I.modal verbCOLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
against...will (=she does not want to stay in the house)
▪ She has been kept in the house against her will.
an effort of will (=a big effort to do something that you find difficult because of the way you feel)
▪ It took a huge effort of will not to cry.
be willing/prepared/happy/ready to admit sth
▪ She was willing to admit that she’d made a mistake.
exert your will (=make something happen in the way that you want)
▪ The army exerted its will by arresting anti-government supporters.
free will
▪ He came of his own free will.
God’s will/the will of God (=what God wants to happen)
▪ He believed it was God’s will that they should suffer.
God’s will/the will of God (=what God wants to happen)
▪ He believed it was God’s will that they should suffer.
How would you like (=would you like)
▪ How would you like to spend the summer in Italy?
if anything can go wrong, it will
▪ I’m sure that if anything can go wrong, it will.
ill will
▪ He said the accusation had been made from hatred and ill will.
indomitable spirit/will/courage etc
▪ Alice was a woman of indomitable spirit.
It would be nice if
▪ It would be nice if you could let us know in advance.
living will
neither does/can/will etc sb
▪ ‘I don’t have any money.’ ‘Neither do I.’
▪ Tom didn’t believe a word she said, and neither did the police.
no/any self-respecting ... would do sth
▪ No self-respecting actor would appear in a porn movie.
not only do/will/can etc
▪ Not only do the nurses want a pay increase, they want reduced hours as well.
only then did/would/could etc sb do sth (=at that moment and not before)
▪ Only then did she tell him about the attack.
ready and willing
▪ She was ready and willing to work hard.
sb will never know/no one will ever know
▪ Just take it. No one will ever know.
sb will never know/no one will ever know
▪ Just take it. No one will ever know.
so do I/so is he/so would Peter etc
▪ Joe was a little upset, and so was I.
▪ He’s been ill, and so has his wife.
▪ As the demand rises, so do prices.
so it would appear (=used to say that something seems likely to be true, although you are not completely sure)
will o' the wisp
will suffice
▪ A light lunch will suffice.
would dearly like
▪ I would dearly like to know what she said.
would have none of it
▪ We offered to pay our half of the cost but Charles would have none of it.
‘That will be a first
▪ ‘I think he’ll agree to it.’‘That will be a first.’
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
(only) time will tell
▪ Only time will tell if this agreement will bring a lasting peace.
▪ BProbably, but time will tell.
▪ Only time will tell if this is a serious effort at improving both public sector accountability and overall performance.
▪ Only time will tell whether it can hold its place in this competitive field.
▪ That is the real test of leadership, and only time will tell.
▪ The expert answers by saying that the story is very important and only time will tell about the future.
▪ Whether that was worth the price of the fare, only time will tell.
▪ Whether the Order will continue to grow, only time will tell.
England expects that every man will do his duty
God willing
▪ God willing, the war will end soon.
God willing
I could/would go for sth
▪ I could really go for a taco right now.
▪ But at first I would go for a holiday.
▪ You always told me that if I worked hard, one day, I would go for Secondary.
I wish (that) sb would do sth
▪ I wish he would go away.
▪ I wish he would stop this.
▪ I wish Masklin would come back.
▪ I wish my friends would take that to heart.
▪ I wish they would continue to play at the Forum.
▪ I wished the Admiral would switch on the lights.
▪ I thought I was gon na die and-I hate to admit it-sometimes I wished I would.
▪ They are different from the views that he is saying are ours, and I wish that he would retract that.
I would be glad if
I would be grateful if you could/would ...
▪ I would be grateful if you could tell me anything about the guitar.
▪ I would be grateful if you could tell me where I can get hold of such posters.
▪ I would be grateful if you would examine Exhibit A. Do you recognise it?
▪ If you will be attending the site visit, I would be grateful if you could complete the tear-off slip below.
▪ This will take place at the above address on and I would be grateful if you could attend at.
I would prefer it if
▪ I'd prefer it if you would not insult my friends.
▪ I would prefer it if we had a bigger house, but we can't afford it.
I would say
▪ After the experience of working on this table I would say that this is absolute rot.
▪ And exactly this, I would say, is the difference between a gospel of war and one of peace.
▪ As far as filmmaking is concerned, I would say the future is his.
▪ Finally, I would say that in a show of sixty-four artists it is astonishing that there are only five women.
▪ I could never come to the situation where I would say we're all equal.
▪ Offhand, I would say a company director.
▪ Well organized, a nice grasp of social interplay. I would say a good beginning.
I would think
▪ "Will you have finished work by 6.30?'' "Oh yes, I should think so.''
▪ I should think Sarah and Greg will be going to the party.
▪ I would think that she would get tired of cleaning up the house every day.
▪ It'll be cooler down by the lake, I would think.
▪ I loathe this country, I would think, No, I love it.
▪ Male speaker I would think they'd like it two to three days old with a reasonable bounce.
▪ My head, I would agree with her. I would think she was right.
▪ No less than three hours, I would think, perhaps as many as five or six.
