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will

will

291 4.1
A legal document that says who gets a person's property after death
  • noun
  • /wɪl/
: testamento
  • After his death, the family gathered to discuss the provisions of his will.
  • leave a will
  • write a will

So what what this family said to him was, hey, if what you're saying is true, where's the will?

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Examples

  • I'm adding you as the sole beneficiary to my will.

  • I strongly suspect your brother added a codicil to his will naming your doctor as beneficiary should all members of your small family perish.

  • -There is no legal will.

  • If he wanted to be remembered in her will, he would go to the funeral.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • For the reasons stated, I am not including them as beneficiaries under my will.

  • "I'll leave it to Lisa in my will," Nora said, seeing that her only child was powerless.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • The lawyer explained that a will outlines how a person's assets will be distributed after they die.

  • She updated her will to include her grandchildren as beneficiaries.

Synonyms

testament
vswill
  • Formal
15 4.9

A written document saying who gets your property after you die

is the same document but expressed with an alternate term

Idioms

62 3.2

Whenever you want with no limits

What happens becomes clear later

To do what someone else wants even if you do not want to

Persuade someone to do what you want

3 7.9

A sudden time when many people lose control and chaos starts

to heads will roll
  • Offensive
3 8.2

Warn that people will be punished or lose their jobs

Words that comfort someone by saying things will get better

2 6.0

To act with strong effort and energy

murder will out
  • Archaic
1 9.9

The truth about a crime or wrong will come out eventually

1 9.9

You say this when you are very sure something will happen

Says an angry argument is likely to happen

A phrase that says hurt to the body is worse than insults and words do not hurt

A question asking which person is the real one

Compounds

119 5.8

Ability to choose what you do without being controlled by outside forces

70 6.6

A plan or wish of God that guides what happens

53 1.9

A friendly, helpful feeling toward other people

20 5.3

A strong feeling of dislike or anger toward someone

living will
  • Specialized
16 5.7

An official paper that says what medical care you want if you cannot make decisions

5 3.9

A strong desire to do well in competition or hard situations

5 4.6

Very strong determination not to give up

will o' the wisp
  • Literature
3 9.9

A thing that seems close but cannot be reached

2 6.5

A strong wish to do things your own way even when others tell you not to

probate will
  • Formal
1 8.1

A court paper that confirms a dead person's wishes and lets named people manage their money and things

will-maker
  • Specialized
4.6

A person who writes a will saying who gets their things after they die

will-o'-the-wisp
  • Literature
9.9

A hope that leads people on but cannot be reached

will-o'-the-wisp
  • Literature
9.9

A pale flickering light that appears at night over marshes

Surface Forms

will singular
wills plural

Etymology

Will for the legal document comes from the same old word for 'wish'; a 'will' is literally a person's final 'wish' about their things. That's why a will tells who gets your property after you die.