Will v.¹

Pa. t. would. Forms: see below. [OE. *willan, pres. t. wille, willaþ, pa. t. 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 sb.¹, WILL v.², WALE sb.² choice, WELL adv.: f. Indo-Eur. wel-: wol-: wl-, represented by L. velle, volo (velim, voluī), Lith. vẽlyju, vẽlyti 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.  Infinitive. 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.  Present 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.  (MS. c. 1100) Ælfred, Boeth., iii. § 4 Ic nu wille ʓeornlice to Gode cleopian.

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. xvi. 24. Ʒif hua wil [Rushw. wille, Ags. Gosp. wylle, Hatton wile] æfter meh ʓecyme. 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. 8. 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 Diuinitie, 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.  Metham, Amoryus & Cleopes, 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. 306–7. To be sure, sartinly, that I wull.

1869.  A. Macdonald, Love, Law & Theol., xxiv. 542. ‘Oh, never mind Mrs. M‘Creesh.’
  ‘Oh, but a wull mind.’

  γ.  a. 1275.  Prov. Alfred, 668, 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^r Lordship’s noble wysdome woll consyder thes.

1652.  Hermeticall Banquet, 82. Then drink’t I wooll.

1718.  J. Fox, Wanderer, 118. Write me down,—I mean print it down in your next Paper 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.  ‘Shelsley Beauchamp,’ Nelly Hamilton, II. 17. ‘A thinks a ool,’ says she.

  δ.  [c. 825.  Vesp. Psalter, v. 5 [4]. Forðon ne wellende god unrehtwisnisse ðu earð.]

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. x. 39. Seðe welle losiʓe 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.

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.  P. 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.  Phaër, 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.  Shaks., 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? Ibid. (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 just 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.  Plural. 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. Ʒefiað & 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. Ibid. (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 (1924), I. 72, note. Rather then we wyll suffre hytt ther shall XX personys dye in i 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. Ȝer 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 ʓie welle.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 16327. I wat and seis þai wel noght fine.

13[?].  welyn [see α. 1303].

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 23. Þes coueitous synonyentis 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 ʓie?

1436.  in Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., Var. Coll. (1907), IV. 199. Praynge yow … that ye wal tenderly consider … the thynges afore rehersed. Ibid. (1452), 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, 6–7 Ile, 7 I’le, 8 I’il; he’ll, 8 hee’l; she’ll, 6–7 sheele, 7 shele; it’ll; we’ll, 6–7 weele, (6 wyll), 7 wee’l(e, wee’ll; you’ll, 6–7 youle, 7 you’le; ye’ll, 8 yeil; they’ll, 7 theile, 7–8 they’l; who’ll, 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.  Shaks., 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.  Shaks., Ant. & Cl., III. vii. 60. Wee’l to our Ship.

1607.  Dekker & Webster, Westw. Hoe, V. i. Theile scrape themselues into your company.

1608.  Shaks., 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.  Shaks., 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.  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.  Shaks., Tit. A., IV. i. 117. Come, come, thou’lt do thy message, wilt thou not? Ibid. (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 & ʓesomniʓe 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, I 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.

1670.  Dryden, 1st Pt. Conq. Granada, IV. ii. (1672), 49. But what I cannot grant, I will not hear. Almanz. You wonnot hear!

1686.  trans. 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.  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.  Mary 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.  Imper. 1 pl. willaþ, North. wællað, -as, wallað, 4 wile, 5 wylleth, wyl.

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Mark xvi. 6 Nolite expauescere, ne wællas ʓefrohtiʓa.

1382, c. 1400.  [see B. 12 b].

  8.  Past 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; 5–9 (now dial.) wod.

c. 888.  (MS. c. 960) Ælfred, Boeth., xvi. § 2. Hu wunderlic wolde eow ðæt þincan; hwelce cehhettunge ʓe woldan þæs habban, & mid hwelce hleahtre ʓe 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.  Warkw., 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.

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. Ibid. (1481), 76. I whowllyd fayn heyr some good tydyngys of yowr matter. Ibid. (1487), 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.  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.  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.  Shaftesb., Charac., II. 227. Would you then appeal…? Most certainly I should appeal, said I.

