 13.. Bonaventura's Medit. 25 Of a mayden he wulde be bore. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) Pref. 1 In þat land he wald lede his lyf and suffer hard passion. c 1450 Merlin i. 2 For to saue man he wolde come down in to erthe to be born of a woman. 1574 in Maitl. Club Misc. I. 99 Thair wes tyme and place grantit, to all that wald appone thame thairto. 1611 Bp. Hall Imprese of God i. Wks. (1625) 444 In the Creation hee could haue made all at once, but hee would take dayes for it. a 1629 Hinde J. Bruen xlvii. (1641) 149 He shewed himselfe to be of that extraordinary strength, that if he would fold his hands together, no man could pull them asunder. 1680 Otway Orphan iii. iv, Why would you delay so long to give it? 1753 Challoner Cath. Chr. Instr. 183 St. Francis would have his Religious for Humility called Friars Minors. 1884 Walford Baby's Grandm. xii, I said you would be all right in a few days if you would only hold on. |
b. (Cf. 6 b.) In a dependent clause after an expression of request, command, or the like, where the principal vb. is in past time. Now rare.
| a 1325 MS. Rawl. B. 520 lf. 54 b, [They] habbez bi souȝt us that we hit [sc. the maletolt] wolden relessen. 1526 Tindale Acts ix. 38 They sent vnto hym, desyrynge him that he wolde not be greued to come vnto them. 1535 Coverdale 1 Esdras ix. 40 They spake vnto Eszdras..y{supt} he wolde brynge y⊇ lawe of Moses. 1745 A. Butler Lives Saints, St. Jane Frances de Chantal, It was her..prayer..that he would conduct her to a truly holy spiritual guide. 1813 Southey Nelson I. ii. 84 He requested the admiralty that they would not leave him to rust in indolence. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xx. IV. 532 She..faltered out her commands that he would sit down. |
27. (Cf. 8.) Was (were) accustomed to; used to.
| c 888 ælfred Boeth. xxxv. §7 Wildu dior ðær woldon to irnan & stondan swilce hi tamu wæren. c 1000 ælfric Saints' Lives xxvi. 114 He wolde æfter uhtsange oftost hine ᵹebiddan. c 1290 Beket 26 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 107 Ofte-siþe heo wolde speke with him. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VIII. 33 Sche wolde selden come at cherche. 1470–85 Malory Arthur ix. xxxvii. 399 Euery day syr Palomydes wold repreue sir Tristram of old hate betwixe them. 1573 L. Lloyd Marrow of Hist. (1653) 40 The Athenians at any victory, would crown the Conqueror with a Garland made of Oken leaves. 1587 T. Underdown tr. Heliodorus vii. (1895) 184 So lay shee all that night..sometime would she rise up:..sometime would shee cast her cloathes almoste all from her. 1622 Bacon Hen. VII 210 They would also ruffle with Iurors. 1750 Gray Elegy 103 There at the foot of yonder nodding beech..His listless length at noontide would he stretch. 1805 Scott Last Minstr. iii. xvii, He never counted him a man, Would strike below the knee. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair xxi, The girls would ask her..for a little music, and she would sing her three songs. 1915 W. Holt Beacon for Blind xxx. 307 He would often return home exhausted from his work, and when Mrs. Fawcett read to him he would frequently fall fast asleep. |
28. (Cf. 9.) Was capable of ―ing; could.
Usually in a relative clause.
| c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 631 Ther nas..Ne oynement that wolde clense and byte That hym myghte helpen. a 1440 Sir Eglam. 491 Ther was no knyfe that wolde hym byte, So harde of hyde was hee. 1470–85 Malory Arthur iv. xiv. 138 Thenne he loked for the scaubard, but it wold not be founde. 1601 Holland Pliny xxxv. x. II. 542 As often, he had wiped out that which was done, and all to see if he could hit upon it: but it would not be, for yet it was not to his fansie. 1663 Butler Hud. i. i. 351 With Basket-hilt, that wou'd hold broth, And serve for Fight, and Dinner both. |
29. (Cf. 10 b.) Was determined to; insisted on or persisted in ―ing. Also (colloq.), could naturally or inevitably be expected to, esp. in the light of one's known character or tendencies.
| 1706 Farquhar Recruiting Officer Ep. Ded., Be it known..that it was my Act and Deed, or rather Mr. Durfey's; for he wou'd play his Third Night against the First of mine. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho xxv, The signor was cruel enough, but he would be obeyed. 1835 Dickens Sk. Boz, Parish ii, Then he took to breeding silkworms, which he would bring in..to show the old lady. 1884 Manch. Exam. 20 May 5/2 The fussiness of Thiers, who would have a finger in every pie that was being made. 1919 ‘C. Dane’ Legend 43 One never knew what Madala would do next, and yet when she'd done it, one said—‘Of course! Just what Madala would do!’ 1926 C. Mackenzie Rogues & Vagabonds 268 ‘He always pushes me out.’ ‘He would.’ 1930 E. Waugh Vile Bodies ix. 150 There's our Lily now. You know how she would go in for being a manicurist. 1932 M. H. Rinehart Miss Pinkerton xvi. 164 ‘We're interested in Monday night, and that's all.’.. ‘You would be!’ 1946 H. J. Massingham Where Man Belongs iii. 96 He, Ireson told me, ‘is the most promising boy of the lot.’ He would be. 1963 Times 1 July 6/6 Mr. Burge asked: Do you know Lord Astor has made a statement to the police saying that these allegations of yours are absolutely untrue? Miss Rice-Davies: He would, wouldn't he? 1980 ‘T. Hinde’ Daymare i. 8 ‘Well, he would, wouldn't he,’ she says. ‘It's what you'd expect of a born capitalist.’ |
30. (Cf. 11, 13.) In indirect reports, usually in 3rd pers., of past utterances, etc. in the 1st pers. (now) implying intention.
| 971 Blickl. Hom. 183 Ic wæs heafde becorfen, & nu on þyssum þriddan dæᵹe aras, swa ic ær beforan þe sæᵹde & ᵹeheht þæt ic don wolde. c 1100 O.E. Chron. (MS. D.) an. 1066 Hi..sworon aðas, þat hi æfre woldon fryð & freondscype into þisan lande haldan. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 45 He sikurede hem alle, Þat he wolde fare wiþ his folk in a faire wise. c 1400 Sowdone Bab. 2060 He..made a vowe to Mahounde of myght, He wolde that Cite wynne. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lxxxviii. 278 He commaundyd them to assamble as myche people as they coude, by cause he sayde that he wolde goo to his vncle themperour of Almayne. 1639 Hamilton Papers (Camden) 69 Thay all answered me that they wold keepe the castell. 1719 De Foe Crusoe ii. (Globe) 497 He would go, he said. 1837 Dickens Pickw. i, Was it some vain..man—he would not say haberdasher—who [etc.]. 1871 M. Collins Marq. & Merch. xxxiii, Adrian..resolved that they would have a jolly rough honeymoon..with everything simple and rustical. 1908 R. Bagot A. Cuthbert xxvi. 339 Anthony suggested to her that she and his sister should slip away unobserved. He himself would remain half-an-hour longer, and would then follow their example. |
31. (Cf. 12.) With negative, commonly denoting refusal.
