600-609

#600. Will. -- N. will

• volition

• velleity

• liberum

• arbitrium[Lat]

• will and pleasure

• free will

• freedom

• discretion;

• option

• spontaneity

• spontaneousness;

• originality

• pleasure

• wish

• mind

• desire

• frame of mind

• intention

• predetermination

• selfcontrol

• force of will

• V. will

• list

• see fit

• think fit

• determine

• enjoin

• settle

• volunteer

• have a will of one's own

• do what one chooses

• have

• it all one's own way

• have one's will

• have one's own way

• use one's discretion

• exercise one's discretion

• take upon oneself

• take

• one's own course

• take the law into one's own hands

• do of one's own

• accord

• do upon one's own authority

• originate

• Adj. voluntary

• volitional

• willful

• free

• optional;

• discretional

• discretionary

• minded

• prepense

• intended

• autocratic

• unbidden

• spontaneous;

• original

• unconstrained

• Adv. voluntarily

• at will

• at pleasure

• a

• discretion

• al piacere[It]

• ad libitum

• ad arbitrium[Lat]

• as one thinks

• proper

• as it seems good to

• a beneplacito[It]

• of one's won accord

• of one's own free will

• proprio motu[Lat]

• suo

• motu[Lat]

• ex meromotu[Lat]

• out of one's won head

• by choice

• purposely

• deliberately

• Phr. stet pro ratione voluntas[Lat]

• sic volo sic jubeo[Lat]

• a vostro

• beneplacito[It]

• beneficium accipere libertatem est vendere[Lat]

• Deus

• vult[Lat]

• was man nicht kann meiden muss man willig leiden[Ger]

#601. Necessity. -- N. involuntariness

• instinct

• blind impulse;

• inborn proclivity

• innate proclivity

• native tendency

• natural tendency;

• natural impulse

• predetermination

• necessity

• necessitation

• obligation

• compulsion

• subjection

• stern necessity

• hard necessity

• dire necessity

• imperious

• necessity

• inexorable necessity

• iron necessity

• adverse necessity

• fate;

• what must be

• destiny

• destination

• fatality

• fate

• kismet

• doom

• foredoom

• election

• predestination

• preordination

• foreordination

• lot fortune;

• fatalism

• inevitableness

• spell

• star

• stars

• planet

• planets

• astral influence

• sky

• Fates

• Parcae

• Sisters three

• book of fate

• God's will

• will of Heaven

• wheel of Fortune

• Ides of March

• Hobson's choice

• last shift

• last resort

• pis aller

• necessaries

• fatalist

• automaton

• V. lie under a necessity

• be doomed

• be destined

• for

• under the necessity of

• have no choice

• have no alternative

• be one's

• fate

• to be

• unable to help

• destine

• doom

• foredoom

• devote

• predestine

• preordain

• cast a spell

• necessitate

• compel

• Adj. necessary

• needful

• fated

• destined

• elect

• spellbound

• compulsory

• uncontrollable

• inevitable

• unavoidable

• irresistible

• irrevocable

• inexorable

• resistless

• involuntary

• instinctive

• automatic

• blind

• mechanical

• unconscious

• unwitting

• unthinking

• unintentional

• impulsive

• 612

• Adv. necessarily

• of necessity

• of course

• ex necessitate

• rei[Lat]

• needs must

• perforce

• nolens volens[Lat]

• will he nil he

• willy nilly

• willing or unwilling

• coute que

• by stress of

• if need be

• Phr. it cannot be helped

• there is no help for

• there is no helping

• it

• it will be

• it must be

• it needs to be

• it must be so

• it will have its

• way

• the die is cast

• "it

• is written"

• one's days are numbered

• one's fate is sealed

• Fata

• obstant[Latin]

• actum me invito

• factus[Latin]

• non est meus actus[Latin]

• aujord'hui roi demain

• quisque suos patimur manes [Latin][Vergil];"The moving

• finger writes and having writ moves on. Nor all your piety and wit can

• bring it back to cancel half a line

• nor all your tears wash out a word of

• it."[Rubayyat of Omar Khayyam]

