Definition of 'will'
Will is a modal verb. It is used with the base form of a verb. In spoken English and informal
written English, the form won't is often used in negative statements.
1. modal verb
8. modal verb
9. See also willing
11. modal verb
You use will to indicate that an action usually happens in the particular way mentioned.
12. modal verb
13. modal verb
14. modal verb
You use will have with a past participle when you are saying that you are fairly certain that something will be true by a particular time in the
future.
15. modal verb
You use will have with a past participle to indicate that you are fairly sure that something is the case.
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
English Easy Learning GrammarWhen do you use 'shall' and 'will' in English?The normal way to express simple future time in English is using the modal verb will followed
by the base form of a main verb.
The modal verb shall is ... Read more
The modal verb shall is ... Read more
English Easy Learning GrammarAuxiliary verbsWhat is an auxiliary verb in English?
How do you use the verb 'be' in English?
How do you use the verb 'have' in English?
How do you use the verb 'do' ... Read more
How do you use the verb 'be' in English?
How do you use the verb 'have' in English?
How do you use the verb 'do' ... Read more
English Easy Learning GrammarHow do you form the future in English?English has no future tense as such. However, several forms, especially the modal verbs will and shall,
can be used to make future reference. These forms ... Read more
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense wills
, present participle willing
, past tense, past participle willed
2. See also free will
3. singular noun [with poss]
4. verb
5. countable noun
A will is a document in which you declare what you want to happen to your money and property when you die.
6. verb
If you will something to someone, you say in your will that they should have it when you die.
The large sum of money that came to him when she died was a shock, and he had not
spent a penny of it on himself. He had, however, willed it to Frank. [VERB noun to noun]
7.
8.
See at will
9.
See with a will
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
You may also like
Word Frequency
will in British English 1
verbWord forms: past tense would (takes an infinitive without to or an implied infinitive)
▶ USAGE See note at shall2.
used as an auxiliary to express resolution on the part of the speaker
I will buy that radio if it's the last thing I do
3.
used as an auxiliary to indicate willingness or desire
will you help me with this problem?
4.
used as an auxiliary to express compulsion, as in commands
you will report your findings to me tomorrow
5.
used as an auxiliary to express capacity or ability
this rope will support a load
6.
used as an auxiliary to express probability or expectation on the part of the speaker
that will be Jim telephoning
8. (with the infinitive always implied)
stay if you will
9. See what you will
10. See will do
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
Old English willan; related to Old Saxon willian, Old Norse vilja, Old High German wollen, Latin velle to wish, will
Word Frequency
will in British English 2
noun
1. ▶ Related adjectives: voluntary, volitive
2.
the act or an instance of asserting a choice
3.
a. ▶ Related adjective: testamentary
b.
a revocable instrument by which such wishes are expressed
7. See at will
8. See with a will
verb (mainly tr; often takes a clause as object or an infinitive)
10. (also intr)
to exercise the faculty of volition in an attempt to accomplish (something)
he willed his wife's recovery from her illness
11.
to give (property) by will to a person, society, etc
she willed a million euros to various charities
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
willer (ˈwiller) noun
Word origin
Old English willa; related to Old Norse vili, Old High German willeo (German Wille), Gothic wilja, Old Slavonic voljaWord Frequency
will in American English 1
(wɪl) (verb present singular 1st person will, 2nd person will, archaic wilt, 3rd person will, present plural will, past singular 1st person would, 2nd person would, archaic wouldst, 3rd person would, past plural would, past participle obsolete wold or would)
(imperative, infinitive, and present participle lacking)
auxiliary verb or verb
1.
am (is, are, etc.) about or going to
I will be there tomorrow
She will see you at dinner
5. (used emphatically)
am (is, are, etc.) determined or sure to
You would do it
People will talk
6.
am (is, are, etc.) accustomed to, or do usually or often
You will often see her sitting there
He would write for hours at a time
7.
am (is, are, etc.) habitually disposed or inclined to
Boys will be boys
After dinner they would read aloud
8.
am (is, are, etc.) capable of; can
This tree will live without water for three months
9.
am (is, are, etc.) going to
I will bid you “Good night”
transitive verb or intransitive verb
USAGE See shall.10.
to wish; desire; like
Go where you will
Ask, if you will, who the owner is
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[bef. 900; ME willen, OE wyllan; c. D willen, G wollen, ON vilja, Goth wiljan; akin to L velle to wish]Word Frequency
will in American English 2
(wɪl) (verb willed, willing)
noun
1.
the faculty of conscious and especially of deliberate action; the power of control the mind has over its own actions
the freedom of the will
2.
power of choosing one's own actions
to have a strong or a weak will
3.
the act or process of using or asserting one's choice; volition
My hands are obedient to my will
4.
wish or desire
to submit against one's will
5.
to have the will to succeed
6.
the wish or purpose as carried out, or to be carried out
to work one's will
8. Law
a.
b.
the document containing such a declaration
9. See at will
transitive verb
10.
to decide, bring about, or attempt to effect or bring about by an act of the will
He can walk if he wills it
intransitive verb
SYNONYMS 3. choice. 4. pleasure, disposition, inclination. 5. resolution, decision. will, volition refer to conscious choice as to action or thought. will denotes fixed and persistent intent or purpose: Where there's a will there's a way. volition is the power of forming an intention or the incentive for using the will: to exercise one's volition in making a decision. 10. determine. 12. leave.14.
to exercise the will
To will is not enough, one must do
15.
to decide or determine
Others debate, but the king wills
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
willer noun
Word origin
[bef. 900; (n.) ME will(e), OE will(a); c. D wil, G Wille, ON vili, Goth wilja; (v.) ME willen, OE willian to wish, desire, deriv. of the n.; akin to will1]Word Frequency
Will in American English
(wɪl)
noun
a male given name, form of William
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word Frequency
will in Insurance
(wɪl)
Word forms: (regular plural) wills
noun
Talking about willsWhen you make a will, you bequeath your possessions to others.If you will stipulates something, it says that something must happen.(Insurance: Life insurance)
A will is a legal document in which you declare what you want to happen to your money and
property when you die.
