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View synonyms for

volunteer

[ vol-uhn-teer ]

noun

  1. a person who voluntarily offers to perform a service or other undertaking.
  2. a person who performs a service willingly and without pay.
  3. Military. a person who enters the service voluntarily rather than through conscription or draft, especially for special or temporary service rather than as a member of the regular or permanent army.
  4. Law.
    1. a person whose actions are not founded on any legal obligation so to act.
    2. a person who steps into a matter that does not concern them, such as a person who pays the debt of another where they are neither legally nor morally bound to do so and has no interest to protect in making the payment.
  5. Agriculture. Also volunteer plant. a plant that springs up spontaneously, without being seeded, planted, or cultivated by a person:

    We didn't plant any watermelons this year, but look at all the volunteers from last year's crop.

  6. Volunteer. a native or inhabitant of Tennessee (used as a nickname).


adjective

  1. of, relating to, or being a person who voluntarily offers to do something:

    a volunteer fireman.

  2. Agriculture. growing without being seeded, planted, or cultivated by a person; springing up spontaneously:

    volunteer tomatoes.

verb (used without object)

  1. to offer oneself for some service or undertaking.
  2. to enter service or enlist voluntarily.

verb (used with object)

  1. to offer (oneself or one's services) for some undertaking or purpose.
  2. to give, bestow, or perform voluntarily:

    to volunteer a song.

  3. to say, tell, or communicate voluntarily:

    to volunteer an explanation.

  4. to promise the services of (someone) without having asked if it is something they actually can or want to do:

    He volunteered me to sand and paint the bottom of the boat, and I don’t have the slightest interest in sanding, painting, or boating.

volunteer

/ ˌɒəˈɪə /

noun

    1. a person who performs or offers to perform voluntary service
    2. ( as modifier )

      volunteer advice

      a volunteer system

  1. a person who freely undertakes military service, esp temporary or special service
  2. law
    1. a person who does some act or enters into a transaction without being under any legal obligation to do so and without being promised any remuneration for his services
    2. property law a person to whom property is transferred without his giving any valuable consideration in return, as a legatee under a will
    1. a plant that grows from seed that has not been deliberately sown
    2. ( as modifier )

      a volunteer plant

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to offer (oneself or one's services) for an undertaking by choice and without request or obligation
  2. tr to perform, give, or communicate voluntarily

    to volunteer help

    to volunteer a speech

  3. intr to enlist voluntarily for military service
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • ·DZ·ܲ·ٱ noun verb
  • ܲ·DZ·ܲ·ٱ·Բ adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of volunteer1

First recorded in 1590–1600; from French volontaire, from Latin DZܲԳܲ voluntary, with -eer for French -aire
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Word History and Origins

Origin of volunteer1

C17: from French volontaire, from Latin DZܲԳܲ willing; see voluntary
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

It has also developed standards for deployment to support volunteers and commercial operators to follow an agreed set of standards.

From

Two wildlife charities are recruiting volunteers to help spot glow-in-the-dark caterpillars at night using ultraviolet lights.

From

Thirty-five years later, he volunteers as an ambassador for the Farm Safety Foundation, telling his story to try to save others from potentially avoidable accidents.

From

Under its original proposal, people aged between 18 and 30 would be able to apply for visas lasting up to four years, with no restrictions on time spent working, studying, training or volunteering.

From

Musk initially said he would perform his role as an outside volunteer but the White House later confirmed he would operate as an unpaid special government employee.

From

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voluntary sectorvolunteer army