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Webster 1913 Edition


Volition

Vo-li′tion

,
Noun.
[F., fr. L.
volo
I will,
velle
to will, be willing. See
Voluntary
.]
1.
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 any part of the man, by employing it in, or withholding it from, any particular action.
Locke.
2.
The result of an act or exercise of choosing or willing; a state of choice.
3.
The power of willing or determining; will.
Syn. – Will; choice; preference; determination; purpose.
Volition
,
Choice
. Choice is the familiar, and volition the scientific, term for the same state of the will; viz., an “elective preference.” When we have “made up our minds” (as we say) to a thing, i. e., have a settled state of choice respecting it, that state is called an immanent volition; when we put forth any particular act of choice, that act is called an emanent, or executive, or imperative, volition. When an immanent, or settled state of, choice, is one which controls or governs a series of actions, we call that state a predominant volition; while we give the name of subordinate volitions to those particular acts of choice which carry into effect the object sought for by the governing or “predominant volition.” See
Will
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Volition

VOLI'TION

,
Noun.
[L. volitio, from volo, to will. See Will.]
1.
The act of willing the act of determining choice, or forming a purpose. There is a great difference between actual volition, and approbation of judgment.
Volition is the actual exercise of the power which the mind has of considering or forbearing to consider an idea.
2.
The power of willing or determining.

Definition 2024


volition

volition

English

Noun

volition (countable and uncountable, plural volitions)

  1. A conscious choice or decision.
  2. The mental power or ability of choosing; the will.
    Out of all the factors that can influence a person's decision, none can match the power of his or her own volition.
  3. (linguistics) A concept that distinguishes whether or not the subject or agent intended something.

Related terms

Translations

External links

  • volition in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • volition in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

French

Etymology

From Medieval Latin volitiō (will, volition), from Latin volō (wish, will).

Noun

volition f (plural volitions)

  1. volition