▪ Pretty heavily on fire, too, I would think.
▪ She would wear it for Chapel Anniversary, I would think, because that was a very special occasion in Baldersdale.
▪ This looks tough, I would think, and then immediately forget about it.
▪ Three reasons, I would think.
I would think/imagine/say
▪ And that, I would say, is what we, in our own religious rites, had best be doing too.
▪ Dominic remains, I would say, a preposterously beautiful creature.
▪ Elizabeth: I would say about 185 pounds.
▪ Is there a chance Chrysler might buy Fiat? I would think there's essentially zero chance of that happening.
▪ Perhaps it is more a matter for philosophers than scientists, but I would say not.
▪ Pretty heavily on fire, too, I would think.
▪ That is a prime question, I would say, of this hour in the bringing up of children.
▪ This looks tough, I would think, and then immediately forget about it.
I/he etc will never hear the end of it
accidents (will) happen
▪ And if accidents happen, they happen.
▪ But some accidents happen because of their egocentric tendency to think of themselves as invulnerable.
▪ But worse is the fact that the same accidents happen time and time again.
▪ Everyone knows that hideous accidents happen, however precise modern weapons are supposed to be.
▪ Local fishermen say that, when accidents happen, the trawlers never stop.
▪ Therefore, both over-confidence and under-confidence may play a part in creating an environment in which accidents happen more readily.
▪ Where he went, accidents happened.
▪ Which is exactly how accidents happen.
anyone would think (that)
▪ A woman like her ... To hear him talk, anyone would think she was some kind of Jezebel on the make.
▪ Really, Tom, the way you're defending her, anyone would think I'd tortured the girl!
▪ The way he went on anyone would think we were engaged in an exact science.
▪ To hear you talk, anyone would think I was some kind of wanton, a man-stealer.
as luck would have it
▪ As luck would have it, it rained the next day and the game was canceled.
▪ As luck would have it, there were two seats left on the last flight.
▪ This was the first time I had ever seen a panda, and as luck would have it, I had my camera with me.
▪ But, as luck would have it, for them anyway, no buses ran on Sunday.
▪ But, as luck would have it, I didn't have an opportunity to follow up my intention at the time.
▪ Somewhere in the Great Hall, as luck would have it, were two managing directors from Salomon Brothers.
▪ This particular shoe, as luck would have it, is a flip-flop.
battle of wills
▪ A battle of wills, no less, between pursuer and prey.
▪ A drawn-out battle of wills began, with my having to stone-wall both in London and on visits to Moscow.
▪ After two days even the smallest decision could become an exhausting battle of wills.
▪ In fact, their battle of wills is escalating.
▪ Instead I was getting myself into an increasingly confrontational situation, a battle of wills, with the Director of Coaching.
▪ The battle of wills between them forms the backbone of the story.
▪ This follows whispers of an alleged battle of wills with manager Don Mackay.
bend to sb's will
▪ The world was bending to my will at last.
boys will be boys
▪ Boys will be boys and in spite of warnings at least one fatal accident occurred involving local lads, and several were injured.
▪ Above: Boys will be boys.
▪ That, and a few water spouts, but then boys will be boys.
chance would be a fine thing!
did he heck/will it heck etc
do sth of your own free will
▪ Bronson gave us his confession of his own free will.
▪ For all men serve him of their own free will.
▪ Her mouth opened of its own free will to his playfully probing tongue, welcoming the invader.
▪ I came back of my own free will on Friday, and went to the game yesterday.
▪ I say this of my own free will.
▪ She was placed in a safe house but later returned to the coven of her own free will.
▪ To some extent, adults can choose of their own free will whether to deal with their grief or not.
▪ Without any reason he left the Firm of his own free will and went to live in Brighton.
flattery will get you everywhere/nowhere
heads will roll
▪ I rather think heads will roll.
▪ Sir Paul sympathises with Mr Meeks ... but says it's inevitable that heads will roll.
how would you like sth?
▪ How would you like a big plate of pancakes?
▪ If you were to have a new one delivered tomorrow, how would you like to learn how it works?
▪ Now, how would you like to eat tonight?
▪ Well, how would you like to take a case that lasts for at least four months?
it is better/it would be better
it might/would be as well
it will all come out in the wash
it will cost you
▪ If you give credit two things will happen: it will cost you money and give you problems.
▪ The more successful we are at extending longevity, the more it will cost us.
murder/the truth etc will out!
no amount of sth can/will etc do sth
▪ But no amount of bashful cuteness can disguise its humourless narcissism.
▪ But no amount of money can buy what Nakamatsu really wants -- lasting fame.
▪ It is due to the inefficiency of the Government which no amount of Budget bribery can possibly erase.
▪ So implausible, so achingly out of touch are they, no amount of Toytown trickery can disguise their ancient irrelevance.
▪ The key is in the cooking; no amount of marinating will tenderize a tough cut of meat.
▪ Therefore, no amount of personality can compensate for mediocre chili. o Judging chili is very personal and subjective.
▪ Translation here must be indeterminate because no amount of evidence will guarantee that the translation we offer will be uniquely correct.
