voluntary

voluntary
voluntary [väl′ən ter΄ē]
adj.
[ME voluntarie < L voluntarius, voluntary < voluntas, free will < volo, I wish: see VOLITION]
1. brought about by one's own free choice; given or done of one's own free will; freely chosen or undertaken
2. acting in a specified capacity willingly or of one's own accord
3. intentional; not accidental [voluntary manslaughter]
4. controlled by one's mind or will [voluntary muscles]
5. having free will or the power of free choice [man is a voluntary agent]
6.
a) supported by contributions or freewill offerings; not supported or maintained by the state [voluntary churches]
b) done or carried on by or made up of volunteers rather than by people paid or conscripted
7. arising in the mind without external constraint; spontaneous
8. Law
a) acting or done without compulsion or persuasion
b) done without profit, payment, or any valuable consideration
n.
pl. voluntaries
Music a piece or solo, often an improvisation, played on the organ before, during, or after a church service
voluntarily [väl΄ən ter′ə lē]
adv.
SYN.- VOLUNTARY implies the exercise of one's own free choice or will in an action, whether or not external influences are at work [voluntary services ]; INTENTIONAL applies to that which is done on purpose for a definite reason and is in no way accidental [an intentional slight ]; DELIBERATE implies full realization of the significance of what one intends to do and of its effects [a deliberate lie ]; WILLFUL implies obstinate and perverse determination to follow one's own will despite influences, arguments, advice, etc. in opposition [a willful refusal ]

English World dictionary. . 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • voluntary — vol·un·tary / vä lən ˌter ē/ adj 1 a: proceeding from one s own free choice or consent rather than as the result of duress, coercion, or deception a voluntary statement b: not compelled by law: done as a matter of choice or agreement voluntary… …   Law dictionary

  • Voluntary — Vol un*ta*ry, a. [L. voluntarius, fr. voluntas will, choice, from the root of velle to will, p. pr. volens; akin to E. will: cf. F. volontaire, Of. also voluntaire. See {Will}, v. t., and cf. {Benevolent}, {Volition}, {Volunteer}.] 1. Proceeding… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Voluntary — • Wilful, proceeding from the will Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Voluntary     Voluntary     † …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • voluntary — vol‧un‧ta‧ry [ˈvɒləntri ǁ ˈvɑːlənteri] adjective 1. done or agreed to willingly and without being forced: • He suggested that workers take voluntary pay cuts to help the economy. • Cigar advertising on television is banned under a voluntary… …   Financial and business terms

  • voluntary — voluntary, intentional, deliberate, willful, willing can mean constituting or proceeding from an exercise of free will. Voluntary, the most widely applicable of these terms, often implies not only freedom from constraint but freedom from the… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Voluntary — (v. engl. „spontan“) bezeichnet ein Musikstück (meist für die Orgel), welches improvisiert wurde oder eine Komposition von improvisatorischem Charakter. Das Voluntary entstammt dem englischen Barock und ist in der ursprünglichen Funktion mit dem… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Voluntary — may refer to:*A word meaning done, given, or acting of one s own free will , see Volunteer *Voluntary (music), a piece of music played as part of a church service …   Wikipedia

  • voluntary — ● voluntary, voluntaries nom masculin (anglais voluntary) En Angleterre, au XVIe s., court morceau d orgue improvisé avant le culte ou pièce pour clavecin. (L école des virginalistes en a laissé de nombreux exemples. Blow et Purcell l… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Voluntary — Vol un*ta*ry, n.; pl. {Voluntaries}. 1. One who engages in any affair of his own free will; a volunteer. [R.] Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. (Mus.) A piece played by a musician, often extemporarily, according to his fancy; specifically, an organ solo… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • voluntary — late 14c. (implied in voluntarily), from L. voluntarius of one s free will, from voluntas will, from the ancient accusative singular prp. of velle to wish (see WILL (Cf. will) (v.)). Originally of feelings, later also of actions (mid 15c.) …   Etymology dictionary

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