#602. Willingness. -- N. willingness

• voluntariness

• willing mind

• heart

• disposition

• inclination

• leaning

• animus

• frame of mind

• humor

• mood

• vein

• bent

• penchant

• aptitude

• 698

• docility

• pliability

• geniality

• cordiality

• goodwill

• alacrity

• readiness

• earnestness

• forwardness

• eagerness

• asset

• compliance

• pleasure

• gratuitous

• service

• labor of love

• volunteer

• volunteering

• V. be willing

• incline

• lean to

• mind

• propend

• had as lief;

• lend a willing ear

• give a willing ear

• turn a willing ear

• have a half a

• mind to

• have a great mind to

• hold to

• cling to

• desire

• see fit

• think good

• think proper

• acquiesce

• comply

• with

• swallow the bait

• nibble at the bait

• gorge the hook

• have no scruple

• of

• make no scruple of

• make no bones of

• jump at

• catch at

• meet halfway;

• volunteer

• Adj. willing

• minded

• fain

• disposed

• inclined

• favorable

• favorably-

• minded

• favorably inclined

• favorably disposed

• nothing loth

• in the vein

• in the mood

• in the humor

• in the mind

• ready

• forward

• earnest

• eager

• bent upon

• predisposed

• docile

• persuadable

• persuasible

• easily persuaded

• facile

• easy-going

• tractable

• genial

• gracious

• cordial

• cheering

• hearty

• content

• voluntary

• gratuitous

• spontaneous

• unasked

• unforced

• Adv. willingly

• fain

• freely

• as lief

• heart and soul

• with

• pleasure

• with all one's heart

• with open arms

• with good will

• with right

• will

• ex animo[Lat]

• con amore[It]

• heart in hand

• nothing loth

• without reluctance

• of one's own accord

• graciously

• with a

• good grace

• by all means

• by all manner of means

• to one's

• heart's content

• yes

#603. Unwillingness. -- N. unwillingness

• indisposition

• disinclination

• renitency

• reluctance

• indifference

• 86

• backwardness

• slowness

• want of alacrity

• want of

• readiness

• indocility

• scrupulousness

• scrupulosity

• qualms of conscience

• twinge of

• conscience

• delicacy

• demur

• scruple

• qualm

• shrinking

• recoil

• hesitation

• fastidiousness

• averseness

• dissent

• refusal

• V. be unwilling

• nill

• dislike

• grudge

• begrudge

• not

• be able to find it in one's heart to

• not have the stomach to

• demur

• stick at

• scruple

• stickle

• hang fire

• run rusty

• recoil

• shrink

• swerve

• hesitate

• avoid

• oppose

• dissent

• refuse

• Adj. unwilling

• not in the vein

• loth

• loath

• shy of

• disinclined

• indisposed

• averse

• reluctant

• not content

• adverse

• laggard

• backward

• remiss

• slack

• slow to

• indifferent

• scrupulous;

• squeamish

• repugnant

• restiff|

• restive

• demurring

• unconsenting

• involuntary

• 601

• Adv. unwillingly

• grudgingly

• with a heavy heart

• with a bad

• with an ill grace

• against one's wishes

• against one's will

• against the

• grain

• sore against one's wishes

• sore against one's will

• sore against

• one's grain

• invita Minerva[Lat]

• in

• spite of one's teeth

• in spite of oneself

• nolens volens

• 601[Lat]

• perforce

• under protest

• no

• not for the world

• far be it from me

#604. Resolution. -- N. determination

• will

• iron will

• unconquerable

• will

• will of one's own

• decision

• resolution

• backbone

• clear grit

• true

• grit

• grit [U. S.

• sand

• strength of mind

• strength of will

• resolve

• firmness

• energy

• manliness

• vigor;

• game

• pluck

• resoluteness

• zeal

• aplomb;

• desperation

• devotion

• devotedness

• mastery over self

• self control

• self command

• self possession

• self

• reliance

• self government

• self restraint

• self conquest

• self denial;

