Definitions for Voluntary
ˈvɒl ənˌtɛr ivol·un·ta·ry

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:2.5 / 2 votes

1. volunteer, military volunteer, voluntarynoun

   (military) a person who freely enlists for service

2. voluntaryadjective

   composition (often improvised) for a solo instrument (especially solo organ) and not a regular part of a religious service or musical performance

3. voluntaryadjective

   of your own free will or design; done by choice; 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"

4. voluntaryadjective

   controlled by individual volition

   "voluntary motions"; "voluntary muscles"

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. voluntarynoun

   A short piece of music, often having improvisation, played on a solo instrument

2. voluntarynoun

   A volunteer

3. voluntaryadverb

   Voluntarily.

4. voluntaryadjective

   Done, given, or acting of one's own free will.

5. voluntaryadjective

   Working or done without payment.

6. Etymology: From *, from volontaire, from voluntarius, from voluntas, from volens, present participle of velle.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:3.0 / 1 vote

1. Voluntaryverb

   proceeding from the will; produced in or by an act of choice

2. Voluntaryverb

   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

3. Voluntaryverb

   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. Voluntaryverb

   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. Voluntaryverb

   endowed with the power of willing; as, man is a voluntary agent

6. Voluntaryverb

   free; without compulsion; according to the will, consent, or agreement, of a party; without consideration; gratuitous; without valuable consideration

7. Voluntaryverb

   of or pertaining to voluntaryism; as, a voluntary church, in distinction from an established or state church

8. Voluntarynoun

   one who engages in any affair of his own free will; a volunteer

9. Voluntarynoun

   a piece played by a musician, often extemporarily, according to his fancy; specifically, an organ solo played before, during, or after divine service

10. Voluntarynoun

    one who advocates voluntaryism

FreebaseRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Voluntary

   In music a voluntary is a piece of music, usually for organ, that is played as part of a church service. In English-speaking countries, the music played before and after the service is often called a 'voluntary', whether or not it is titled so. The title 'voluntary' was often used by English composers during the late Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical periods. Originally, the term was used for a piece of organ music that was free in style, and was meant to sound improvised. This probably grew out of the practice of church organists improvising after a service. Later, the voluntary began to develop into a more definite form, though it has never been strictly defined. During the late 17th century, a 'voluntary' was typically written in a fugal or imitative style, often with different sections. In the 18th century the form typically began with a slow movement and then a fugue. Two to four movements were common, with contrasting tempos. In the 18th century England, the word 'voluntary' and 'fuge' were interchangeable. These English style 'fuges' do not follow the strict theoretic form of German-style fugues. They are more related to the 'fugues' written by Italian composers of the time.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:2.0 / 1 vote

1. Voluntary

   vol′un-ta-ri, adj. willing: acting by choice: free: proceeding from the will: subject to the will: done by design or without compulsion: of or pertaining to voluntaryism.—n. one who does anything of his own free-will: a piece of music played at will: an upholder of voluntaryism.—adv. Vol′untarily.—ns. Vol′untariness; Vol′untaryism, the system of maintaining the Church by voluntary offerings, instead of by the aid of the State, as alone consistent with true religious liberty, involving freedom from State support, patronage, or control; Vol′untaryist.—adj. Vol′untātive, voluntary.—Voluntary school, in England, one of a number of elementary schools supported by voluntary subscriptions, and in many cases controlled by religious bodies. [L. voluntarius—voluntas, choice—volo, velle, to will.]

Matched Categories

1. • Physiology

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Voluntary' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2748

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Voluntary' in Written Corpus Frequency: #1919

3. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Voluntary' in Adjectives Frequency: #348

How to pronounce Voluntary?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say Voluntary in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of Voluntary in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of Voluntary in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of Voluntary in a Sentence

1. Greg Ioki:

   We're hoping to maintain as many employees as possible, all of our managerial staff is taking a voluntary 20 % pay cut in their bottom line so we can ensure that we can keep the rest of our employees happy and employed.

2. The President:

   I am now writing a final time to request your voluntary cooperation with this investigation, i ask that you begin producing all responsive documents immediately, and I request that you begin scheduling transcribed interviews with each witness identified by House Oversight Committee.

3. Richard Neal:

   So that's the basis we proceed on, if we can't have a voluntary submission, then we use the legal apparatus that's available to us.

4. Ajmal Abidy:

   What is being considered is selective voluntary citizens' participation in the defense of the country against terrorists.

5. Laura Clancy:

   Of course, voluntary income tax [ is ] not a fixed rate, and they don't have to declare how much income they're making their tax on. So actually it's just like plucking a figure out of thin air.

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