1787.  Mrs. 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. Psalter, xxxix. 9. Volui, ic walde.

c. 897.  K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., lviii. 443. He walde … ðæt hi wæren ʓedrefde.

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., John vii. 44. Sumo … of ðæm ualdon ʓegrioppa 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 thane, quha vald not be reformit.

1596.  Dalrymple, trans. 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.  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.  trans. 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 woldust 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, ʓif 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. Ibid. (13[?]), 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.  Shaks., 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.

1679.  J. Studes 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^t as gode wylle y cholde hym seruy.

1591.  Shaks., Two Gent., IV. iii. 3. Ther’s some great matter she’ld employ me in. Ibid. (1607), Timon, I. i. 208. Ape. … I eate not Lords. Tim. And thou should’st, thoud’st anger Ladies. Ibid. (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.  Harriet P. Spofford, in 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.  Miss 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. Psalter, lxvii[i]. 31 [30]. Tostenc ðiode ða ʓefeht 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.  Cursor M., 20657 [see A. 3 b].

1382.  [see A. 4 α].

1423.  James 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.  Shaks (title), Twelfe Night, Or what you will.

1654.  R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 44. Will what befalleth, and befall what will.

1734.  trans. 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 sbs. 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 lufiʓe … 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…, 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.  Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., II. iv. 81. Ile no Swaggerers:… shut the doore, there comes no Swaggerers heere. Ibid. (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 ʓe nu swa swa ʓe willon þæt eow sy eft ʓedemed.

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 were he is a ful noble knyȝt.

1548.  Hutten, Sum of Diuinitie, K viij. God wylle all men to be saued.

1561.  T. Hoby, trans. 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.

c. 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.  Stoner Papers (Camden), I. 47. Y … wole and hertely prey you … that ye seale the deedes.

c. 1470.  Golagros & 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 ʓetrymed me & minum erfeweardum.

1430–1.  [see 23].

1504.  Bury Wills (Camden), 99. I wyll that Rose Plandon shall haue x marc.

1597.  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.  Shaks., 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 justifie 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. Ʒif þu þonne wille mildheortnesse us don, sæʓe us þæt hrædlice.

a. 1000.  Guthlac, 5. Ʒif we haliʓ 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 & ʓehealden sia hiabenlice bledsung.

a. 1000.  Cædmon’s Genesis, 559. Ʒif 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 or 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.  Shaks., 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.  Shaks., 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 ʓeearnian 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?

1399.  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, trans. 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.  K. Ælfred, Oros., V. vii. 230. Elpendes hyd wile drincan wætan ʓelice & 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.  Maundev. (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.  Shaks., 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.  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.  Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 607. But all in vaine, good Queene, it will not bee. Ibid. (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. Smith], 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, Lett., 21 March. 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. Ibid. (1490), Eneydos, xv. 55. Iuno the goddesse, wyllynge accomplysshe the maryge of Eneas to dydo.

1539.  Bible (Great), Isa. lxvi. 6. I heare y^e 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. except in will have it (see HAVE v. B. 13 b).

1591.  Shaks., 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., 196. 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.  Shaks., A. Y. L., V. iii. 2. To morrow will we be married. Ibid. (1607), Cor., V. iii. 127. Ile run away Till I am bigger, but then Ile fight.

1777.  Clara 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 best 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.  trans. Secr. Secr., xi. 11. That eche mane se … that he dredith god, and that he wolle governe him aftir goddis plesaunce.

1610.  Shaks., 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?

  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 ʓelyfan wordum minum.

1303.  R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 3728. Ȝyf 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.  Shaks., 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.

1743.  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., April, 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 dende feðan.

c. 1000.  Ags. Ps. (Th.), cii[i]. 2. Ne wylt þu oferʓeottul 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.  Shaks., Two Gent., III. i. 381. Well, ile haue her: and if it be a match, as nothing is impossible.

