A mere wish, unaccompanied by effort to obtain, 8 letters - Crossword clues, answers, solver

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Answer for the clue "A mere wish, unaccompanied by effort to obtain ", 8 letters:
velleity

Alternative clues for the word velleity

Volition in its weakest form

Word definitions for velleity in dictionaries

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
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.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
"volition in the weakest form; an indolent or inactive wish," 1610s, from Medieval Latin stem of velleitas (from Latin velle "to wish, will;" see will (v.)) + -ity .

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
n. a mere wish, unaccompanied by effort to obtain volition in its weakest form

Wikipedia Word definitions in Wikipedia
Velleity is the lowest degree of volition, a slight wish or tendency.

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. 1 The lowest degree of desire or volition, with no effort to act. 2 A slight wish not followed by any effort to obtain.

Usage examples of velleity.

The difficulty of getting here prevented people from coming on a velleity, and the eternal presence of these people- like starlings peering down hungrily at a picnic- reminded everyone who was lucky enough to have a job that others were waiting to take their place.

Saying now this, now that, hinting of all things,-- Dreams, and desires, velleities, regrets, Faint ghosts of memory, strange recognitions,-- But all with one deep meaning: this is I, This is the glistening secret holy I, This silver-winged wonder, insubstantial, This singing ghost.

Where the weakest are to be convinced speech must stoop: a full consideration of the velleities and uncertainties, a little bombast to elevate the feelings without committing the judgment, some vague effusion of sentiment, an inapposite blandness, a meaningless rodomontade - these are the by-ways to be travelled by the style that is a willing slave to its audience.

Depending on the diurnal velleities of Queen Anne, Bolingbroke was either the first man in England, or the second, after Oxford.

Unwilling to stop until she imposes her will on the velleities of the wheel, she loses heavily, stubbornly cashes all her securities at a ruinous rate to continue to play, and loses every penny.

He had no tolerance at all for their high-minded Romantic and idealistic velleities, even though these had played a part in helping to abolish serfdom and had led to a more humanitarian attitude toward the peasantry.