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 969 And sarrai wuldet noȝt ðolen Ðat agar wore ðus to-bolen. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 6193, I thrested, and of drynk had nede, And yhe wald na drynk me bede. c 1420 ? Lydg. Assembly of Gods 941 Vertu wold nat tary, but hyghyd hym thydyr blyue. 1526 Tindale Luke xviii. 13 The publican stode afarre of, and wolde not lifte vp his eyes to heven. 1610 Shakes. Temp. i. ii. 267 This damn'd Witch Sycorax..was banish'd: for one thing she did They wold not take her life. c 1720 De Foe Mem. Cavalier (1840) 269 He would not stir. 1802 Wordsw. Alice Fell 52 She wept, nor would be pacified. 1880 Tennyson Def. Lucknow vi. 12 Cholera, scurvy, and fever, the wound that would not be heal'd. 1918 Times Lit. Suppl. 21 Mar., Editors and publishers..would have none of it. |
32. (Cf. 14, 15.) Forming (with pres. inf.) the auxiliary of the ‘anterior future’ or ‘future in the past’, and (with pf. inf.) of the ‘anterior future perfect’, in the 2nd and 3rd pers.: cf. shall v. B. 14 b, e. a. in dependent clause (or virtual reported speech or thought).
| c 893 ælfred Oros. iii. ix. 128 Þa Darius ᵹeseah þæt he oferwunnen beon wolde, þa wolde he hiene selfne on ðæm ᵹefeohte forspillan. c 1200 Ormin 689 Þatt seȝȝde he..forrþi þatt ta wass cumenn time Þatt Drihhtin wollde lesenn ut hiss follc off deofless walde. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 7087 Þis child wax so wel & þeu as iseie fremde & sibbe Þat he wolde be a noble mon. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xx. vii. 809, I..told my bretheren..afore hand what wold falle in the ende. 1496 Acta Dom. Conc. II. 10 Chargeing thame to do justice to baith the saidis partiis as thai wald ansuer to God. 1582 Allen Martyrdom Campion (1908) 3 This he protested to be true, as he would answer before God. 1586 in Engl. Hist. Rev. (1920) Jan. 113 The lorde chauncellor aunswered that diverse of the lordes had byn and woulde be..suitors unto her maiestie. 1663 in Extr. St. Papers rel. Friends Ser. ii. (1911) 183 Saying..that the time would come he should be found as good a subiect as myselfe. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho xxv, The planet..was not yet risen; but..she kept her eyes fixed on that part of the hemisphere where it would rise. 1841 Macaulay Ess., L. Hunt (1853) III. 38 He promised..to furnish them with a play every year, if his health would permit. 1872 Morley Voltaire i. 2 It disclosed to them a gracious..being, who would one day redress all wrongs. 1918 Cornh. Mag. June 569 The Elizabethan's chief concern was that the present would soon merge in the past and be gone. |
b. (Cf. 15 d.) without notion of futurity: Probably or presumably did.
| 1857 Mrs. Gaskell C. Brontë I. iv. 79 ‘Of the two younger ones..I have very slight recollections, save that one..was quite the pet nursling of the school.’ This last would be Emily. 1906 R. H. Benson Richard Raynal v. 91 It would be about half an hour before the King's dinner-time..that Master Richard came again to the hall. 1909 E. H. Burton Life Bp. Challoner I. ii. 12 The last of the Douay martyrs..had suffered but one year previously. Some of the priests living at Douay would have known this martyr personally. |
¶ 33. (Cf. 16.) Used where should is now the normal auxiliary.
| 1760–72 H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) III. 90 The captain fearing that I would die of grief. 1870 G. W. Dasent Annals xiv, Of course my Aunt did not expect that I would be plucked in any examination. 1901 Empire Rev. I. 380, I..rejoiced in the fact that to get there I would have to travel to New York. |
***
34. Elliptical and quasi-elliptical uses as in I.***, 17–21. Now rare or Obs. except with ellipsis of active inf. to be supplied from the context, or in disjunctive qualifying clauses (e.g. whether he would or no).
† In quot. c 1400 (Beryn) wold nat = was of no avail.
| c 897 ælfred Gregory's Past. C. iii. 35 & ða he him from wolde, ða ᵹefeng he hine. 971 Blickl. Hom. 79 [Hi] þæt land ᵹesetton swa hie sylfe woldon. c 1205 Lay. 18815 Wi naldest þu me suggen Þurh nanes cunnes þinge þat þu wældest to þan kinge? c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 273/79 Ȝwane any man wolde ouer þat watur. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. x. 127 Al was as þow wolde [v.r. woldest] lorde, yworschiped be þow. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 952 Dido, He.. saylyth forth al his cumpaynye Toward ytayle as wolde his desten. c 1400 Beryn 1082 Ffawnus saw it wold nat. c 1400 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton) ii. lx. (1859) 57, I was nought but abyl for to suffre, whether I wold or no. 1431 Munim. de Melros (Bann.) 522 Þe qwilk brefe of Inqueste as law wald I gert procede. c 1450 Merlin 204 Thei..wente to the courte euen and morowe whan thei wolden. 1530 Tindale Pract. Prelates H ij, After that the Emperoure wolde in to Spayne. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 28 Anselme might not..correct his clergie but as the king would. 1593 Drayton Ecl. viii, Would she ought or would she nought, This lad would neuer from her thought. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 174 Would he, would he not, they made choice for him themselues. 16.. in Percy Relig., Baffled Knight xiv, He that wold not when he might, He shall not when he wold-a. 1624 Capt. J. Smith's Virginia iii. vi. (Arb.) II. 432 They cryed to vs to doe no more, all should be as we would. 1719 De Foe Crusoe ii. (Globe) 497 The Captain told me, he would go and help his Men, let what would come. Ibid. 555 He told me he would do just as I would. 1837 Dickens Pickw. xxxv, Look where you would, some exquisite form glided gracefully through the throng. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. vi. II. 102 It was determined that the elector should have a chapel in the city whether he would or not. 1867 Morris Jason v. 47 When on the morn they would away. 1882 ‘Leslie Keith’ Alasnam's Lady xxvii, I wanted Mr. Meyers to come with us, but he wouldn't. 1920 Discovery Nov. 331/1 The bulbs were then sealed up again and set aside to ferment if they would. |
III. The past tense would with modal function.
* With simple obj. (or equivalent), or obj. clause.
† 35. trans. with simple obj. (also intr. with well or ill and dat. of person), as a qualification, becoming a virtual equivalent, of the present tense will in 1, 1 b: Could or might desire; ‘should like’; desire, wish for, ‘want’ (sometimes implying ‘intend’). Cf. 40. Obs. or rare arch.
| 1470–85 Malory Arthur i. xix. 65 What wold ye with the best? c 1530 Ld. Berners Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814) 356, I am in certayne y{supt} he would you more honour than ony persone lyuynge. 1532 More Confut. Tindale Wks. 408/1 Wherin euery mannes eares that woulde hym well, glowe for very shame. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. v. ii. 174 What would these strangers? 1596 ― Merch. V. i. iii. 66 Is he yet possest How much ye would? Shy. I, I, three thousand ducats. 1599 A. Hume Hymnes ii. 70 What sa the fantasie wald. 1611 Bible Josh. xv. 18 Caleb said vnto her, What wouldest thou? 1820 Byron Mar. Fal. ii. i, Doge. Come hither, child, I would a word with you. 1822 ― Werner i. i. (1823) 35 But, in a word, what would you with me? |
36. Similarly with const. as in 2: viz. with obj. clause, with vb. in past subj. (arch. except in would rather or would sooner = ‘should prefer’), † rarely in pres. subj., or with acc. and inf. Hence (arch.) with ellipsis of 1st pers. pron. as an expression of longing = ‘I wish’, ‘O that’; also, by confusion with 37, in the form (I) would to God (or heaven).
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 64 Sum is so wel ilered,..þet heo wolde þet he wuste hit. c 1325 in E.E.P. (1862) 133 But in heore hertes .i. wolde þei hade..Hou sone þat god hem may degrade. c 1400 Rule St. Benet (prose) 8 Do til na man bot als tu walde man did to þe. c 1400 Destr. Troy 472, I wold yonder worthy weddit me hadde. 1440 [see rather adv. 9]. c 1449 Pecock Repr. i. xiv. 73 Wherfore it myȝte seme that God wolde not him to be oure reule in deedis of oure seruice to God. c 1485 Digby Myst. iii. 522 So wold to god ȝe wold my loue fele. a 1529 Skelton Bowge of Courte 481 And so I wolde it were, so God me spede. c 1530 Redforde Wyt & Sci. (1848) 6 My hed akth sore, I wold wee returne. 1539 Bible (Great) Exod. xvi. 3 Wolde to God [1535 Coverdale, Wolde God] we had dyed by the hand of the Lorde in the lande of Egypt. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. v. i. 255, I am wearie of this Moone; would he would change. 1595 ― John iii. iv. 48, I am not mad, I would to heauen I were. 1597 J. Payne Royal Exch. 33 Wch I would you ever to remember. 1599 B. Jonson Cynthia's Rev. To Rdr. A 4 b, I would thou hadst some Sugar Candyed, to sweeten thy Mouth. 1675 [see rather adv. 9 e]. 1777 Miss M. Townshend in Jesse Selwyn & Contemp. (1844) III. 260 This news I picked up at Bet's door. Would to God that we had peace! 1816 J. Wilson City of Plague ii. i, At a sad hour the sailor hath return'd; Would he were yet at sea! 1831 Scott Ct. Rob. xix, I would to God I had more. 1865 Whittier Kallundborg Church 48 Would I might die now in thy stead! 1882 Tennyson Charge Heavy Brigade Epil. 10–11, I would that wars should cease, I would the globe from end to end Might sow and reap in peace. |
37. Used optatively in the phr. would God (also † God would, † Christ would) = ‘O that God would’, ‘O that it were God's will’, as an expression of earnest desire or longing. Obs. or rare arch.