The estate is distributed to heirs according to the terms of the person's will.
A will distributes solely-owned property of a deceased that is left over after paying creditors
and taxes.
A will is a legal document in which you declare what you want to happen to your money and
property when you die.
Collins COBUILD Key Words for Insurance. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Examples of 'will' in a sentence
will
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content that does not reflect the opinions or policies of Collins, or its parent company HarperCollins.
We welcome feedback: report an example sentence to the Collins team. Read more…
Quotations
Where there's a will there's a way
Trends of
will
View usage for:
Source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
In other languages
will
British English: will
/wɪl/ NOUN
determination Will is the determination to do something.
He lost his will to live.
- American English: will /ˈwɪl/ motivation
- Arabic: إرَادَة
- Brazilian Portuguese: vontade
- Chinese: 意志
- Croatian: volja
- Czech: vůle
- Danish: vilje
- Dutch: wil
- European Spanish: deseo
- Finnish: tahto
- French: volonté
- German: Testament
- Greek: θέληση
- Italian: testamento
- Japanese: 意志 motivation
- Korean: 의지
- Norwegian: testamente
- Polish: testament
- European Portuguese: testamento
- Romanian: dorință
- Russian: воля
- Latin American Spanish: voluntad
- Swedish: testamente
- Thai: ความตั้งใจ
- Turkish: vasiyet
- Ukrainian: воля
- Vietnamese: ý chí
British English: will
/wɪl/ NOUN
document A will is a legal document stating what you want to happen to your money when you die.
- American English: will /ˈwɪl/ document
- Arabic: وَصِيَّة
- Brazilian Portuguese: testamento
- Chinese: 遗嘱
- Croatian: oporuka
- Czech: závěť
- Danish: testamente
- Dutch: testament
- European Spanish: voluntad
- Finnish: testamentti
- French: testament
- German: Wille
- Greek: διαθήκη
- Italian: volontà
- Japanese: 遺言 document
- Korean: 유서
- Norwegian: vilje
- Polish: wola
- European Portuguese: vontade
- Romanian: testament
- Russian: завещание
- Latin American Spanish: testamento
- Swedish: vilja
- Thai: พินัยกรรม
- Turkish: irade
- Ukrainian: заповіт
- Vietnamese: di chúc
British English: will
/wɪl/ VERB
with future tense You use will to talk about things that are going to happen in the future.
Mum will be angry.
- American English: will /ˈwɪl, wɪl/
- Arabic: سَوْفَ
- Brazilian Portuguese: verbo usado para exprimir futuro
- Chinese: 将要
- Croatian: biti (budućnost)
- Czech: budebudoucí čas
- Danish: blive
- Dutch: zullen
- European Spanish: verbo auxiliar de futuro
- Finnish: future tense
- French: futur
- German: wird
- Greek: θα
- Italian: auxiliary verb for future tense
- Japanese: (未来のことを述べて)・・・するだろう
- Korean: ~일 것이다
- Norwegian: bli
- Polish: nie tłumaczy się na język polski; służy do tworzenia czasu przyszłego
- European Portuguese: verbo auxiliar do futuro (ir)
- Romanian: a vreaauxiliar timpul viitor
- Russian: будет
- Latin American Spanish: hacer en futuro
- Swedish: komma att
- Thai: จะ
- Turkish: ecek, acak
- Ukrainian: вказує на майбутню дію
- Vietnamese: sẽ
British English: will
VERB /wɪl/
wish If you will something to happen, you try to make it happen by using mental effort rather than physical effort.
I looked at the telephone, willing it to ring.
Browse alphabetically
will
Source
Definition of will from the Collins English Dictionary
Read about the team of authors behind Collins Dictionaries.
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
KITCHEN UTENSILS
Drag the correct answer into the box.
sugar bowl
frying pan
saucepan
measuring jug
KITCHEN UTENSILS
Drag the correct answer into the box.
colander
wooden spoon
saucepan
frying pan
Your score:
Word of the day
barbecue
A barbecue is a piece of equipment which you use for cooking on in the open air .
Latest Word Submissions
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
Your score:
Learning English: countable and uncountable nouns
Discover more about the differences between countable and uncountable nouns in our latest Learning English blog.
Read more
Learning English: Months of the year
Learn how to speak about the months of the year, and give information about important dates. Improve your English with Collins.
Read more
Learning English: Days of the week
Learn how to discuss what happens on different days of the week, whether you want to make plans for the day or talk about weekly routines.
Read more
Learning English: Going shopping
Discover some useful English expressions to use while you're out at the shops in this week's Learning English blog.
Read more
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more