Emily Dickinson Lexicon

WI'LI-NESS, n. [from wily.]

Cunning; guile.

WILK, or WHILK, n. [G. welken, to wither, or cause to wither.]

A species of shell. [See Welk.]

WILL, n. [San. willa; Goth. wilja; D. wil or wale; G. wille; Sw. ville; Dan. vitlie; W. gwyll; Ir. ail; Gr. {foreign}, counsel; Slav. volia. See the verb.]

1. That faculty of the mind by which we determine either to do or forbear an action; the faculty which is exercised in deciding, among two or more objects, which we shall embrace or pursue. The will is directed or influenced by the judgment. The understanding or reason compares different objects, which operate as motives; the judgment determines which is preferable, and the will decides which to pursue. In other words, we reason with respect to the value or importance of things; we then judge which is to be preferred and we will to take the most valuable. These are but different operations of the mind, soul, or intellectual part of man. Great disputes have existed respecting the freedom of the Will. [Will is often quite a different thing from desire.] A power over a man's subsistence, amounts to a power over his will. Federalist, Hamilton.
2. Choice; determination. It is my will to prosecute the trespasser.
3. Choice; discretion; pleasure. Go, then, the guilty at thy will chastise. Pope.
4. Command; direction. Our prayers should be according to the will of God. Law.
5. Disposition; inclination; desire. " What is your will, Sir?" In this phrase, the word may also signify determination, especially when addressed to a superior.
6. Power; arbitrary disposal. Deliver me not over to the will of my enemies. Ps. xxvii.
7. Divine determination; moral purpose or counsel. Thy will be done. Lord's Prayer.
8. Testament; the disposition of a man's estate, to take. effect after his death. Wills are written, or nuncupative, that is, verbal. Blackstone.
9. Good will, favor; kindness. Shak.
10. Right intention. Phil. i.
11. Ill will, enmity; unfriendliness. It expresses less than malice.
12. To have one's will, to obtain what is desired.
13. At will. To hold an estate at the will of another, is to enjoy the possession at his pleasure, and be liable to be ousted at any time by the lessor or proprietor.
14. Will with a wisp, Jack with a lantern; ignis fatuus; a luminous appearance sometimes seen in the air over moist ground, supposed to proceed from hydrogen gas.

WILL, v.t. [Sax. wdtan; Goth. wilyan; D. waten; G. wollen; Sw. vilja; Dan. ville; L. volo, velle; Gr. {foreign}; Fr. vouloir; It. volere. The sense is to set, or to set for-ward, to streteh forward. The sense is well expressed by the L. propono.]

1. To determine; to decide in the mind that something shall be done or forborne, implying power to carry the purpose into effect. In this manner God wills whatever comes to pass. So in the style of princes: "we will that execution be done." A man that sits still is said to be at liberty, because he can walk if he wills it. Locke.
2. To command; to direct. 'Tis yours, O queen I to will The work which duty bids me to fulfill. Dryden.
3. To be inclined or resolved to have. There, there, Hortensio, will you any wife? Shak.
4. To wish; to desire. What will you?
5. To dispose of estate and effects by testament.
6. It is sometimes equivalent to may be. Let the circumstances be what they will; that is, any circumstances, o whatever nature.
7. Will is used as an auxiliary verb, and a sign of the future tense. When an auxiliary verb, the past tense is would. has different significations in different persons.
8. I will go, is a present promise to go; and with an emphasis on will, it expresses determination.
9. Thou wilt go, you will go, express foretelling; situp1 stating an event that is to come.
10. He will go, is also a foretelling. The use of wall in plural is the same. We will, promises; ye will, they wi foretell.

WILL'ED, pp.

1. Determined; resolved; desired.
2. Disposed -of by will or testament.

WILL'ER, n.

One who wills.

WILL'FUL, a. [will and full.]

1. Governed by the will without yielding to reason; obstinate; stubborn; perverse; in-flexible; as, a willful man.
2. Stubborn; refractory; as, a willful horse.

WILL'FUL-LY, adv.

1. Obstinately; stubbornly.
2. By design; with set purpose. If we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins. Heb. x.

WILL'FUL-NESS, n.

Obstinacy; stubbornness; perverseness. Sins of presumption are such as proceed from pride, arrogance, willfulness, aud haughtiness of men's hearts. Perkins.

WILLIEMI-ITE, n.

A. mineral of resinous luster and yellowish color. it is a silicate of zinc.

WILL'ING, a. [Sw. and Dan. tillig.]

1. Free to do or grant; having the mind inclined; disposed; not averse. Let every man give, who is able and willing.
2. Pleased; desirous. Felix, willing to show the Jews a pleasure. Acts xxiv.
3. Ready; prompt. He stoop'd with weary wings and willing feet Milton.
4. Chosen; received of choice or without reluctance; as, to be held in willing chains.
5. Spontaneous. No spouts of blood run willing from a tree. Dryden.
6. Consenting. Milton.

WILLING, ppr.

1. Determining; resolving; desiring.
2. Disposing of by will.

WILL'ING-HEART-ED, a.

Well disposed; having a free heart. Exod. xxxv.

WILL'ING-LY, adv.

1. With free will; without reluctance; cheerfully.
2. By one's own choice. The condition of that people-is not so much to be envied as some would willingly represent it. Addison.

WILLING-NESS, n.

Free choice or consent of the will; freedom from reluctance; readiness of the mind to do or forbear. Sweet is the love that comes with willingness. Dryden.

WIL'LOW, n. [Saw welig; D. wrlge; W. gwial, twigs; also helig, L. salix.]

A tree of the genus Salix. There are many species of willow, low, the white, the black, the purple or red, the sallow, the broad leaved willow, &c. A species called the weeping willow, has long and slender branches which droop and hang downward, the Sale Babylonica.

WILLOW-ED, a.

Abounding with willows. Collins.

WIL'LOW-GALL, n.

A protuberance on the leaves of willows. Cyc.

WIL'LOW-HERB, n.

The purple loosestrife, a plant of the genus Lythrum; also, the yellow loosestrife, of the genus o Lysimachia; also, the French willow, of the genus Epilobium. Lee.Cyc.

WILLOW-ISH, a.

Like the color of the willow. Walton.

WIL'LOW-TUFF-ED, a.

Tufted with willows. Goldsmith.

WILLOW-WEED, n.

A name sometimes given to the smart-weed or persicaria. Cyc.

WILLOW-WORT, n.

A plant Miller.

WILLOW-Y, a.

Abounding with willows. Gray.

WILT, v.i. [G. and D. waken, to fade; that is, to shrink or withdraw.]

To begin to wither; to lose freshness and become flaccid, as a plant when exposed to great heat in a dry day, or when first separated from its root. This is a legitimate word, for which there is no substitute in the language. It is not synonymous with wither, as it expresses only the beginning of withering. A wilted plant often revives and becomes fresh; not so a withered plant.