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.  Shaks., Two Gent., IV. i. 9. Peace: we’ll heare him. Ibid. (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.  Shaks., 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, Lett. 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.]. Ibid. (1831), Ct. Robt., 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. Ʒif þu æfre cymst … to þære stowe,… þonne wilt ðu cweþan [etc.]. Ibid. (c. 897), Gregory’s Past. C., xi. 71. Ʒif hiere ne bið sona ʓestiered, hio wile weahsan mid unʓemete.

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.  Shaks., Ham., IV. v. 3. Qu. I will not speake with her. Hor. She is importunate, indeed distract, her moode will needs be pittied. Ibid. (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.  Miss 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…, I’ll be hanged if..., etc.).

1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. XXI. 266. And ȝut ich, book, wol beo brent, bote he arise to lyue.

1596.  Shaks., 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. Ibid. (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. Ibid. (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.  Crafte 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... = ‘I think it is…’ or ‘it is about…’; 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.  T. Hoby, trans. Castiglione’s Courtyer (1577), Author’s Ep. B iv. If the booke shall generally please, I wyll count him good.

1590.  Shaks., 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.  Shaks., 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 catgut 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, Lett., 12 May (in Davey’s Catal. (1895), 30). I will be happy to contribute anything in my power. Ibid. (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.  Sheila 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.  Maundev., 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.

1536.  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 williʓende (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. Ibid. (13[?]), 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.  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.  trans. 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 Gd. Wijf tauȝte hir Douȝtir, 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.  Shaks., Merry W., III. iii. 145. Ile in, Ile in. Ibid. (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. Ibid. (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, Lett., 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, 26. ‘A, boy,’ quod she, ‘wylt þou so, þou shalt sone myskarye.’

1548–9.  Bk. Com. Prayer, Catechisme, 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.  Shaks., 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.  Shaks., Rom. & Jul., I. v. 38. ’Tis since the Nuptiall of Lucentio, Come Pentycost as quickely as it will, Some fiue and twenty yeares. Ibid. (1596), 1 Hen. IV., I. ii. 162. Well, come what will, Ile tarry at home. Ibid. (1602), Ham., V. ii. 10. There’s a divinity that shapes our ends, Rough-hew them how we will.

1633.  Earl Manch., 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. At night, 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.  trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc., 101. He schal slepe alsone, wille he wil he noȝt.

1568.  Hacket, trans. 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.  trans. Bæda’s Hist., III. viii. [Heo] cwæð … þæt heo þa hy fruʓne, hwæt heo sohten oððe hwæt heo þider wolden.

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Saints’ Lives, xx. 13. Se ealdor-man ʓewat 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, trans. 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? Ibid. (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.

1430–1.  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.  Shaks., 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. except in dependence on a principal vb. in past time.

c. 888.  Ælfred, Boeth., vii. § 3. Wast þu hu ic ʓewand ymb Croeses … þa þa hine Cirus … ʓefangen 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 ʓerihtwisian.

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.  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 merʓen daʓian 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 … ʓehete 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.  Maundev. (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.

1617.  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.  Lucy B. Walford, Baby’s Grandmother, I. xii. 227. 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^t he wolde brynge y^e 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 ʓebiddan.

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.  Underdowne, trans. Heliodorus, VII. (1895), 184. So lay shee all that night … sometime would she rise up:… sometime would shee cast her clothes almoste all from her.

1621.  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 Minstrel, 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.  Winifred 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.

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.

  30.  (Cf. II. 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 dæʓe aras, swa ic ær beforan þe sæʓde & ʓeheht 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.

c. 1340.  Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 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.  Shaks., 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 March. 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.  K. Ælfred, Oros., III. ix. 128. Þa Darius ʓeseah þæt he oferwunnen beon wolde, þa wolde he hiene selfne on ðæm ʓefeohte 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 humble and earnest 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.  G. M. Trevelyan, in Cornhill Mag., June, 569. The Elizabethans’ 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, which was ten o’clock, that Master Richard came again to the hall.