• moral courage

• moral strength

• perseverance

• tenacity

• obstinacy

• bulldog

• British lion

• V. have determination

• know one's own mind

• be resolved

• make up one's mind

• will

• resolve

• determine

• decide

• 480

• form a determination

• come to a determination

• come to a resolution

• come to a resolve

• conclude

• fix

• seal

• determine once for all

• bring to a

• crisis

• drive matters to an extremity

• take a decisive step

• 60

• take upon oneself

• devote oneself to

• give oneself up to

• throw away the scabbard

• kick

• down the ladder

• nail one's colors to the mast

• set one's back against the

• wall

• set one's teeth

• put one's foot down

• take one's stand

• stand firm

• steel oneself

• stand no nonsense

• not listen to the

• voice of the charmer

• buckle to

• buckle oneself put one's shoulder to the wheel

• lay one's

• shoulder to the wheel

• set one's shoulder to the wheel

• put one's heart

• into

• run the gauntlet

• make a dash at

• take the bull by the horns

• rush in

• medias res

• plunge in medias res

• go in for

• insist upon

• make a point of;

• set one's heart upon

• set one's mind upon

• stick at nothing

• stop at nothing

• make short work of

• 6

• not stick at trifles

• go all lengths

• go the limit *

• go the whole

• hog

• persist

• go through fire and water

• ride the

• tiger

• ride in the whirlwind and direct the storm

• Adj. resolved

• determined

• strong-willed

• strong-minded;

• resolute

• self-possessed

• decided

• definitive

• peremptory

• unhesitating

• unflinching

• firm

• iron

• gritty [U.S.]

• indomitable

• game to the backbone

• inexorable

• relentless

• not to be shaken

• not to be put down

• tenax propositi[Lat]

• inflexible

• (hard)

• obstinate

• steady

• earnest

• serious

• set upon

• bent upon

• intent upon

• steel against

• proof against

• in utrumque paratus[Lat]

• Adv. resolutely

• in earnest

• in good earnest

• seriously

• joking apart

• earnestly

• heart and soul

• on one's mettle

• manfully

• like a

• man

• with a high hand

• with a strong hand

• at any rate

• at any risk

• at any hazard at any price

• at any cost

• at

• any sacrifice

• at all hazards

• at all risks

• at all events

• a bis ou a

• cost what it may

• once for all

• neck or nothing

• rain or shine

• Phr. spes sibi quisque[Lat]

• chi non

• frangas non flectes[Lat]

• manu

• forti[Lat]

• tentanda via est[Lat]

#604a. Perseverance. -- N. perseverance

• continuance

• permanence

• firmness

• constancy

• steadiness

• singleness of purpose

• tenacity of purpose;

• persistence

• plodding

• patience

• sedulity

• pertinacy|

• pertinacity

• pertinaciousness

• iteration

• bottom

• game

• pluck

• stamina

• backbone

• grit

• indefatigability

• indefatigableness

• bulldog courage

• V. persevere

• persist

• hold on

• hold out

• die in the last ditch

• be in

• at the death

• stick to

• cling to

• adhere to

• stick to one's text

• keep on;

• keep to one's course

• keep to one's ground

• maintain one's course

• maintain

• one's ground

• go all lengths

• go through fire and water

• bear up

• keep up

• hold up

• plod

• stick to work

• continue

• follow up;

• die in harness

• die at one's post

• Adj. persevering

• constant

• steady

• steadfast

• undeviating

• unwavering

• unfaltering

• unswerving

• unflinching

• unflagging

• steady as time

• unrelenting

• unremitting

• plodding

• industrious

• strenuous

• pertinacious

• persisting

• persistent

• solid

• sturdy

• staunch

• stanch

• true to oneself

• unchangeable

• unconquerable

• indomitable

• game to the last

• indefatigable

• untiring

• unwearied

• never tiring

• Adv. through evil report and good report

• through thick and thin

• through fire and water

• per fas et nefas[Lat]

• without fail

• sink or swim

• at any price

• Phr. never say die

• give it the old college try

• vestigia nulla

• retrorsum[Lat]

• aut vincer aut mori[Lat]

• la garde meurt et ne se rend

#605. Irresolution. -- N. irresolution

• infirmity of purpose

• indecision

• indetermination

• undetermination|!

