Definitions for: Voluntary


[n] composition (often improvised) for a solo instrument (especially solo organ) and not a regular part of a service or performance
[n] a person who freely enlists for (military) service
[adj] of your own free will or design; not forced or compelled; "man is a voluntary agent"; "participation was voluntary"; "voluntary manslaughter"; "voluntary generosity in times of disaster"; "voluntary social workers"; "a voluntary confession"
[adj] (physiology) controlled by individual volition; "voluntary motions"; "voluntary muscles"



Webster (1913) Definition: Vol"un*ta*ry, a. [L. voluntarius, fr. voluntas will,
choice, from the root of velle to will, p. pr. volens; akin
to E. will: cf. F. volontaire, Of. also voluntaire. See
Will, v. t., and cf. Benevolent, Volition,
Volunteer.]
1. Proceeding from the will; produced in or by an act of
choice.

That sin or guilt pertains exclusively to voluntary
action is the true principle of orthodoxy. --N. W.
Taylor.

2. Unconstrained by the interference of another; unimpelled
by the influence of another; not prompted or persuaded by
another; done of his or its own accord; spontaneous;
acting of one's self, or of itself; free.

Our voluntary service he requires. --Milton.

She fell to lust a voluntary prey. --Pope.

3. Done by design or intention; intentional; purposed;
intended; not accidental; as, if a man kills another by
lopping a tree, it is not voluntary manslaughter.

4. (Physiol.) Of or pertaining to the will; subject to, or
regulated by, the will; as, the voluntary motions of an
animal, such as the movements of the leg or arm (in
distinction from involuntary motions, such as the
movements of the heart); the voluntary muscle fibers,
which are the agents in voluntary motion.

5. 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.

6. (Law) Free; without compulsion; according to the will,
consent, or agreement, of a party; without consideration;
gratuitous; without valuable consideration.

7. (Eccl.) Of or pertaining to voluntaryism; as, a voluntary
church, in distinction from an established or state
church.

Voluntary affidavit or oath (Law), an affidavit or oath
made in extrajudicial matter.

Voluntary conveyance (Law), a conveyance without valuable
consideration.

Voluntary escape (Law), the escape of a prisoner by the
express consent of the sheriff.

Voluntary jurisdiction. (Eng. Eccl. Law) See {Contentious
jurisdiction}, under Contentious.

Voluntary waste. (Law) See Waste, n., 4.

Syn: See Spontaneous.


Vol"un*ta*ry, n.; pl. Voluntaries.
1. One who engages in any affair of his own free will; a
volunteer. [R.] --Shak.

2. (Mus.) A piece played by a musician, often extemporarily,
according to his fancy; specifically, an organ solo played
before, during, or after divine service.

3. (Eccl.) One who advocates voluntaryism.

Synonyms: by choice(p), freewill, intentional, military volunteer, self-imposed, uncoerced, unforced, unpaid, volitional, volunteer, volunteer(a), wilful, willful, willing

Antonyms: conscript, draftee, inductee, involuntary, nonvoluntary, unvoluntary

See Also: conscious, man, military man, military personnel, serviceman, solo

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