▪ Voice over April's pursuing compensation though no amount of mony can make up for what she's lost.
no more does/has/will etc sb
▪ In practice, this situation will arise only very rarely if a regime of symptom control and no more has been adopted.
▪ Men appear to be no more willing to support women in their traditional roles than women are to assume them.
sb will be laughing on the other side of their face
sb will be the death of me
sb will live to regret it
▪ He may think leaving his wife for the other woman is a good idea, but he'll live to regret it.
▪ If you put all your money in this real estate deal, I guarantee you'll live to regret it.
sb will murder you
sb will never hear the last of sth
sb will not be doing sth (again) in a hurry
sb will not go near sb/sth
sb will not rest until ...
▪ But I will not rest until I ensure that this never happens again to other young people.
▪ He will not rest until he has undone you altogether.
▪ Yes, sir, the vicious Canuck will not rest until the Republic is lying in its own blood and gore!
sb will/would/should etc go far
▪ A man of his abilities should go far in the Party.
▪ And the effects would go far beyond the natural world.
▪ Ghost: Oh, very droll, dear lad - you will go far.
▪ Her decisions would go far toward shaping the postwar world.
▪ It remains to be seen whether such measures will go far to avoid a repetition of the basic abuses, however.
▪ She'd been sure her daughter would go far.
▪ This will go far beyond pep talks and motivational speeches.
▪ Whether the stadium logs another round of lease-backed debt will go far in determining the fate of other major capital-improvement projects here.
sb would (just) as soon
▪ Absorbing Costs Self-defeating techniques yield consequences that most organizations would just as soon not deal with.
▪ After all, he delivers oil to you and would just as soon keep doing it.
▪ And a lot of them would just as soon not get this junk e-mail.
▪ And they would just as soon I was not there.
▪ Fiercely individualistic, Texas would just as soon give back the Alamo as institute a state tax.
▪ He would as soon not go.
▪ The dismissal of such people would stir up controversy the president would just as soon avoid.
sb would do well to do sth
▪ Nelson would do well to keep her political views out of her work.
▪ And President Dole or President Clinton would do well to take advantage of the services of such a splendid fellow.
▪ However, managers would do well to first address their own personal fears and discomfort.
▪ It's a motto the world of fundraising would do well to remember.
▪ Kansas City would do well to follow their example.
▪ Our selectors would do well to not pay too much attention to birth certificates.
▪ Parents would do well to discuss them with their doctor or hospital personnel before birth. 1.
▪ She would do well to remember that.
▪ This is highly regarded and influential in police circles and the social worker would do well to be aware of its thinking.
sb would give the world to do sth
sb would give their eye teeth for sth
sb would give their right arm to do sth
▪ These parents would give their right arms to get their kids into a prestigious school.
sb would sooner do sth (than)
sb would turn in their grave
show willing
sth that would make sb blush
▪ Jones' political moves would even make a crooked politician blush.
▪ She uses language that would make a construction worker blush.
sth will go down in history
▪ 1989 will go down in history as the year in which Stalinist Communism ended.
▪ This Minister will go down in history as the Minister who killed off small shops in Britain.
sth will run and run
▪ And like the film Jaws, true or false, this is a story that will run and run.
▪ It is definitely an occasion that will run and run and the teams are looking forward to next year already.
▪ This question will run and run.
sth would not come/go amiss
▪ A last round of the rooms wouldn't come amiss.
▪ A little humility in the medical debate would not go amiss.
▪ A little thank you to the Ombudsman would not go amiss. --------------------.
▪ A tankful of petrol wouldn't come amiss.
▪ Adding a few seconds to your dev.time to allow for the stop, etc. wouldn't go amiss.
▪ An apology wouldn't go amiss.
▪ In this climate, a down-home bear hug and attendant back slapping probably wouldn't go amiss.
▪ This remained a most important consideration, but some relaxation of the original prohibition would not go amiss.
that will do nicely
that would be telling
▪ Well, that would be telling, as Barry Norman would say.
that would/will never do
▪ Bless my best boots, that would never do at all.
▪ Oh, no, that would never do, would it?
the spirit is willing (but the flesh is weak)
the truth will out
what became of ...?/whatever will become of ...?
what sb will do for sth
▪ This brings me to what allatostatin will do for us.
when the cat's away (the mice will play)
who would have dreamt that ...?
who would have thought?
▪ But who would have thought that a humble human could do these calculations?
▪ That's the only bait I didn't have but, who would have thought that with ice about?
▪ The girl was carrying a latchkey; she let herself into the cabin. ... who would have thought of that?
▪ Yet who would have thought I would talk to myself in this way in these notes? he wrote.
wild horses would/could not ...
will/would have none of sth
▪ But Kaptan would have none of it.
▪ Kronecker would have none of this.
▪ Pott would have none of it and, with the aid of his old friend Nourse, successfully set it himself.
▪ Stark would have none of that.
▪ Surprised and shocked, the Soviet government would have none of it.