• unsettlement

• uncertainty

• demur

• suspense

• hesitating

• hesitation

• hesitancy;

• vacillation

• changeableness

• fluctuation

• alternation

• (oscillation)

• caprice

• fickleness

• levity

• pliancy

• weakness

• timidity

• cowardice

• half measures

• waverer

• ass between two bundles of hay

• shuttlecock

• butterfly

• wimp;

• V. be irresolute

• hang in suspense

• keep in suspense

• leave

• "ad referendum"

• think twice about

• pause

• dawdle

• remain neuter

• dillydally

• hesitate

• boggle

• hover

• hum and

• haw

• demur

• not know one's own mind

• debate

• balance

• dally with

• coquet

• with

• will and will not

• go halfway

• compromise

• make a compromise

• be thrown off one's balance

• stagger like a drunken man;

• be afraid

• "let 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would'" [Macbeth]

• falter

• waver

• vacillate

• change

• retract

• fluctuate;

• alternate

• keep off and on

• play fast

• and loose

• blow hot and cold

• shuffle

• palter

• blink

• trim

• Adj. irresolute

• infirm of purpose

• double-minded

• half-hearted;

• undecided

• unresolved

• undetermined

• shilly-shally

• fidgety

• tremulous;

• hesitating

• off one's balance

• at a loss

• vacillating

• unsteady

• fickle

• without ballast

• capricious

• volatile

• frothy

• light

• lightsome

• light-minded

• giddy

• fast and loose

• weak

• feeble-minded

• frail

• timid

• wimpish

• wimpy

• cowardly

• dough-faced [U.S.]

• facile

• pliant

• unable to say

• "no"

• easy-going

• revocable

• reversible

• Adv. irresolutely

• in

• faltering accents

• off and on

• from pillar to post

• seesaw

• Int. "how happy could I be with either!" [Gay]

#606. Obstinacy. -- N. obstinateness

• obstinacy

• tenacity;

• cussedness [U. S.]

• perseverance

• immovability

• old school;

• inflexibility

• obduracy

• dogged

• resolution

• resolution

• ruling passion

• blind side

• self-will

• contumacy

• perversity

• pervicacy|

• bigotry

• intolerance

• dogmatism

• opiniatry|

• opiniativeness

• fixed

• idea

• fanaticism

• zealotry

• infatuation

• monomania;

• mule

• opinionist|

• opiniator|

• opinator|;

• stickler

• dogmatist

• bigot

• zealot

• enthusiast

• fanatic

• V. be obstinate

• stickle

• take no denial

• fly in the face of

• facts

• opinionate

• be wedded to an opinion

• hug a belief

• have one's own

• way

• persist

• have the last word

• insist on having the last word

• die hard

• fight against destiny

• not yield an inch

• stand out

• Adj. obstinate

• tenacious

• stubborn

• obdurate

• casehardened;

• inflexible

• balky

• immovable

• unshakable

• not to be moved;

• inert

• unchangeable

• inexorable

• mulish

• obstinate as a mule

• pig-headed

• dogged

• sullen

• sulky

• unmoved

• uninfluenced

• unaffected

• willful

• self-willed

• perverse

• restive

• restiff|;

• wayward

• refractory

• unruly

• heady

• headstrong;

• contumacious

• arbitrary

• dogmatic

• positive

• bigoted

• prejudiced

• creed-

• bound

• prepossessed

• infatuated

• stiff-backed

• stiff necked

• stiff hearted;

• hard-mouthed

• hidebound

• unyielding

• impervious

• impracticable

• unpersuadable

• intractable

• incorrigible

• deaf to advice

• impervious to reason

• crotchety

• Adv. obstinately

• Phr. non possumus[Lat]

• no surrender

• ils n'ont rien appris ne rien

#607. Tergiversation. -- N. change of mind

• change of intention

• change of purpose

• afterthought

• tergiversation

• recantation

• palinode

• renunciation;

• defection

• going over

• apostasy

• retraction

• withdrawal

• disavowal

• (negation) 5

• revocation

• reversal

• repentance

• redintegratio amoris[Lat]

• coquetry

• vacillation

• backsliding

• turn coat

• turn tippet|

• rat

• apostate

• renegade

• convert

• pervert;

• proselyte

• deserter

• backslider

• blackleg

• crawfish [U. S.]

• scab*

• mugwump

• [U. S.]

• recidivist

• time server

• timist|

• Vicar of Bray

• trimmer

• weathercock

• Janus

• V. change one's mind

• change one's intention

• change one's purpose

• change one's note

• abjure

• renounce

• withdraw from

• waver

• vacillate

• wheel round

• turn round

• veer round

• turn a pirouette

• go

• over from one side to another

• pass from one side to another

• change from

• one side to another

• skip from one side to another

• go to the rightabout;

• box the compass

• shift one's ground

• go upon another tack

• apostatize

• change sides

• go over

• rat

• recant

• retract

• revoke;

• rescind

• recall

• forswear

• unsay

• come over

• come round

• to an opinion

• crawfish *[U. S.]

