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WILLING
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
The act of making a choice
Example:
followed my father of my own volition
Synonyms:
volition; willing
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("willing" is a kind of...):
choice; option; pick; selection (the act of choosing or selecting)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "willing"):
intention (an act of intending; a volition that you intend to carry out)
Derivation:
will (determine by choice)
II. (adjective)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Not brought about by coercion or force
Example:
the confession was uncoerced
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Similar:
voluntary (of your own free will or design; done by choice; not forced or compelled)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Disposed or inclined toward
Example:
willing helpers
Classified under:
Similar:
consenting (having given consent)
disposed; fain; inclined; prepared (having made preparations)
glad; happy (eagerly disposed to act or to be of service)
ready (mentally disposed)
volitional (with deliberate intention)
willing and able (not reluctant)
Also:
compliant (inclined to comply)
inclined ((often followed by 'to') having a preference, disposition, or tendency)
ready (completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress)
voluntary (of your own free will or design; done by choice; not forced or compelled)
Attribute:
disposition; temperament (your usual mood)
Antonym:
unwilling (not disposed or inclined toward)
Derivation:
willingness (cheerful compliance)
III. (verb)
Sense 1
-ing form of the verb will
Context examples:
We are willing to work and we mean to wait.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
We're willing to submit, if we can come to terms, and no bones about it.
(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)
So they ate and drank, and after that the little man said: Since you have a good heart, and are willing to divide what you have, I will give you good luck.
(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)
"Where be thy strong son, Moklan, and the fish he was ever willing to bring that you might eat?"
(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)
My aunt observed, that in a case where both parties were willing to agree to anything, she took it for granted there would be no difficulty in settling this point.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
Then he took the trail, the lightened sled bounding along behind the willing dogs; for they, too, knew that safety lay open in the gaining of Fort McGurry.
(White Fang, by Jack London)
She then asked my master, “whether he was willing to sell me at a good price?”
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
“Belcher has consented to train you for the coming battle if you are willing to enter.”
(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
The wench must be willing, or the man must be standing up against me, else, by these ten finger bones! either were safe enough for me.
(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
I am willing to forget those which are passed if you will promise that there shall be no more in the future.
(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