| ? c 1375 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1878) 125/1 Wolde god ded y wore! c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1726 Lucretia, God wolde the wal were falle adoun! c 1450 J. Capgrave Life St. Aug. xxix, Wold God ȝe were swech as I fynde hem. ? 15.. Love Songe in Ritson Ancient Songs (1792) 115 Chryst wolt the ffuger of hur swete face Were pyctored wher euer I be. 1529 Rastell Pastyme A iv, Wold good it were so vsyd at this day. 1535 Wolde God [see 36, quot. 1539]. c 1600 Hymn, ‘Hierusalem my happie home’ xi, Ah my sweete home Hierusaleme Would god I were in thee. |
† 38. fig. as a qualification or equivalent of 3 c.
| c 1460 Towneley Myst. xxvi. 9 And sesse your cry till I haue told What that my worship wold. c 1460 Sir R. Ros La Belle Dame 272 Yet reson wolde it were in remembraunce. |
† 39. transf. as a qualification or equivalent of 4.
| 1559 in Strype Ann. Ref. (1709) I. App. xi. 34 The fantasticall opynion, that woulde every man should be saved by his own faithe. |
** With dependent infinitive (as in I.** and II.**).
As with should, the notion of past time is usually expressed by the pf. inf.: see note s.v. shall v. B. II.***
40. The past subj. used with potential or conditional force as a softening of the pres. ind. in sense 5, and hence virtually equivalent to it: Could or should wish to; should like to; wish, desire, or ‘want’ to (sometimes implying ‘intend’). arch. or dial. exc. in would have (with obj. and inf. or compl.) = ‘should like, wish (a person or thing) to be or to do something’: see have v. 18 b.
The notion of desire (in later use often passing into that of consent or willingness) is often emphasized by fain, gladly, willingly, or the like. The use then becomes scarcely distinguishable from the strictly conditional use in 41.
| c 888 ælfred Boeth. xx, Mid hu micelan feo woldest þu þa habban ᵹeboht? Ibid. xl. §7 Ic wolde acsian hwæðer we æniᵹne freodom hæbben..hwæt we don. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 580 & þou wost now vorsake Mi doȝter þat ssolde be þi wif. a 1300 Cursor M. 4227, I wald sinc in-til helle depe Wit mi sun þar for to wepe. Ibid. 24560 Þai wald ha berid him ful fain, Bot i him held wit al mi main. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. A. 772 Quat-kyn þyng may be þat lambe Þat þe wolde wedde vnto hys vyf? 13.. Gosp. Nicodemus (A.) 292 Be what skille walde þai haue hym dede? c 1350 Will. Palerne 1851 Þe werwolf..went to him euene, Wiþ a rude roring, as he him rende wold. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints Prol. 97 Ȝet vald I, & I mycht, Na var eld & falt of sycht, Of þe twelf appostolis spek now. Ibid. ii. (Paulus) 164 Þe folk of rowme.. wald have brokyn his palace done. c 1400 Brut lxxx. 82 Þe Britons wolde haue slayne þe messagers, but Arthure wolde nouȝt soffre hit. c 1420 ? Lydg. Assembly of Gods 1953 For feere I lookyd as blak as a coole, I wold haue cropyn in a mouse hoole. 1539 Bible (Great) Ps. cvii. 30 And so he bryngeth them vnto the hauen where they wolde be [1611 their desired hauen]. 1550 Crowley Last Trumpet 765 Thus haue I tolde the, as I woulde Be tolde, if I were in thy place. 1579–80 Harvey Lett. Wks. (Grosart) I. 76, I would gladly be acquainted with M. Drants Prosodye. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. iii. i. 80 What would your Grace haue me to do in this? 1599 ― Much Ado ii. iii. 6, I know that, but I would haue thee hence, and heere againe. 1682 Dryden Medal Ep. Whigs, If you were the Patriots you would seem, you would not at this rate incense the Multitude to assume it. 1727 Pope, etc. Art of Sinking 120 Be sure they are qualities, which your patron would be thought to have. 1742 in Johnson's Debates (1787) II. 162 What is to be understood by this last sentence, I would willingly be informed. 1869 Freeman Norm. Conq. III. xii. 77 note, I would not..be thought to share Mr. St. John's extreme scepticism. 1895 Bookman Oct. 17/2 The Duc d'Aumale's great work, ‘L'Histoire des Princes de Condé’, for which some of us would gladly give all the novels ever written. 1896 A. E. Housman Shropsh. Lad lvi, Far I hear the bugle blow To call me where I would not go. 1905 Athenæum 11 Feb. 172/3 Second-rate ‘romantism’, as Mr. Marion Crawford would have us call it. |
¶ with omission of have in pf. inf.
| 1508 Dunbar Gold. Targe 146 First of all,..Come dame Beautee, rycht as scho wald me schent. 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 93 Ȝe say he wald deforcit ȝour Dame. 1654 Gataker Disc. Apol. 38 Sir R. Owen would gladlie had me seated in Shropshire. |
b. In lighter shades of meaning: Am (is, are) disposed or inclined to; often (in 1st pers. sing.) in hesitating or deferential statement = ‘wish to{ddd}if I may’. (Cf. 13.) would say = ‘intend to say, mean’. would have = ‘is inclined to believe or assert (something to be so-and-so)’: cf. 10 c.
| c 1386 Chaucer Sompn. T. 106 Of your grete goodnesse, by your leve, I wolde prey yow that ye nat yow greve. 1467 Stonor Papers (Camden) I. 96, I wold pray yow..that ye woll se my pore howse for yowr logyng. a 1547 Surrey æneis ii. 654 Percase you would ask what was Priam's fate? 1564 Harding Answ. Jewel 215 What you would saye M. Iuell, I wote not, what you saye, well I wote. 1633 G. Herbert Temple, Love-unknown 52 When I thought to sleep out all these faults..I found that some had stuff'd the bed with thoughts, I would say thorns. 1709 T. Robinson Vind. Mosaick Syst. 19 Dr. H. M. would have Light to be the Platonick Anima Mundi. 1779 Mirror No. 3 ¶7, I would, nevertheless, humbly propose to the ladies, to be good-humoured. 1800 Wordsw. Hart-Leap Well i. 96 But there is matter for a second rhyme, And I to this would add another tale. 1919 Engl. Hist. Rev. July 440 Working⁓men's colleges and institutes..are, the author would hope, built on a surer basis. |
† c. fig. of a thing: Needs or requires to, ought to, should. Obs.
| c 1440 Paston Lett. I. 39 The goune nedyth for to be had; and of colour it wolde be a godely blew, or erlys a bryghte sangueyn. 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §122 There is a bee called a drone,..and they wyll eate the honny, and gather nothynge: and therfore they wolde be kylde. 1598 Epulario G j, All fish would be very wel sodden, and with leisure. 1601 Holland Pliny xvi. xxxix. I. 488 To have good and profitable timber, the trees would bee cut downe that are of a middle age. 1602 Shakes. Ham. iii. iii. 75 That would be scann'd. 1626 Bacon Sylva §625 The Conseruation of Fruit would be also tried in Vessells, filled with fine Sand. 1682 Evelyn Let. to Pepys 19 Sept., Besides all this, the nature of Prescription would be enquir'd into as well when it makes against us, as for us. |
41. In the apodosis of a conditional sentence (expressed or implied), with pers. subject, forming the auxiliary of the periphrastic past subj. or so-called ‘conditional mood’ with implication of intention or volition: = ‘should choose or be willing to’: cf. 6, 7, 11.