▪ The world was going crazy and, or so it seemed, Trumptonshire would have none of it.
will/would stop at nothing (to do sth)
▪ Clearly, Franco would stop at nothing to retain his hegemonic position.
▪ Detectives are hunting three masked raiders who they believe will stop at nothing.
▪ Luke Calder was a coolly calculating, ruthless man who would stop at nothing to get where or what he wanted.
▪ Robert Sheldrake is an unscrupulous man who will stop at nothing to get this practice.
willing helper/volunteer/partner etc
▪ Any Texas prisoner who finds a willing partner on the outside is allowed to be married.
▪ Find yourself a willing partner and sit facing each other.
▪ For example, a teacher who says that she thinks some of the dolls need bathing will soon have some willing helpers.
▪ I belong to several organisations, some are small and local who need willing helpers and supporters.
▪ Non-horsy spouses and relatives can be trained for this role, but they must be willing helpers!
▪ There may be a willing volunteer or a professional person specially appointed, but this may not be easy to find.
▪ Why should he bother, when he had a willing partner waiting back in his rooms?
▪ You take one pair of ends, your willing helper takes the other, and off you go.
wonders will never cease
would give anything/a lot/your right arm etc for sth
would it be possible (for sb) to do sth?
▪ Would it be possible to get together at 6:30 instead of 5?
would just as soon
▪ I'd just as soon ride with you, if that's okay.
▪ Absorbing Costs Self-defeating techniques yield consequences that most organizations would just as soon not deal with.
▪ After all, he delivers oil to you and would just as soon keep doing it.
▪ And a lot of them would just as soon not get this junk e-mail.
▪ And they would just as soon I was not there.
▪ Fiercely individualistic, Texas would just as soon give back the Alamo as institute a state tax.
▪ The dismissal of such people would stir up controversy the president would just as soon avoid.
would like
▪ I'd like to reserve a room for Saturday.
▪ We'd like some information about flights to Chicago, please.
▪ We'd really like a new washing machine.
▪ We would like you to attend an interview at 3:30 on Friday.
▪ Would you like some more coffee?
▪ Would you like to borrow this book?
▪ A proposed right is a claim which the proposer would like the society to enforce.
▪ And, of course, your decision should, above all, reflect your feelings about what you would like to do.
▪ If you would like to reassess your life and learn how to use stress to your advantage, come along.
▪ People like Jennifer Grant, director of the Riley Center, would like to see it catch on big time.
▪ Sam Ruang would like to have one more child, but he under-stands that that is beyond his means.
▪ We are new to the London area, and would like to eat in restaurants or visit pubs with others.
▪ We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you and wish her a very happy retirement.
would not
▪ Days later, my brother called to say he was all right, but would not say where he was.
▪ In the army they would not fight, for the good reason that they had nothing to fight for.
▪ Keyes said he would not break his fast until he was invited to participate in subsequent candidate debates.
▪ Nellie had hoped it would not be too late for her, and now this had to happen.
▪ That was the annual stockholders meeting, at which the computer would not only be publicly introduced, but officially shipped.
▪ We remember Princess Diana causing grim foreboding at the Palace by avowing that she would not go quietly.
would rather
▪ I'd rather not talk about it, okay?
▪ I would rather stay home tonight.
▪ We could eat later, if you would rather do that.
▪ Beach says her generation, however, would rather visit with friends, play sports and watch television.
▪ But she loves to read and would rather listen to the radio than watch television.
▪ He would rather go down fighting, and try to salvage whatever he could from the wreckage of his dreams.
▪ I had the money, and there was nothing I would rather have spent it for than coming to you.
▪ I would rather die than retreat.
▪ I would rather taste ash on my tongue than blood in my mouth.
▪ Most people would rather stay home with their kids.
▪ Some members would abandon the evangelical parts of the platform, while others would rather give up politics.
would rather/would sooner ... than
would that ...
▪ But would that have been unfair?
▪ But would that hold them off for long?
▪ But what good would that do?
▪ I have a sheet of 1 / 2-inch foam insulation; would that work?
▪ Now, would that be wise?
▪ Or would that be too flamboyant?
▪ Or would that too do damage to future matrimonial prospects?
▪ Where would that leave giant fullback Hendrik Truter you may ask?
would you be good enough to do sth?
▪ Would you be good enough to get my glasses for me?
▪ Would you be good enough to re-advise me of your full address so that I can send the documents to you?
would you be good/kind enough to do sth?
would you be kind enough to do sth/be so kind as to do sth
would you believe it!
▪ Would you believe it, she actually remembered my birthday!
would you care for sth?
▪ Would you care for a drink?
▪ How well would he care for them?
would you care to do sth?
▪ Would you care to comment on that, Senator?
would/could kill for sth
▪ But Katrinka is sustained by her search for her long-lost son, and a wardrobe a Vegas showgirl could kill for.
▪ I could kill for him, easily and without thought.
▪ Most retailers would kill for that kind of performance.
