# Wil

/ˈwɪɫ/ (US) · CEFR C2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wil
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

to want or desire something. This is a very old word that people do not use in modern conversation.

For teachers: to desire, wish, or want. A Middle and early Modern English transitive verb; now restricted to archaic or poetic contexts.

## Examples

- He may do what he wil with his own.
- The knight declared he would go wherever his lady might wil him to travel.
- In the ancient texts, the gods would often wil the hero toward a fate he could not possibly escape, regardless of his own mortal desires.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I wil go to the store" but "I will go to the store" — The spelling 'wil' is archaic; modern English uses 'will' for both the future auxiliary and the verb meaning to desire.

## Usage notes

- Archaic spelling of 'will' used as a lexical verb meaning 'to desire'; distinct from the modern modal auxiliary verb.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.