| a 1240 Sawles Warde in O.E. Hom. I. 253 Ich walde ȝef hit mahte beon þolien a þusent deaðes to a rudden him ut þrof. a 1352 Minot Poems (ed. Hall) v. 5 War mi sorow slaked sune wald I sing. 1470–85 Malory Arthur viii. ii. 276 She wold haue slayne the with that poyson and she myghte haue hadde her wille. 1526 Tindale Matt. xxiii. 37 Howe often wolde I haue gaddered thy children to gedder, as the henne gaddreth her chickens vnder her wynges? but ye wolde not. 1598 Shakes. Merry W. ii. i. 189 If hee should intend this voyage toward my wife, I would turne her loose to him. 1610 ― Temp. v. i. 230 If I did thinke, Sir, I were well awake, I'ld striue to tell you. 1662 in Extr. St. Papers rel. Friends Ser. ii. (1911) 151 Let me by no meanes be continued sheriff..I would rather endure a Fine than be kept on another yeare. 1738 Johnson London 9 Who would leave, unbrib'd, Hibernia's Land? 1832 Wordsw. in Mem. (1851) II. 257 If..I should be asked how I would myself vote, if it had been my fortune to have a seat in the House of Lords. 1848 Dickens Dombey xlii, I wouldn't do such a thing here, sir,..upon my word and honour, I wouldn't, sir. 1920 Times Lit. Suppl. 29 Apr. 264/4 The main object of writers on Bolshevism, whether they would admit it or not, has been to justify or condemn Lenin's great experiment. |
b. I would (sc. ‘if I were you’) is often used colloq. as = ‘I advise or recommend you to’ (= I should, shall v. B. 19 f.) So I wouldn't = ‘I advise you not to’.
| 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. iii. i. 110, I would resort to her by night. 1835 Arnold Let. 18 May in Stanley Life (1898) I. vii. 360 If possible, I would take a Strabo with me, and an Herodotus. Mod. I wouldn't go skating to-day; the ice isn't safe. |
c. Interrog. in 2nd pers.: † wouldst thou{ddd}? = ‘art thou willing to{ddd}?’; hence as a softened form of request: would you{ddd}? = ‘will you, please{ddd}?: cf. 6 b.
| c 1420 Sir Amadace (Camden) xl, Quod the quite knyȝte, ‘Wold thou luffe him aure alle thing?’ 1607 Dekker & Webster Northw. Hoe i. i, Bell... Was this her ring? Green. Her ring Sir. May. A pretty idle toy, would you take mony for 't? 1876 J. H. Ewing Six to Sixteen ii, Would you say the Lord's Prayer for me, old fellow? |
42. In the apodosis of a conditional sentence (expressed or implied), in the 2nd or 3rd pers., forming the auxiliary of the simple ‘conditional mood’, expressing merely a possibility or contingency in the supposed case: cf. 14.
For the distinction between should and would see note s.v. shall v. B . 19 b.
| c 888 ælfred Boeth. xvi. §2 Ᵹif we nu ᵹesawan hwelce mus þæt wære hlaford ofer oðre mys, & sette him domas..hu wunderlic wolde eow ðæt þincan. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 31 Ȝef he þat hielde synne, he wolde þe dede wiðtien. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 5521 Ȝif ichadde him bisuike, þe wors þou wost leue me. c 1374 Chaucer Troylus iii. 502 Þere was som Epistel hem by-twene, That wolde as seyth myn Auctor wel contene Neigh half þis bok. 1484 Acta Audit. (1839) *147/1 Pay to him samekle malis..& vþeris dewiteis as he may preif þe said landis walde have gevin him. 1538 Starkey England iii. (1878) 73 Yf hyt were dylygently laburyd, hyt wold bryng forth frute. 1579 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 93 If thou haddest learned the first point of hauking, thou wouldst haue learned to haue held fast. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. ii. ii. 44 (Qo. 1) That which we call a Rose, By any other name would smell as sweet. 1670 in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 22, I am suere you would bee with us if wishes could bring you. 1754 Huxham in Phil. Trans. XLVIII. 849 Perhaps some other salino-sulphureous medium would do as well. 1757 E. Griffith Lett. Henry & Frances (1767) II. 44 There is a butterfly in my study, which would be dead some time past, but that I watched it. 1845 M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 19 They would have refused their co-operation if they dared. 1859 Ruskin Two Paths iii. §96 Your stuffs need not be such as would catch the eye of a duchess. 1902 V. Jacob Sheep-Stealers xiv, Had it been possible to teach him the rudiments of good manners, [he] would have been a really valuable member of the household. 1920 Act 10 & 11 Geo. V c. 50 §22 (1) Any documents..such as would be subject to production in a court of law. |
¶ with omission of have in pf. inf.
| 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccxi. 105/1 If..his cosyn had nat counsayled hym to haue peace, he wolde nat agreed ther⁓vnto. 1813 Picken Poems II. 135 That wad been milkin' his cow in a sieve. |
b. With the hypothetical notion obscured or weakened, the ‘conditional mood’ becoming a qualification of the pres. ind. expressing some degree of hesitation or uncertainty: in such phr. as it would seem (= ‘it almost or somewhat seems’), one would think (= ‘one is inclined to think’). So † would be = ‘probably is’. Cf. 15 d, and similar use of should s.v. shall v. B. 19 d.
| c 1449 Pecock Repr. iii. viii. 322 The first premisse of this argument muste needis be grauntid, as it wolde seeme. a 1500 Flower & Leaf 247 Every bosse of brydel and peitrel..was worth, as I would wene, A thousand pound. 1533 More Apol. 255 Men wolde haue went soneste to haue founde them. 1560 Bible (Geneva) Job xli. 32 He [sc. the Leviathan] maketh a path to shine after him; one wolde thinke the depth as an hore head. 1600 Essex Reb. Exams. in Shaks. Cent. Praise (1879) 35 The play wold be of harry the iiij{supt}{suph}. 1786 Burns Twa Dogs 81 An' when they meet wi' sair disasters,..Ye maist wad think, a wee touch langer, An' they maun starve o' cauld and hunger. 1853 Miss Pratt Wild Flowers II. 75 This plant is not, as one would suppose from its name, a native of woods and meadows. 1882 Besant All Sorts iv, If it was only to see her own vats, you'd think she'd get off of her luxurious pillows for once. 1918 Pall Mall Gaz. 29 June 4/3 The standard suits..are steadily rising in price, and it would seem that by the time they are on the market they will come under the proposed luxury tax. |
¶ c. Used in the 1st pers. instead of the normal auxiliary should.
Still freq. with such vbs. as like, wish (cf. shall v. B. 19 c), prob. by association with 40; otherwise now restricted in usage like the similar use of will: see 16 and 33.
| 1448 [see 48]. c 1477 Stonor Papers (Camden) II. 29 Y wolde be ago and ȝe werre y-comme, fore we may nat go yn-tylle ȝe comme. 1561 Hoby tr. Castiglione's Courtyer i. (1577) E j, He that shoulde wryte, I woulde thinke he committed an errour in not vsing them. 1599 Shakes. Much Ado ii. iii. 119, I would haue thought her spirit had beene inuincible against all assaults of affection. 1603 ― Meas. for M. iv. ii. 18, I would bee glad to receiue some instruction. 1662 Extr. State Papers rel. Friends Ser. ii. (1911) 150 Wee would be glad that all our Subjects could be brought to agree in an uniforme Worship of God. 1733 W. Crawford Infidelity (1836) 189 The more we view them, the more would we be satisfied of their reality. 1780 Johnson Let. to Mrs. Thrale 24 Aug., I would be glad to know when we are to meet. 1794 Hutton Philos. Light 15 The more..that we should reason upon such a mistaken principle, the more we would proceed in error. 1817 Coleridge Biog. Lit. (1847) II. 223 He makes everything turn out exactly as we would wish it. 1887 C. A. Moloney Forestry W. Afr. 43, I would be disposed to question the accuracy of this information. 1921 Oxford Mag. 4 Feb. 180/2 We feel that we would recognize them if we met them. |
d. I wouldn't know: see know v. 11 g.
43. In a question or indirect statement in the 2nd or 3rd pers., where should would be used in the corresponding direct statement in the 1st.