▪ Some of the lasses would kill for tab-ends and that.
would/do you mind ...?
you will be delighted/pleased etc to know (that)
you would be well-advised to do sth
you would be well/ill advised to do sth
you would have thought (that)
your courage/will/nerve fails (you)
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪ Will you stir the soup while I go downstairs?
▪ Will you two please stop fighting!
▪ Nancy will keep talking unless you tell her to shut up.
▪ The conference will be held in San Antonio.
▪ What time will you get here?
II.nounCOLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADJECTIVE
free
▪ He uses relativity to throw light on time and eternity, and indeterminacy to comment on free will.
▪ Besides, there is nothing inconsistent with free will or even chastity in this view of life.
▪ Humans could no longer be allowed any such privileged, mystical feature as free will to distinguish them.
▪ The replacement of free will with scientific determinism was consequently the crucial starting point for the new positivist criminology.
▪ Her mouth opened of its own free will to his playfully probing tongue, welcoming the invader.
▪ What we need is an objective test that we can apply from the outside to distinguish whether an organism has free will.
▪ The third question was: If everything is determined, what becomes of free will and our responsibility for our actions?
▪ How can omniscience be reconciled with free will?
good
▪ Central Office correctly assessed the good will for Mr Major.
▪ Many of them therefore missed early opportunities for building good will among their subordinates, just when they needed it most.
▪ But those who knew Karajan best have rarely questioned his judgement or good will in casting for his own productions.
▪ Like Christmas, a brief moment of good will and fellowship, then back to normal.
▪ Our old chiefs thought to show their friendship and good will, when they allowed this dangerous snake in our midst..
▪ The procedures of Annex 13 are realistic and practical if implemented in the proper spirit and with good will.
▪ Next Christmas would be different, thought Linda, felling full of strength and good will.
ill
▪ He accused his estranged wife of being paranoid - but said he felt no ill will toward her.
▪ Months of pent-up anger, frustration, and ill will were vented at Scottsdale.
▪ Could she have treated him to similar displays of ill will as she showed her daughter?
▪ Denying his guilt to the last, he said he didn't bear his wife any ill will.
▪ This is accepted as part of the natural order and causes no ill will amongst the Knightly Orders.
political
▪ The political will to deal with the issue is reduced, affecting the resources available.
▪ Such programmes continue to rely, therefore, on political will and the commitment of those with expertise in operating them.
▪ In short, the conversion process must operate with political skill and political will.
▪ The revalued currency was a remarkable demonstration of political will, and effectively generated user-confidence.
▪ Education became part of an act of political will.
▪ The questions are about both their capacity and their political will.
▪ In truth, there is no political will to tackle the issue.
strong
▪ When a person is willing to do that, he must have a pretty strong will.
▪ Despite all its problems the Club had a strong will to succeed and was rarely despondent.
▪ If the individual has a strong will, then there is in place a strong sense of obligation to ones values.
▪ Who is stronger than the will?
▪ Even as a baby, little Joseph displayed a strong will, furious temper, and rare intellect.
▪ Toddlers have strong wills but have yet to learn self-control.
■ VERB
bend
▪ The application of shock tactics to bend the will of the unwilling.
▪ Most of us can think more or less unemotionally when we bend our wills to that.
▪ None of all this will bend my will.
impose
▪ In neither case is there any additional disciplinary power with which the employer or customer are able to impose their will.
▪ Vaught is also reluctant to impose his will upon others.
▪ He had imposed his will, or the will of the Scarabae on her.
▪ In the past, national presidents have imposed their will on the party, not only determining policies but leaders.
▪ An army of Slaanesh worshippers would be available to impose his will on the leaderless Elves.
▪ I want to avoid contaminating the answer by imposing my will but simply watch patiently and see.
▪ When his fields are starved of minerals through self-indulgent agriculture, he tries to impose his own will upon the land.
live
▪ I will give you the will to live again.
▪ Almost as if you were losing the will to live, the doctor said.
▪ A few of the very best analysts, months into their new jobs, lost their will to live normal lives.
▪ I now have the will to live, but is this enough?
▪ Alfred at eighty-four was still alert, but his will to live had weakened.
▪ His will to live was the first thing Jasper lost.
lose
▪ But the police lost their will and the marchers moved forward, swelling to more than 1,000.
▪ A few of the very best analysts, months into their new jobs, lost their will to live normal lives.
▪ Almost as if you were losing the will to live, the doctor said.
▪ Gradually, however, the church lost its self-restraining will and generated a taste for wealth.
▪ Once the campaign proper starts I may well lose the will to live.
▪ The government lost will and confidence.
▪ I had lost even the will to be a coward.
▪ It had lost its collective will, and with it the faith in its ability to weather competitive challenges.
make
▪ I've just had a telephone sales call to see if I want to make a will.
▪ For years, newspapers have been nagging you to make a will.
▪ But remember that you can not usually make a will unless you are over 18.
▪ From what Varden tells me, Bobby made out a will when he came into his inheritance three years ago.
▪ What is the effect of a testator instructing his daughter to make no will?
▪ We both made our wills in 1983 and did not, of course, ask to see copies.