• crawl* [U. S.]

• draw in one's horns

• eat one's words

• eat the leek

• swallow the leek;

• swerve

• flinch

• back out of

• retrace one's steps

• think better of it

• come

• back return to one's first love

• turn over a new leaf

• trim

• shuffle

• play fast and loose

• blow hot and cold

• coquet

• be on

• the fence

• straddle

• bold with the hare but run with the hounds

• nager

• wait to see how the cat jumps

• wait to see how the

• wind blows

• Adj. changeful

• irresolute

• ductile

• slippery as an

• eel

• trimming

• ambidextrous

• coquetting

• reactionary

• Phr. "a change came o'er the spirit of my dream" [Byron]

#608. Caprice. -- N. caprice

• fancy

• humor

• whim

• whimsy

• crotchet

• capriccio

• quirk

• freak

• maggot

• fad

• vagary

• prank

• fit

• flimflam

• escapade

• wild-goose chase;

• capriciousness

• kink

• V. be capricious

• have a maggot in the brain

• take it into

• one's head

• strain at a gnat and swallow a camel

• blow hot and cold

• play

• fast and loose

• play fantastic tricks

• Adj. capricious

• erratic

• eccentric

• fitful

• hysterical

• full of whims

• maggoty

• inconsistent

• fanciful

• fantastic

• whimsical

• crotchety

• kinky [U. S.]

• particular

• freakish

• skittish

• wanton

• wayward

• contrary

• captious

• arbitrary

• unconformable

• penny wise

• and pound foolish

• fickle

• frivolous

• sleeveless

• giddy

• volatile

• Adv. by fits and starts

• without rhyme or reason

• Phr. nil fuit unquain sic inipar sibi[Lat]

• the deuce is in him

#609. Choice. -- N. choice

• option

• discretion

• alternative

• dilemma

• adoption

• decision

• election

• political election (politics) 737a

• selection

• excerption

• gleaning

• eclecticism

• gleanings

• cuttings

• scissors and paste

• pick

• preference

• opinion poll

• survey

• predilection

• (desire) 865

• V. offers one's choice

• set before

• hold out the alternative

• present

• the alternative

• offer the alternative

• put to the vote

• use option

• use discretion

• exercise option

• exercise discretion

• one's option

• adopt

• take up

• embrace

• espouse

• choose

• elect

• opt for;

• take one's choice

• make one's choice

• make choice of

• fix upon

• vote

• poll

• hold up one's hand

• divide

• settle

• decide

• list

• make up one's

• mind

• select

• pick and choose

• pick out

• single out

• cull

• glean

• winnow;

• sift the chaff from the wheat

• separate the chaff from the wheat

• winnow

• the chaff from the wheat

• pick up

• pitch upon

• pick one's way

• indulge

• one's fancy

• set apart

• mark out for

• mark

• prefer

• have rather

• have as lief

• fancy

• be

• persuaded

• take a decided step

• take a decisive step

• commit oneself to a course;

• pass the Rubicon

• cross the Rubicon

• cast in one's lot with

• take for

• better or for worse

• Adj. optional

• discretional

• eclectic

• choosing

• preferential

• chosen

• choice

• (good) 648

• Adv. optionally

• at pleasure

• either the one

• or the other

• or at the option of

• whether or not

• once and for all

• for

• one's money

• by choice

• by preference

• in preference

• rather

• before

#609a. Absence of Choice. -- N. no choice

• Hobson's choice

• first come

• first served

• random selection

• necessity

• not a pin to choose

• (equality)

• any

• the first that comes

• that or nothing

• neutrality

• indifference

• indecision

• arbitrariness

• coercion (compulsion) 744

• V. be neutral

• have no choice

• have no election

• waive

• not

• vote

• abstain from voting

• refrain from voting

• leave undecided

• "make a

• virtue of necessity" [Two Gentlemen]

• Adj. neutral

• neuter

• indifferent

• uninterested

• undecided

• (irresolute) 605

• Adv. either

• Phr. who cares? what difference does it make? "There's not a dime's

• worth of difference between them." [George Wallace]