In categorical questions and reported utterances varying with should, as will with shall: cf. note s.v. shall v. B. 8. But in rhetorical questions implying emphatic assertion (e.g. ‘Would you believe it?’ ‘Who would have thought it?’) should is never substituted.
| 1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love iii. v. (Skeat) l. 119 What woldest thou demen if a man wold yeve three quarters of nobles of golde? 1582 Bentley Mon. Matrones iii. 291 Who would not haue beene confounded, & haue gotten him awaie at these thy words? 1598 Shakes. Merry W. ii. i. 10 You loue sacke, and so do I: would you desire better simpathie? 1654 D. Osborne Lett. (1888) 229 What think you, have I not done fair for once, would you wish a longer letter? 1775 Johnson Let. to Mrs. Thrale 1 June, Tell me what you would be most willing to spare. 1779 Mirror No. 12 ¶8 Would you believe it, Sir, my daughter Elizabeth..said it was fanatical to find fault with card-playing on Sunday. 1785 [see shall v. B. 19 c]. 1861 T. L. Peacock Gryll Grange xxix, Do you think..you would find many examples of love that is one and once for all? 1863 [see mind v. 8]. 1868 Thirlwall Lett. (1881) I. 299 If you would like to see it I could send it you. 1886 Story Fiammetta vii, Would you like to see it? |
44. In a conditional (or equivalent) clause with pers. subject, with implication of intention or volition: = ‘chose to’, ‘were willing to’: cf. 41.
| a 900 Cynewulf Crist 1107 Ᵹeseoð him to bealwe þæt him betst bicwom, Þær hy hit to gode onᵹietan woldan. c 1205 Lay. 6230 Ȝif hit weoren þin iwille and þu hit don woldest To ȝifuen us an ende i þine kinne-londe, We wulleð þine men beon. a 1352 Minot Poems (ed. Hall) v. 4 Wald he salue vs sone, mi sorow suld slake. a 1375 Joseph Arim. 640 ‘Woldestou leeue vppon him,’ he seis ‘I wolde’ [etc.]. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 311, I be-seke þe,..if þou me say wald, Quatkyn fygour on fold or fourme at he beris. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 70 With thy thow wald be payit of sic as thow fand, Forsuith thow suld be wel-cum to pas hame with me. 1594 in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ. V. 293 He converted 5 or 6 felons in the short tyme he was in Newgate, whereof 2 or 3 might have beene reprieved from the gallows, if they would have denied what they had professed there. 1649 Bp. Hall Cases Consc. To Rdr., In the handling of all which, would I have affected that course..I could easily [etc.]. 1714 in Jrnl. Friends Hist. Soc. (1918) 30 Several Expressing their love to me—telling me would I stay I need not fear a congregation. 1865 Ruskin Sesame ii. §92 She knows, in her heart, if she would only look for its knowledge, that [etc.]. 1873 Browning Red Cotton Night-Cap Country iv. 587 Would Providence..make me certain of the same, That I survive you..certainly I would accept Your bounty. |
b. With inversion of subj., expressing desire or longing. (But cf. 37.)
| 1593 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, ii. i. 75 Now my Soules Pallace is become a Prison: Ah, would she breake from hence. 1786 Burns To a Louse 43 O wad some Pow'r the giftie gie us To see oursels as others see us! |
† c. fig. of a thing: Could, might: cf. 9. Obs.
| c 1440 Generydes 214 And furthe he rideth..With his knyghtes to mete and it wold be. c 1450 Godstow Reg. 21 Sacred Cipriane, ȝif hit wold be gete, With Cosme and damiane wold I dyne. |
† 45. In a hypothetical clause merely expressing a condition or supposition: = ‘should’, ‘were to’.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus ii. 1147 To dethe mote I smete be with þonder If..Wold I a lettre vn-to yow brynge or take, To harm of yow. c 1400 Pety Job 500 in 26 Pol. Poems 137 That bed shall I neuer lese, Though I wolde for angor raue. c 1480 Henryson Sheep & Dog 163 Seis thow not, Lord, this warld ouerturnit is, As quha wald change gude gold in leid or tyn. 1527 Andrew Brunswyke's Distyll. Waters b iij b, Than make fyre vnder it that it may droppe tretably as yf y⊇ wolde tell y⊇ clocke i. ii. y{supt} than there fall a drop. c 1550 Rolland Crt. Venus ii. 5 Wald Venus court retreit, cast or conuert, Or in sum part thairin mak resistence. |
† b. After as if (or as in same sense): = ‘were about to’ (= should, shall v. B. 20 a, b). Obs.
| a 1550 Dunbar's Poems (S.T.S.) 308/18 Sum drowpis down as he wold die. 1719 De Foe Crusoe i. (Globe) 210 At this I..made as if I would vomit at the thoughts of it. |
46. In a noun-clause expressing the object of desire, advice, or request.
Usually with a person as subj., implying voluntary action as the desired end: thus distinguished from should, which may be used when the person's will is not in view. Also (almost always after wish) with a thing as subject, in which case should can never be substituted because it would suggest the idea of command or compulsion instead of mere desire. Cf. shall v. B. 22 a.
| 1555 Pole in Engl. Hist. Rev. (1913) July 530, I wold my syster wold ataryed a littell longer. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. i. i. 195 O that your frownes would teach my smiles such skil. 1611 ― Cymb. ii. iv. 6 Quake in the present winters state, and wish That warmer dayes would come. 1685 in Engl. Hist. Rev. (1920) Jan. 116 His Lordship desires you would present his most humble duty to my Lord Duke. 1736 Sheridan Let. to Swift 15 Sept., Indeed if you pleased,..I would rather that you would, I mean should, charge only five per cent. 1775 ― Rivals iv. ii, I wish the lady would favour us with something more than a side-front. 1833 Tennyson May Queen, New-Year's Eve iv, I wish the snow would melt. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. iv. I. 465 The general wish of Europe was that James would govern in conformity with law and with public opinion. 1912 Engl. Hist. Rev. Oct. 754 It is much to be wished that some one would clear up the tangled web of these peace negotiations. |
¶ b. Used irreg. for should (shall v. B. 22): with restriction of usage as in 16. ? Obs.
| 1760–72 H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) IV. 7, I should be sorry..that the wretch would die in his present state of reprobacy. 1766 Mrs. S. Pennington Lett. II. 197, I choose rather you would carry it yourself. 1771 Goldsm. Hist. Eng. III. 312 It was intended that this would encrease the severity of his punishment. |
***
47. Elliptical and quasi-elliptical uses, as in I.***, 17–21.
| c 1230 Hali Meid. (1922) 44 Hwa-se lið i leifen deope bisuncken,..he ne schal nawt up acouerin hwen he walde. c 1374 Chaucer Troylus iii. 115 And Pandare wep as he to watre wolde. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 84 Thogh I wolde, I myhte noght Obeie unto my ladi heste. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. viii. 285 Wist ich þe soþe, Ich wolde no forþer a fot for no freres prechinge. 14.. Hoccleve Min. Poems xvi. 10 Tho men..Fayn wolden þat they and I euene were: And so wolde I. 1423 Jas. I Kingis Q. clxvii, It stant noght with the as thou wald, perchance? 1484 Caxton Fables of Auian ii, Who so mounteth hyher than he shold he falleth lower than he wold. 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. John x. 15–18 Yet could thei not kyll me vnlesse I would my selfe. 1556 Olde Antichrist 120 b, Is it the propretie of a shephearde, to renne madde upon his flocke, worse than a wolfe wolde? 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. iv. iii. 22, I would to Valentine To Mantua, where I heare, he makes aboad. 1605 ― Macb. i. vii. 44 Letting I dare not, wait vpon I would. 1610 ― Temp. ii. i. 185 You would lift the Moone out of her spheare, if she would continue in it fiue weekes without changing. Seb. We would so, and then go a Bat⁓fowling. Ibid. iii. i. 61 Fer. I am, in my condition A Prince (Miranda) I do thinke a King (I would not so). 1777 [see so B. 2 b]. 1848 Dickens Dombey xlii, I wouldn't do such a thing here, Sir,..upon my word and honour, I wouldn't, Sir, I wish I may die if I would, Sir. 1865 Ruskin Sesame i. §21 Never think Milton uses those three words to fill up his verse, as a loose writer would. |
b. wouldn't it? (ellipt. for wouldn't it rock you?, wouldn't it root you?, and similar catch-phrases): an exclamation of annoyance and disgust or (less usually) amusement. Austral. and N.Z. slang.
| 1940 Telegraph (Sydney) 13 Jan. 4/7 Favorite expression with the troops is, of course, ‘Wouldn't it?’—Short for ‘Wouldn't it make you sick?’ 1941 2nd N.Z.E.F. Times 3 Nov. 6 Well, wouldn't it? 1951 Cusack & James Come in Spinner 382 Guinea kicked a hassock across the room. ‘Wouldn't it!’ she muttered furiously, ‘wouldn't it!’ 1954 J. Cleary Climate of Courage xii. 185 ‘Asking your wife if you can write to her. Wouldn't it?’ |
IV. 48. Followed by to with inf., esp. after an intervening word or words (cf. to prep. B. 19); now the regular const. only with pres. pple. willing.