▪ It is never too early to make a will or an enduring power of attorney.
▪ I have made my will and placed my house in order.
succeed
▪ Despite all its problems the Club had a strong will to succeed and was rarely despondent.
▪ She had enough guts coupled with an ego that nurtures the will to succeed.
▪ He thinks everybody has the same blind will to succeed as himself.
▪ The Edinburgh Summit will tell us whether it has a real will to succeed.
▪ Call his machines what you will-sculptures, utopian models, proposals, follies-they reflect a will to succeed.
▪ Immigrants tend to be a highly motivated, self-selected group with a strong will to succeed.
write
▪ Malplacket found a shady spot in the wadi and sat down to write his will.
▪ Previous studies Hamilton says that whoever wrote the will also wrote the play.
▪ Sitting at the kitchen table with a pencil and a yellow legal pad, he wrote a will.
▪ In fact, because most older people had nothing significant to leave, only a minority wrote wills.
▪ She wrote a will of sorts.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
(only) time will tell
▪ Only time will tell if this agreement will bring a lasting peace.
▪ BProbably, but time will tell.
▪ Only time will tell if this is a serious effort at improving both public sector accountability and overall performance.
▪ Only time will tell whether it can hold its place in this competitive field.
▪ That is the real test of leadership, and only time will tell.
▪ The expert answers by saying that the story is very important and only time will tell about the future.
▪ Whether that was worth the price of the fare, only time will tell.
▪ Whether the Order will continue to grow, only time will tell.
England expects that every man will do his duty
God willing
I could/would go for sth
▪ I could really go for a taco right now.
▪ But at first I would go for a holiday.
▪ You always told me that if I worked hard, one day, I would go for Secondary.
I wish (that) sb would do sth
▪ I wish he would go away.
▪ I wish he would stop this.
▪ I wish Masklin would come back.
▪ I wish my friends would take that to heart.
▪ I wish they would continue to play at the Forum.
▪ I wished the Admiral would switch on the lights.
▪ I thought I was gon na die and-I hate to admit it-sometimes I wished I would.
▪ They are different from the views that he is saying are ours, and I wish that he would retract that.
I would be glad if
I would be grateful if you could/would ...
▪ I would be grateful if you could tell me anything about the guitar.
▪ I would be grateful if you could tell me where I can get hold of such posters.
▪ I would be grateful if you would examine Exhibit A. Do you recognise it?
▪ If you will be attending the site visit, I would be grateful if you could complete the tear-off slip below.
▪ This will take place at the above address on and I would be grateful if you could attend at.
I would prefer it if
▪ I'd prefer it if you would not insult my friends.
▪ I would prefer it if we had a bigger house, but we can't afford it.
I would say
▪ After the experience of working on this table I would say that this is absolute rot.
▪ And exactly this, I would say, is the difference between a gospel of war and one of peace.
▪ As far as filmmaking is concerned, I would say the future is his.
▪ Finally, I would say that in a show of sixty-four artists it is astonishing that there are only five women.
▪ I could never come to the situation where I would say we're all equal.
▪ Offhand, I would say a company director.
▪ Well organized, a nice grasp of social interplay. I would say a good beginning.
I would think
▪ "Will you have finished work by 6.30?'' "Oh yes, I should think so.''
▪ I should think Sarah and Greg will be going to the party.
▪ I would think that she would get tired of cleaning up the house every day.
▪ It'll be cooler down by the lake, I would think.
▪ I loathe this country, I would think, No, I love it.
▪ Male speaker I would think they'd like it two to three days old with a reasonable bounce.
▪ My head, I would agree with her. I would think she was right.
▪ No less than three hours, I would think, perhaps as many as five or six.
▪ Pretty heavily on fire, too, I would think.
▪ She would wear it for Chapel Anniversary, I would think, because that was a very special occasion in Baldersdale.
▪ This looks tough, I would think, and then immediately forget about it.
▪ Three reasons, I would think.
I would think/imagine/say
▪ And that, I would say, is what we, in our own religious rites, had best be doing too.
▪ Dominic remains, I would say, a preposterously beautiful creature.
▪ Elizabeth: I would say about 185 pounds.
▪ Is there a chance Chrysler might buy Fiat? I would think there's essentially zero chance of that happening.
▪ Perhaps it is more a matter for philosophers than scientists, but I would say not.
▪ Pretty heavily on fire, too, I would think.
▪ That is a prime question, I would say, of this hour in the bringing up of children.
▪ This looks tough, I would think, and then immediately forget about it.
I/he etc will never hear the end of it
accidents (will) happen
▪ And if accidents happen, they happen.
▪ But some accidents happen because of their egocentric tendency to think of themselves as invulnerable.
▪ But worse is the fact that the same accidents happen time and time again.
▪ Everyone knows that hideous accidents happen, however precise modern weapons are supposed to be.
▪ Local fishermen say that, when accidents happen, the trawlers never stop.
▪ Therefore, both over-confidence and under-confidence may play a part in creating an environment in which accidents happen more readily.
▪ Where he went, accidents happened.
