adv. Forms: 4–5. uoluntariely, 5– voluntarily, 6 -ilye, -ile, 6–7 -ilie; 6 -elie, -ely; 6 -yly(e, 6–7 -ylie. [f. VOLUNTARY a. + -LY2.]
1. Of one’s own free will or accord; without compulsion, constraint or undue influence by others; freely, willingly.
In very frequent use from c. 1530.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., III. pr. xii. (1868), 103. Þer may no man douten, þat þei ne ben gouerned uoluntariely.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), III. 163. Wherefore sche thouȝhte … men wolde haue seide that sche consente to hym voluntarily.
1440. Dk. Gloucester, Manifesto, in Rymer Fœdera (1710), X. 766/2. To see the Worship, that God soe long hath eured hym with … shuld so voluntarily be put in likelyhed of total Perdition.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., VII. (1811), 299. Kyng Richarde … voluntaryly tooke vppon hym, and promysed to warre vpon Crystis enemyes.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 196 b. Duke Maurice of Saxonye served in thys warre voluntarily.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. (1882), 84. If the other churches … will voluntarily impart any thing to the supplie of his necessities.
c. 1610. Women Saints (1886), 37. To these mariages, albeit with a king, she was rather haled perforce than voluntarilie assenting.
1663. Bp. Patrick, Parab. Pilgr., xiii. (1687), 87. At last he voluntarily, and without any compulsion but that of his Love, died upon a Cross.
1717. Steele, Spect., No. 149, ¶ 7. The happy Marriage is, where two Persons meet and voluntarily make Choice of each other.
1754. Edwards, Freed. Will, II. ix. 76. When Men act voluntarily, and do what they please, then they do what appears most agreable to them.
1808. Pike, Sources Mississ., III. 215. I know you do not go voluntarily, but I will give you a certificate … of my having obliged you to march.
1858. Masson, Milton, I. 605. Milton … either voluntarily offered a contribution, or was invited to send one.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 160. Him who does no evil, voluntarily I praise and love.
b. Said of animals.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 161. Euery night … an assembly of dogs … meete voluntarily at an appointed houre, for the custody of the Temple. Ibid., 669. They vse to harden their ribs by rubbing them voluntarily vppon Trees.
1831. Youatt, Horse, iv. 55. It … does sometimes happen, that … the horse … voluntarily presses on, until … he falls and dies.
2. Without other determining force than natural character or tendency; naturally, spontaneously.
1562. Bullein, Bulwarke, Sicke Men (1579), 21. The first of them is naturall, as when men do voluntarily sweat, without force of medicine.
1575. Turberv., Faulconrie, 318. They plume themselues oftentimes, yea and the pendant feathers of their thighes … fal off voluntarily.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage, IV. i. 291. The Earth voluntarily and liberally yeeldeth her store.
1700. C. Nesse, Antid. Armin. (1827), 68. Man being left to the mutability of his own will … would voluntarily incline to evil.
† 3. At will, at pleasure; extempore. Obs.–1
1676. T. Mace, Mus. Mon., Pref. The Hints and Directions which I have given, as towards the Procuring of Invention, or Playing Voluntarily.