(Not always distinguishable from will v.2)
| c 1320 Sir Tristr. 303 Tristrem herd it say, On his playing he wold Tuentischilling to lay. 1382 Wyclif Matt. xiv. 5 And he willynge to slea hym, drede the peple. 1448 J. Shillingford Lett. & Papers (Camden) 55 Elles we wolde truely to have had tyme. c 1450 Merlin iii. 54 Thei haue assembled a grete power, and wele to conquere this londe be force. 1450–60 Bp. Grossetest's Househ. Stat. in Babees Bk. 331 And they wyllen to do that ye wylle to do. 1453 Marg. Paston in P. Lett. I. 251 It semyth..that she wold never so fayn to have be delyveryd of her as she woll now. c 1460 Play Sacram. 288, I wollnot for an hundder pownd to stond in fere my lord to tene. 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. IV 213 Not willyng if he might, to displease any of bothe the parties. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 764 He could not get away, and to keepe himselfe close he would not. 1610 Shakes. Temp. iii. i. 61, I..would no more endure This wodden slauerie, then to suffer The flesh-flie blow my mouth. 1632 Lithgow Trav. iii. 101 The which I willing to see. 1633 [see rather adv. 9 c]. 1648 Kem Let. to Ld. Denbigh 19 Nov. (MS.), Nor is it thoght he will to stay onely to get y⊇ saylers aboard. |
V. † 49. Pa. pple. would, wold(e (mostly with ellipsis): chiefly in sense 7, = chosen. Obs.
| c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. II. 293 He myȝt, ȝif he hadde wolde, have take greet veniaunce of hem. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1209 Dido, The fomy brydil..Gouernyth he, ryght as hym self hath wold. c 1412 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 1075 Crist himself,..To loue and teche and prechen it hath wold. c 1450 Oseney Reg. 164 Where I haue i-wollyd me to be i-beried. 1470–85 Malory Arthur vii. xiii. 232 Many tymes he myghte haue had her and he had wold. 1583 Golding Calvin on Deut. clxxxiv. 1145 Not that hee was vnable to let them, or withstande them, if hee had would. 1633 J. Done Hist. Septuagint 216 If hee had would, hee might easily..occupied the Monarchy. |
VI. Conjoined with nill v., etc.
In later use also with 3rd pers. sing. willeth or wills, pa. tense willed, and thus blending with will v.2
50. absol. or intr. a. In disjunctive qualifying phr. such as whether he (etc.) will or nill, also who(ever will or nill (in senses 2, 5–7): whether (one) will or not; willingly or unwillingly; voluntarily or compulsorily. Obs. or rare arch.: replaced by the inverted form in b.
| c 888 ælfred Boeth. xxxiv. §12 We sceolon beon nede ᵹeþafan, sam we willan sam we nyllan, þæt he sie se hehsta hrof eallra goda. c 900 tr. Bæda's Hist. v. ix, Saᵹa him, swa he wille swa he nelle, he sceall to Columban mynstre cuman. 1411 26 Pol. Poems x. 8 Hym þat is loþ, good to lere, He shal, wheþer he wole or nylle. c 1449 Pecock Repr. iv. iii. 428 And ȝit, who euere wole or nyle, Holi Scripture wole that preesthode and dekenhode be had and vsid. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xiii. xx. 641 Thow shalte knowe hym whether thow wilt or nylt. c 1550 Rolland Crt. Venus iv. 345 Now sall he sit..Quha will, quha Nill, intill ane deip dungeoun. 1565 Harding Confut. 275 Truth is truth, and God is God, whether any Councell will or nill. 1651 N. Bacon Disc. Govt. Eng. ii. xxx. 239 They do what they list, let the Plebeian Presbyter wil or nill. 1873 T. Cooper Parad. Martyrs (1877) 355 Each thing.., whether it will or nill, The eternal purpose..Doth..fulfil. |
| pa. tense c 1470 Harding Chron. clxiii. ii, [He] theim compelled..To become his men..whether they wold or nolde. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xvii. xi. 705 Els had there ben mortal werre vpon the morne not withstandyng she wold none other whether they wold or nold. |
b. esp. with inversion of subj. (usually a pron.), as will I (or) nill I (he, they, etc.), or † abbreviated, as will (or) nill, willing (or) nilling (see willing ppl. a.); occas. vaguely = ‘one way or another, in any case, anyhow’. Now chiefly in the reduced form willy-nilly, q.v.
| c 1000 ælfric Saints' Lives xvi. 121 Forðan þe we synd synfulle and sceolan beon eadmode, wille we, nelle we. c 1230 Hali Meid. (1922) 41 Wullen ha nullen ha. a 1300 XV Signa 173 in E.E.P. (1862) 12 For wolny nulni hi sul fle. ? a 1300 Salomon & Sat. (1848) 271 Mote hit al habben is wille, Woltou, nultou, hit wol spille. 1340 Ayenb. 164 Þet is al þet he may lyese, wylle him nolle him. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. vii. 144 Wol þou so nulle þou. 1377 Ibid. B. vi. 158 Wiltow or neltow. Ibid. xx. 29 Wolhe, nolhe. c 1400 Laud Troy Bk. 17560 Wil thow, nele thow—the pees schal be! 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Matt. v. 14–16 Y⊇ hyll..that beareth it [sc. the city], willeth it, nilleth it, maketh it sene of al men. 1550 Bale Image Both Ch. ii. xvi. R v b, Will she nyll shee, needes must shee abyde his..sentence. a 1555 Latimer in Foxe A. & M. (1563) 1324/2 If my Lorde wyll needes..inuade my inwarde manne, wyll I nyll I. 1565 Harding Confut. 117 Well, how so euer it be, will ye nill ye..ye be dryuen to confesse the same to be no newe thing. a 1566 R. Edwards Damon & Pithias (1571) G iv, Wyl I or nil I, it must be done. 1567 Jewel Def. Apol. 715 God is able (..wil the Councelles, nil the Councelles) to maintaine..his owne Kingedome. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. iii. 43 And will or nill, Beares her away. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. ii. i. 273 Will you, nill you, I will marry you. 1599 Sylvester Sonn. Mirac. Peace xii, A sacred rage..Will-nill-I, raps mee boldly to rehearse Great Henrie's Tropheis. 1600 Holland Livy iii. xxx, The Nobles were so neere driven and to such streights, that will they, nill they, yeeld they must thereto. 1614 Gorges Lucan v. 187 For will, or nill, powre them constraines. 1647 J. Booker in Lilly Chr. Astrol., Be you for or against, or will ye, nill ye; I'm for the Art, and th' Author William Lilly. 1750 Gray Long Story xxii, Will he, nill he, to the Great-house He went, as if the Devil drove him. 1818 Keats Let. Wks. 1889 III. 134 In hopes of cheering you..I was determined, will he nill he, to send you some lines. 1822 Byron Juan vi. cxviii, But go they must at once, and will I—nill I. 1852 Jerdan Autobiogr. I. xvi. 116, I was obliged, will-i-nill-i, to take a sailor's advice. 1870 Lowell Among my Bks., New Eng. 2 Cent. ago 230 Land for all who would till it, and reading and writing, will ye nill ye, instead. 1899 Sir G. Douglas James Hogg iii. 68 The galloping movement of the metre hurries us, will-we nill-we, on. |
(b) in pa. tense (would{ddd}nould{ddd}, also willed{ddd}nilled{ddd}). Obs. or rare arch., the pres. form being ordinarily used even when the principal v. is in pa. tense (see quots. 1600, 1750, 1852 above).