▪ Which is exactly how accidents happen.
anyone would think (that)
▪ A woman like her ... To hear him talk, anyone would think she was some kind of Jezebel on the make.
▪ Really, Tom, the way you're defending her, anyone would think I'd tortured the girl!
▪ The way he went on anyone would think we were engaged in an exact science.
▪ To hear you talk, anyone would think I was some kind of wanton, a man-stealer.
as luck would have it
▪ As luck would have it, it rained the next day and the game was canceled.
▪ As luck would have it, there were two seats left on the last flight.
▪ This was the first time I had ever seen a panda, and as luck would have it, I had my camera with me.
▪ But, as luck would have it, for them anyway, no buses ran on Sunday.
▪ But, as luck would have it, I didn't have an opportunity to follow up my intention at the time.
▪ Somewhere in the Great Hall, as luck would have it, were two managing directors from Salomon Brothers.
▪ This particular shoe, as luck would have it, is a flip-flop.
battle of wills
▪ A battle of wills, no less, between pursuer and prey.
▪ A drawn-out battle of wills began, with my having to stone-wall both in London and on visits to Moscow.
▪ After two days even the smallest decision could become an exhausting battle of wills.
▪ In fact, their battle of wills is escalating.
▪ Instead I was getting myself into an increasingly confrontational situation, a battle of wills, with the Director of Coaching.
▪ The battle of wills between them forms the backbone of the story.
▪ This follows whispers of an alleged battle of wills with manager Don Mackay.
bend to sb's will
▪ The world was bending to my will at last.
boys will be boys
▪ Boys will be boys and in spite of warnings at least one fatal accident occurred involving local lads, and several were injured.
▪ Above: Boys will be boys.
▪ That, and a few water spouts, but then boys will be boys.
chance would be a fine thing!
did he heck/will it heck etc
do sth of your own free will
▪ Bronson gave us his confession of his own free will.
▪ For all men serve him of their own free will.
▪ Her mouth opened of its own free will to his playfully probing tongue, welcoming the invader.
▪ I came back of my own free will on Friday, and went to the game yesterday.
▪ I say this of my own free will.
▪ She was placed in a safe house but later returned to the coven of her own free will.
▪ To some extent, adults can choose of their own free will whether to deal with their grief or not.
▪ Without any reason he left the Firm of his own free will and went to live in Brighton.
flattery will get you everywhere/nowhere
heads will roll
▪ I rather think heads will roll.
▪ Sir Paul sympathises with Mr Meeks ... but says it's inevitable that heads will roll.
how would you like sth?
▪ How would you like a big plate of pancakes?
▪ If you were to have a new one delivered tomorrow, how would you like to learn how it works?
▪ Now, how would you like to eat tonight?
▪ Well, how would you like to take a case that lasts for at least four months?
it is better/it would be better
it might/would be as well
it will all come out in the wash
it will cost you
▪ If you give credit two things will happen: it will cost you money and give you problems.
▪ The more successful we are at extending longevity, the more it will cost us.
murder/the truth etc will out!
no amount of sth can/will etc do sth
▪ But no amount of bashful cuteness can disguise its humourless narcissism.
▪ But no amount of money can buy what Nakamatsu really wants -- lasting fame.
▪ It is due to the inefficiency of the Government which no amount of Budget bribery can possibly erase.
▪ So implausible, so achingly out of touch are they, no amount of Toytown trickery can disguise their ancient irrelevance.
▪ The key is in the cooking; no amount of marinating will tenderize a tough cut of meat.
▪ Therefore, no amount of personality can compensate for mediocre chili. o Judging chili is very personal and subjective.
▪ Translation here must be indeterminate because no amount of evidence will guarantee that the translation we offer will be uniquely correct.
▪ Voice over April's pursuing compensation though no amount of mony can make up for what she's lost.
no more does/has/will etc sb
▪ In practice, this situation will arise only very rarely if a regime of symptom control and no more has been adopted.
▪ Men appear to be no more willing to support women in their traditional roles than women are to assume them.
sb will be laughing on the other side of their face
sb will be the death of me
sb will live to regret it
▪ He may think leaving his wife for the other woman is a good idea, but he'll live to regret it.
▪ If you put all your money in this real estate deal, I guarantee you'll live to regret it.
sb will murder you
sb will never hear the last of sth
sb will not be doing sth (again) in a hurry
sb will not go near sb/sth
sb will not rest until ...
▪ But I will not rest until I ensure that this never happens again to other young people.
▪ He will not rest until he has undone you altogether.
▪ Yes, sir, the vicious Canuck will not rest until the Republic is lying in its own blood and gore!
sb will/would/should etc go far
▪ A man of his abilities should go far in the Party.
▪ And the effects would go far beyond the natural world.
▪ Ghost: Oh, very droll, dear lad - you will go far.
▪ Her decisions would go far toward shaping the postwar world.
▪ It remains to be seen whether such measures will go far to avoid a repetition of the basic abuses, however.
▪ She'd been sure her daughter would go far.
