💪 Determination 📜 A legal paper 🧠 To decide 📜 To give property ⏩ Future action

will

253 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.

Hemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea (2024)
I strongly suspect your brother added a codicil to his will naming your doctor as beneficiary should all members of your small family perish.

A Haunting in Venice (2023)
-There is no legal will.

A Good Year (2006)
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.

Bernie (2012)
"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

17 4.9

A written document saying who gets your property after you die

is the same document but expressed with an alternate term

Idioms

at will

53 3.2

Whenever you want with no limits

time will tell

9 3.3

What happens becomes clear later

to heads will roll

Offensive

2 8.2

Warn that people will be punished or lose their jobs

all hell will break loose

Informal

1 7.9

A sudden time when many people lose control and chaos starts

with a will

1 6.0

To act with strong effort and energy

to bend someone's will

7.1

Persuade someone to do what you want

to bend to someone's will

7.1

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

to bet the feathers will fly

Informal

9.9

Says an angry argument is likely to happen

everything will be alright

2.1

Words that comfort someone by saying things will get better

five will get you ten

Archaic

9.9

You say this when you are very sure something will happen

murder will out

Archaic

9.9

The truth about a crime or wrong will come out eventually

sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me

Informal

8.7

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

will the real ... please stand up

Informal

9.5

A question asking which person is the real one

Compounds

free will

93 5.8

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

God's Will

61 6.6

A plan or wish of God that guides what happens

ill will

19 5.3

A strong feeling of dislike or anger toward someone

living will

Specialized

14 5.7

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

good will

11 1.9

A friendly, helpful feeling toward other people

will to win

5 3.9

A strong desire to do well in competition or hard situations

iron will

4 4.6

Very strong determination not to give up

will-o'-the-wisp

Literature

1 9.9

A pale flickering light that appears at night over marshes

probate will

Formal

8.1

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

self-will

6.5

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

will o' the wisp

Literature

9.9

A thing that seems close but cannot be reached

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

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.