| c 1000 ælfric Hom. (Th.) II. 388 Se brym..hine bær, wolde he, nolde he. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 7 Summe hit sungen þurh þene halie gast, walden heo naldden heo. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 10463 Wolde he so nolde. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 10772 Wold he, nold he, forþ he mote. Ibid. 13755 Þe Romains, wold ho, ne wolde, Flede. c 1400 Brut i. 79 He knelede to þe grounde, wolde he nolde he. 1549 Latimer 1st Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 28 For would they, nyl they, theyr kinge shold be of his chosynge. 1596 Danett in Burton's Diary (1828) III. 127 So that, would I, nould I, to the presse the booke must go. 1889 Wratislaw tr. Sixty Folk-Tales 65 The good prince—would he, nould he—was obliged to put some of the leaden dumplings into his pocket. |
| 1548 Patten Exped. Scot. L vij b, Which whither he did for the doubt he had that we woold haue releaced him wild he nild he [etc.]. 1577 Holinshed Chron. I. 233/1 Shee ruled them (willed they nilled they). 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. i. 549 That will'd hee nill'd hee, at length he yeelded up unto him this Castle. |
51. (Always inflected willeth (wills), willed; thus properly belonging to will v.2). a. trans. To desire, have a mind to (= 1), choose (as opp. to nill = ‘refuse’); to exercise the will with intent to effect (something), to determine by the will (as opp. to nill = ‘negative, prevent’).
| 1585 C. Fetherstone tr. Calvin on Acts iv. 32. 101 All of them do both will and nill one thing. 1596 Spenser F.Q. iv. vii. 16 But whether willed or nilled friend or foe, I me resolu'd the vtmost end to proue. 1612 T. Taylor Comm. Titus iii. 3. 613 A facultie of willing, or nilling that which is first understood and iudged of in the minde. 1616 B. Jonson Epigr. xlii, To will, and nill The selfe-same things. 1645 E. Pagitt Heresiogr. (1661) 143 The will may..of her self, will or nill, choose or refuse any kind of good. 1722 Wollaston Relig. Nat. v. 76 note, He is both cause and effect; He both willes and nilles,..loves and hates the same thing at the same time. 1775 Fletcher Scrip. Scales ii. §21. Wks. 1795 V. 335 The will..cannot be forced to will or nill anything against its own dictates. 1860 [see nill v. 2]. |
b. absol. or intr.
| 1577 tr. Bullinger's Decades 588 Will chooseth, for in it dooth lye bothe to will and to nill. a 1610 Babington Expos. Cath. Faith Wks. 1622 II. 192 Whatsoeuer is done, is done either God willing, God nilling, or God not regarding. 1611 B. Jonson Catiline i. v. C 1 b, To will, or nill, to thinke things good, or bad. 1642 D. Rogers Naaman 12 From the different dispositions, and free-will of him that nilleth or willeth. a 1680 Charnock Attrib. God (1682) 190 How had he the power of willing and nilling without a Being? Nothing cannot will or nill. |
52. So wilto shalto dial. [= wilt thou, shalt thou], whether voluntarily or by compulsion (cf. shall v. B. 3, 6 a); willy-nilly.
| 1824 Carr Craven Gloss. 1857 Waugh Lanc. Life 203 There is at'll believe naught at o', iv it isn't fair druvven into um, wilto, shalto. |
VII. 53. Comb. (nonce-wds.): will-be, n. a person or thing that will be but is not yet; one whose career or efficiency belongs to the future (cf. has-been, have-been s.v. have v. 27); adj. that will be; that aims at being, or is ready to be (cf. would-be); † will-do-all, money (cf. Eccl. x. 19).
| 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1768) I. 232, I have looked backward to the have-been's, and forward to the *will-be's. 1801 in Spirit Publ. Jrnls. V. 377 Our will-be Squires. 1900 T. R. Williams Greenfield Pulpit No. 72 (title of sermon) Jesus and will-be disciples; Luke ix. 57–62. |
| 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. (1882) 13 It commeth to passe by reason of (*will doe all) otherwise called mony. |
▪ VI. will, v.2
(wɪl)
Pres. tense 2 sing. willest, 3 sing. willeth (arch.), wills; pa. tense and pple. willed (wɪld). Forms: 1 willian, 3–4 willi, 3–6 wyll, 5–6 wille, 5–7 wil, 5– will. pa. tense 1 willode, -ade, 3 will-, wyllede, 3–6 wylled, 4 willyd, 5 -ied, Sc. -it, 5–6 -id, 3– willed; 4 wijld, 4–6 wilde, 6 wild. pa. pple. 5 willid, -yd, 5–6 wylled, 6 willet, 6– willed; 6 willd(e, 6–7 wild.
[OE. willian wk. vb. = OHG. willôn (MHG., G. willen, pa. pple. gewillt): f. will n.1]
1. trans. To wish, desire; sometimes with implication of intention: = will v.1 1, 2, 5. Obs. or rare arch.
| c 825 Vesp. Psalter xxxiii[i]. 13 [12] Hwelc is mon se wile lif & willað ᵹesian dæᵹas gode? c 1100 ælfred's Boeth. xl. §3 Ðy ne sceolde nan wis man willian [Cott. MS. wilnian] seftes lifes. c 1205 Lay. 879 Ȝif ȝe hit willed [= willeð; c 1275 wolleþ], ich hine wlle spillen. 1297 R. Glouc. (1724) 12 Þat he wilnede [v.rr. wyllede, willed] mest of alle þing to him eliance. 1340 Ayenb. 142 Herte þet þis heþ a-sayd naȝt ne willieþ more þanne uor to by..uoryete to þe wordle. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xii. 221 [Þu þat] willest of briddes and of bestes and of hire bredyng to knowe. 14.. Lat. & Eng. Prov. (MS. Douce 52) lf. 13 He þ{supt} a lytul me ȝeuyth to me wyllyth [optat] longe lyffe. 1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) 218 So had he well willyd that the monstre had deuoured perseus. 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Matt. v. 21–24 Who so euer hath gotten to hymselfe the charitie of the gospell, whyche wylleth wel to them that wylleth yll. 1581 A. Hall Iliad v. 87 By Mineruas helpe, who willes you all the ill she may. a 1677 Barrow Serm. Luke xxii. 42 Wks. 1686 III. 45 Two things he willeth, that we should be good, and that we should be happy. 1875 Tennyson Q. Mary i. iv, A great party in the state Wills me to wed her. |
† b. ? To assert, affirm: = will v.1 B. 4. rare.
| 1614 Selden Titles Hon. 134 None of this excludes Vnction before, but only wils him the first annointed by the Pope. |
c. Conjoined with nill: see will v.1 B. VI.
2. a. To direct by one's will or testament (that something be done, or something to be done).
| 871–89 [see will v.1 B. 3 b]. 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 34 At Wynchestre he lies, so himself willed. a 1513 Fabyan Chron. (1811) 613 Robert Chycheley,..the which wylled in his testament, that vpon his mynde day a good..dyner shuld be ordeyned for .xxiiii. C. poore men. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. x. 32 So to his crowne she him restor'd againe, In which he dyde, made ripe for death by eld, And after wild, it should to her remaine. 1634 Peacham Compl. Gentl. xv. (1906) 199 Willing his body to be buried in the Cathedrall Church of Rochester. 1642 tr. Perkins' Prof. Bk. viii. §547. 237 If a man willeth that his lands shall be sold for payment of his debts. 1881 M. E. Herbert Edith vii, It was a simple walking funeral, as he had wished and willed it should be. |
b. To dispose of by will; to bequeath or devise.
| c 1460 Oseney Reg. 7 Willyng and grauntyng my lorde Robert Doylly, all my londe. 1521 Test. Ebor. (Surtees) VI. 6 First I will my saull to God Almyghtie. 1524 Lincoln Wills (Lincoln Rec. Soc.) V. 132 The resydue of all my goodes not willet nor bequethed. 1546 Yks. Chantry Surv. (Surtees) II. 462, iijs. iiij{supd}...willed and bestowed of one obit. 1691 E. Taylor Behmen's Theos. Phil. 74 The Will of every of them willeth its Property. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. ii. xiii, Was it not enough that I should have been willed away, like a horse? 1883 Law Times 20 Oct., The statute of Henry VIII did something to restore the power of willing land. 1908 Mrs. H. Ward Diana Mallory iii, The vast bulk of Henry Marsham's fortune, had been willed to Lady Lucy. |
3. To determine by the will; to attempt to cause, aim at effecting by exercise of will; to set the mind with conscious intention to the performance or occurrence of something; to choose or decide to do something, or that something shall be done or happen.
