velleity

velleity
noun (plural -ties) Etymology: New Latin velleitas, from Latin velle to wish, will — more at will Date: 1618 1. the lowest degree of volition 2. a slight wish or tendency ; inclination

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Velleity — Vel*le i*ty, n. [F. vell[ e]it[ e] (cf. It. velleit[ a]), fr. L. velle to will, to be willing.] The lowest degree of desire; imperfect or incomplete volition. Locke. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • velleity — index will (desire) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • velleity — 1610s, from M.L. stem of velleitas (from L. velle “to wish, will;” see WILL (Cf. will) (v.)) + ITY (Cf. ity) …   Etymology dictionary

  • velleity — [və lē′ə tē] n. pl. velleities [ML velleitas < L velle, to wish: see WILL2] 1. the weakest kind of desire or volition 2. a mere wish that does not lead to the slightest action …   English World dictionary

  • velleity — noun /vɛˈliːɪti/ a) The lowest degree of desire or volition, with no effort to act. This connoisseuse of “splendid weaknesses”, run not by any lust or even velleity but by vacuum: by the absence of human hope. b) A slight wish not followed by any …   Wiktionary

  • velleity — /veuh lee i tee/, n., pl. velleities. 1. volition in its weakest form. 2. a mere wish, unaccompanied by an effort to obtain it. [1610 20; < NL velleitas, equiv. to L velle to be willing + itas ITY] * * * …   Universalium

  • velleity — vel·le·i·ty || ve lɪːətɪ n. mere wish (without attempt to realize it) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • velleity — [vɛ li:ɪti] noun (plural velleities) formal a wish or inclination not strong enough to lead to action. Origin C17: from med. L. velleitas, from L. velle to wish …   English new terms dictionary

  • velleity — vel·le·i·ty …   English syllables

  • velleity — vel•le•i•ty [[t]vəˈli ɪ ti[/t]] n. pl. ties 1) volition in its weakest form 2) a mere wish, unaccompanied by an effort to obtain it • Etymology: 1610–20; < NL velleitās= L velle to be willing + itās ity …   From formal English to slang

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