1909.  E. H. Burton, Life Bp. Challoner, I. ii. 12. The last of the Douay martyrs, the Ven. Thomas Thwing, had suffered but one year previously. Some of the priests living at Douay in 1705 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.  Dasent, Annals Eventful Life (ed. 4), I. xiv. 160. 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. exept 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.  K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., iii. 35. & ða he him from wolde, ða ʓefeng he hine.

971.  Blickl. Hom., 79. [Hi] þæt land ʓesetton 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 desien.

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, Reliq., 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, III. 39. I wanted Mr. Meyers to come with us, but he wouldn’t.

1920.  E. Cahen, in 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^t 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.  Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 174. What would these strangers? Ibid. (1596), Merch. V., I. iii. 66. Is he yet posest 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. Ibid. (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 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.  Shaks., Mids. N., V. i. 255. I am wearie of this Moone; would he would change. Ibid. (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. Robt., xix. I would to God I had more.

1865.  Whittier, Kallundborg Church, 48. Would I might die now in thy stead!

1882.  Tennyson, Charge of the 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.  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 ʓeboht? Ibid., xl. § 7. Ic wolde acsian hwæðer we æniʓne 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.  Shaks., Two Gent., III. i. 80. What would your Grace haue me to do in this? Ibid. (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.  Housman, Shropsh. Lad, lvi. Far I hear the bugle blow To call me where I would not go.

1905.  Athenæum, Feb. 11, 172/3. The field of second-rate ‘romantism,’ as Mr. Marion Crawford would have us call it, is wide.

  ¶  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 … 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, Æneid, 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.  Alice Gardner, in Engl. Hist. Rev., July, 440. Working-men’s colleges and institutes, having something more of corporate life, 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 be cut downe that are of a middle age.

1602.  Shaks., 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, Lett. 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.  Shaks., Merry W., II. i. 189. If hee should intend this voyage toward my wife, I would turne her loose to him. Ibid. (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 April, 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.  Shaks., Two Gent., III. i. 110. I would resort to her by night.

1835.  Arnold, Lett., 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…? = ‘art thou willing to…?’; hence as a softened form of request: would you…? = ‘will you, please…?: 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.  Mrs. 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. Ʒif we nu ʓesawan 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.  Shaks., 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.  Mrs. 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.  Violet 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 thervnto.

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^th.

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.  T. Hoby, trans. Castiglione’s Courtyer, I. (1577), E j. He that shoulde wryte, I woulde thinke he committed an errour in not vsing them.

1599.  Shaks., Much Ado, II. iii. 119. I would haue thought her spirit had beene inuincible against all assaults of affection. Ibid. (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, Lett. 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.  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.

  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.  Shaks., Merry W., II. i. 10. You loue sacke, and so do I: would you desire better simpathie?

1654.  Dorothy Osborne, Lett. (1888), 229. What think you, have I not done fair for once, would you wish a longer letter?

1775.  Johnson, Lett. 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.  W. W. Story, Fiammetta, vii. 157. 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. Ʒeseoð him to bealwe þæt him betst bicwom, Þær hy hit to gode onʓietan 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 Cott. Nt.-cap, 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.  Shaks., 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, Sheeg & 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^e wolde tell y^e clocke i. ii. y^t 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. 1500.  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 a taryed a littell longer with you for he comforth.

1590.  Shaks., Mids. N., I. i. 195. O that your frownes would teach my smiles such skil. Ibid. (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, Lett. to Swift, 15 Sept. Indeed if you pleased,… I would rather that you would, I mean should, charge only five per cent. Ibid. (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.  E. M. Lloyd, in 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.  James 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.  Shaks., Two Gent., IV. iii. 22. I would to Valentine To Mantua, where I heare, he makes aboad. Ibid. (1605), Macb., I. vii. 44. Letting I dare not, wait vpon I would. Ibid. (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 ir 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.

  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.  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.

1450–50.  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 Sacrament, 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.  Shaks., 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, Lett. to Ld. Denbigh, 19 Nov. (MS.). Nor is it thoght he will to stay onely to get y^e 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. t. 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 ʓeþafan, sam we willan sam we nyllan, þæt he sie se hehsta hrof eallra goda.

c. 900.  trans. Bæda’s Hist., V. ix. Saʓa 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.