Const. with simple obj., acc. and inf., simple inf. (now always with to), or obj. clause; also absol. or intr. (with as or so).
Nearly coinciding in meaning with will v.1 7, but with more explicit reference to the mental process of volition.
| a 950 Guthlac xx. (Prose) 161 æfter þon fiftyne ᵹear þe he gode williᵹende lædde his life. a 1340 Hampole Psalter vii. 17 He willyd noght flee synn. c 1440 Alphabet of Tales 263 Lady, þow hase willid me..to suffre suche a turmentrie, at þou sufferd þe instrument of þine offes for to be þus cut off. 1556 Aurelio & Isab. (1608) A vij, When..I have willed experiment it, I have founde it trewe and certaine. 1581 A. Hall Iliad v. 95 Fate had not willd that Vlysses Sarpadons death should be. 1594 Hooker Eccl. Pol. i. vii. §2 To choose is to will one thing before another. 1615 R. Cocks Diary (Hakl. Soc.) I. 9 He willed to take it all, for that he had need to use money heare. 1630 Prynne Anti-Armin. 119 He had onely a power, not to fall into sinne vnlesse he willed it. 1667 Milton P.L. viii. 549 So absolute she seems..that what she wills to do or say, Seems wisest. 1710 J. Clarke tr. Rohault's Nat. Philos. (1729) I. 11 If I will to move my Arm, it is presently moved. 1712 Berkeley Pass. Obed. §11 He that willeth the end, doth will the necessary means conducive to that end. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. i. v. v, All shall be as God wills. 1880 Meredith Tragic Com. vi, So great,..heroical, giant-like, that what he wills must be. 1891 Farrar Darkn. & Dawn liv, Who..were ready, if God so willed, to die for their faith. 1896 A. E. Housman Shropsh. Lad xxx, Others, I am not the first, Have willed more mischief than they durst. |
b. intr. To exercise the will; to perform the mental act of volition.
| 1582 N. T. (Rhem.) Phil. ii. 13 It is God which worketh in you, both to will and to accomplish. 1594 Hooker Eccl. Pol. i. vii. §2 To will, is to bend our soules to the hauing or doing of that which they see to be good. 1635 Quarles Embl. iv. viii, See how my Sin-bemangled body lies, Not having pow'r, to will; nor will, to rise! 1690 Locke Hum. Und. ii. xxi. §30 He, that shall turn his thoughts inwards upon what passes in his mind when he wills. 1830 Mackintosh Eth. Philos. Wks. 1846 I. 85 But what could induce such a being to will or to act? 1867 A. P. Forbes Explan. 39 Art. i. 12 Is this infinitely powerful and intelligent Being free? wills He? loves He? |
c. trans. To bring or get (into, out of, etc.) by exercise of will.
| 1850 L. Hunt Table-t. (1882) 184 Victims of opium have been known to be unable to will themselves out of the chair in which they were sitting. 1874 H. R. Reynolds John Bapt. iii. §2. 156 The great powers of nature..were willed into being by the word of Jehovah. |
d. To control (another person), or induce (another) to do something, by the mere exercise of one's will, as in hypnotism.
| 1882 Proc. Soc. Psych. Research I. 57 note, The one to be ‘willed’ would go to the other end of the house, if desired, whilst we agreed upon the thing to be done. 1886 19th Cent. Dec. 883 They are what is called ‘willed’ to do certain things desired by the ladies or gentlemen who have hold of them. 1897 A. Lang Dreams & Ghosts iii. 59 A young lady, who believed that she could play the ‘willing game’ successfully without touching the person ‘willed’. |
4. To express or communicate one's will or wish with regard to something: with various shades of meaning. (Cf. will v.1 3.) a. To enjoin, order; to decree, ordain. Obs. or arch.
(a) with personal obj., usually with inf. or clause.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 11293 Þe lai of moyses..wijld Womman þat had a knaue child, At hir formast birth suld sco It offer þe hali temple to. 1481 Cov. Leet Bk. 496 We desire and also will you that vnto oure seid seruaunt..ye yeue your aid. 1547 Edw. VI in Rymer Foedera (1719) XV. 192 We Wyll and Commaunde yowe to Procede in the seid Matters. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 659 Their sute was smally regarded, and shortly after they were willed to silence. 1588 Lambarde Eiren. ii. vii. 272 If a man do lie in awaite to rob me, and (drawing his sword upon me) he willeth me to deliver my money. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, i. iii. 10 We doe no otherwise then wee are will'd. 1596 Nashe Saffron Walden P 4, Vp he was had and..willed to deliuer vp his weapon. a 1656 Hales Gold. Rem. (1673) i. 31 The King in the Gospel, that made a Feast, and..willed his servants to go out to the high-ways side. 1799 Nelson in Nicolas Disp. (1845) III. 397 Willing and requiring all Officers and men to obey you. |
(b) with thing as obj., either n. (alone or with inf. pass.) or obj. clause; also absol. in clause with as. (See also 2 a.)
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 13261 At þat orribill I asket angardly myche, Of dethe, & of deire, as destyny willes. 1412 in 15th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. viii. 10 We..wil for the mare sekernes this oure confirmacioune be..selit with oure grete sele. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 224 b, Where scripture wylleth the contrary. 1565 Cooper Thesaurus s.v. Classicum, By sounde of trumpet to will scilence. 1585 in Engl. Hist. Rev. (1914) Jan. 115 Th'act..was ones red..and was willed to be ingrosed to the third reading. 1612 Bacon Ess., Of Empire (Arb.) 300 It is common with Princes (saith Tacitus) to will contradictories. 1697 Dryden æneis i. 112 'Tis yours, O Queen! to will The Work, which Duty binds me to fulfil. 1877 Tennyson Harold vi. i, Get thou into thy cloister as the king Will'd it. |
† b. To pray, request, entreat; = desire v. 6.
| 1454 Paston Lett. Suppl. (1901) 54 As for the questyon that ye wylled me to aske my lord, I fond hym yet at no good leyser. 1564 Haward tr. Eutropius iii. 26 b, The Romaines sent ambassadoures to him, to wyll him to cease from battayle. 1581 A. Hall Iliad ii. 19 His errand done, as he was willde, he toke his flight from thence. 1631 [Mabbe] Celestina xiii. 150 Did I not will you I should not be wakened? 1690 Dryden Amphitryon i. i, He has sent me to will and require you to make a swinging long Night for him. |
† c. fig. of a thing: To require, demand (cf. will v.1 B. 3 c); also, to induce, persuade (a person to do something). Obs.
| 1445 in Anglia XXVIII. 267 Constaunce willeth also That thou doo nouȝte with weyke corage. 1563 Googe Eglogs Ded. (Arb.) 24 These..mischiefes vtterly diswaded me from the folowynge of my frendes perswasions, and wylled me rather to condem them. 1579 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 88 Wisedome willeth me to pawse. 1607 Shakes. Cor. ii. iii. 125 What Custome wills in all things, should we doo't? The Dust on antique Time would lye vnswept. 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 633 Mean while, as Nature wills, Night bids us rest. |
▪ VII. will, v.3 Now only Shetland dial.
Pa. tense and pple. willed, wilt (also 4 wylt, 5 welt).
[a. ON. villask, refl. of villa to lead astray, f. villr will a.]
intr. To go astray, lose one's way; to stray; pa. pple. gone astray, ‘lost’ (= will a. 1).
| 13.. Metr. Hom. (Vernon MS.) in Herrig Archiv LVII. 277 So fer forþ þis foul him tilled Þat atte last in wode he willed. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1711 He..Stelez out ful stilly..Went haf wylt of þe wode with wylez fro þe houndes. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 3230 Me thoughte I was in a wode willed myne one. c 1440 York Myst. xxviii. 17 Qwat way is he willed In þis worlde wyde? |
| 1887 Jessie M. E. Saxby Lads of Lunda, Helyers v, ‘To will’, in Shetlandic parlance, means to lose your way. 1899 J. Spence Shetl. Folk-Lore 227 ‘They're wilt that wales’ has reference to the difficulty often experienced in choosing among many things. |
▪ VIII. will
obs. f. vile, well n.1, v.1, adv.