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The act of devoting one's self, or the state of being self- devoted; willingness to sacrifice one's own advantage or happiness for the sake of others; self-sacrifice.

d, or drive, as a shepherd. [Poetic] White, fleecy clouds . . . Shepherded by the slow, unwilling wind. Shelley.

To keep out of sight; to suppress; to ignore. A courtly willingness to sink obnoxious truths. Robertson.

Readily; willingly; -- in this sense used with would, or some other word expressing will. I would as soon see a river winding through woods or in meadows, as when it is tossed up in so many whimsical figures at Versailles. Addison. As soon as, or So soon as, imediately at or after another event. "As soon as he came nig…

are stayed at Venice. Shak. This business staid me in London almost a week. Evelyn. I was willing to stay my reader on an argument that appeared to me new. Locke.

The quality or state of being subservient; instrumental fitness or use; hence, willingness to serve another's purposes; in a derogatory sense, servility. The body wherein appears much fitness, use, and subserviency to infinite functions. Bentley. There is a regular subordination and subserviency among all the parts to…

e a devise or legacy, either on failure of a former devisee or legatee by incapacity or unwillingness to accept, or after him. Burrill.

ute or most allowed sufficiency. Shak. I am not so confident of my own sufficiency as not willingly to admit the counsel of others. Eikon Basilike.

o swallow greedily. Well-dressed people, of both sexes, . . . devouring sliced beef, and swilling pork, and punch, and cider. Smollett.

Capable of being taught; apt to learn; also, willing to receive instruction; docile. We ought to bring our minds free, unbiased, and teachable, to learn our religion from the Word of God. I. Watts.

Willingness to be taught.

manner of bams. Prof. Wilson. The tedium of his office reminded him more strongly of the willing scholar, and his thoughts were rambling. Dickens.

Unwilling to cause pain; gentle; mild. You, that are thus so tender o'er his follies, Will never do him good. Shak.

; good husbandry; economical management in regard to property; frugality. The rest, . . . willing to fall to thrift, prove very good husbands. Spenser.

complicated fabrication; connected series; as, a tissue of forgeries, or of falsehood. Unwilling to leave the dry bones of Agnosticism wholly unclothed with any living tissue of religious emotion. A. J. Balfour. Tissue paper, very thin, gauzelike paper, used for protecting engravings in books, for wrapping up delicate…

To commit, as to one's care; to intrust. Merchants were not willing to trust precious cargoes to any custody but that of a man-of-war. Macaulay.

A child will learn three times as much when he is in tune, as when he . . . is dragged unwillingly to [his task]. Locke.

Exercising the will; acting from choice; willing, or having power to will. "What I do, I do volitient, not obedient." Mrs. Browning.

The act of willing or choosing; the act of forming a purpose; the exercise of the will. Volition is the actual exercise of the power the mind has to order the consideration of any idea, or the forbearing to consider it. Locke. Volition is an act of the mind, knowingly exerting that dominion it takes itself to have over…

Endowed with the power of willing; as, man is a voluntary agent. God did not work as a necessary, but a voluntary, agent, intending beforehand, and decreeing with himself, that which did outwardly proceed from him. Hooker.