▪ This will go far beyond pep talks and motivational speeches.
▪ Whether the stadium logs another round of lease-backed debt will go far in determining the fate of other major capital-improvement projects here.
sb would (just) as soon
▪ Absorbing Costs Self-defeating techniques yield consequences that most organizations would just as soon not deal with.
▪ After all, he delivers oil to you and would just as soon keep doing it.
▪ And a lot of them would just as soon not get this junk e-mail.
▪ And they would just as soon I was not there.
▪ Fiercely individualistic, Texas would just as soon give back the Alamo as institute a state tax.
▪ He would as soon not go.
▪ The dismissal of such people would stir up controversy the president would just as soon avoid.
sb would do well to do sth
▪ Nelson would do well to keep her political views out of her work.
▪ And President Dole or President Clinton would do well to take advantage of the services of such a splendid fellow.
▪ However, managers would do well to first address their own personal fears and discomfort.
▪ It's a motto the world of fundraising would do well to remember.
▪ Kansas City would do well to follow their example.
▪ Our selectors would do well to not pay too much attention to birth certificates.
▪ Parents would do well to discuss them with their doctor or hospital personnel before birth. 1.
▪ She would do well to remember that.
▪ This is highly regarded and influential in police circles and the social worker would do well to be aware of its thinking.
sb would give the world to do sth
sb would give their eye teeth for sth
sb would give their right arm to do sth
▪ These parents would give their right arms to get their kids into a prestigious school.
sb would sooner do sth (than)
sb would turn in their grave
show willing
sth that would make sb blush
▪ Jones' political moves would even make a crooked politician blush.
▪ She uses language that would make a construction worker blush.
sth will go down in history
▪ 1989 will go down in history as the year in which Stalinist Communism ended.
▪ This Minister will go down in history as the Minister who killed off small shops in Britain.
sth will run and run
▪ And like the film Jaws, true or false, this is a story that will run and run.
▪ It is definitely an occasion that will run and run and the teams are looking forward to next year already.
▪ This question will run and run.
sth would not come/go amiss
▪ A last round of the rooms wouldn't come amiss.
▪ A little humility in the medical debate would not go amiss.
▪ A little thank you to the Ombudsman would not go amiss. --------------------.
▪ A tankful of petrol wouldn't come amiss.
▪ Adding a few seconds to your dev.time to allow for the stop, etc. wouldn't go amiss.
▪ An apology wouldn't go amiss.
▪ In this climate, a down-home bear hug and attendant back slapping probably wouldn't go amiss.
▪ This remained a most important consideration, but some relaxation of the original prohibition would not go amiss.
that will do nicely
that would be telling
▪ Well, that would be telling, as Barry Norman would say.
that would/will never do
▪ Bless my best boots, that would never do at all.
▪ Oh, no, that would never do, would it?
the truth will out
what became of ...?/whatever will become of ...?
what sb will do for sth
▪ This brings me to what allatostatin will do for us.
when the cat's away (the mice will play)
who would have dreamt that ...?
who would have thought?
▪ But who would have thought that a humble human could do these calculations?
▪ That's the only bait I didn't have but, who would have thought that with ice about?
▪ The girl was carrying a latchkey; she let herself into the cabin. ... who would have thought of that?
▪ Yet who would have thought I would talk to myself in this way in these notes? he wrote.
wild horses would/could not ...
will/would have none of sth
▪ But Kaptan would have none of it.
▪ Kronecker would have none of this.
▪ Pott would have none of it and, with the aid of his old friend Nourse, successfully set it himself.
▪ Stark would have none of that.
▪ Surprised and shocked, the Soviet government would have none of it.
▪ The world was going crazy and, or so it seemed, Trumptonshire would have none of it.
will/would stop at nothing (to do sth)
▪ Clearly, Franco would stop at nothing to retain his hegemonic position.
▪ Detectives are hunting three masked raiders who they believe will stop at nothing.
▪ Luke Calder was a coolly calculating, ruthless man who would stop at nothing to get where or what he wanted.
▪ Robert Sheldrake is an unscrupulous man who will stop at nothing to get this practice.
willing helper/volunteer/partner etc
▪ Any Texas prisoner who finds a willing partner on the outside is allowed to be married.
▪ Find yourself a willing partner and sit facing each other.
▪ For example, a teacher who says that she thinks some of the dolls need bathing will soon have some willing helpers.
▪ I belong to several organisations, some are small and local who need willing helpers and supporters.
▪ Non-horsy spouses and relatives can be trained for this role, but they must be willing helpers!
▪ There may be a willing volunteer or a professional person specially appointed, but this may not be easy to find.
▪ Why should he bother, when he had a willing partner waiting back in his rooms?
▪ You take one pair of ends, your willing helper takes the other, and off you go.
wonders will never cease
would give anything/a lot/your right arm etc for sth
would it be possible (for sb) to do sth?
▪ Would it be possible to get together at 6:30 instead of 5?
would just as soon
▪ I'd just as soon ride with you, if that's okay.
▪ Absorbing Costs Self-defeating techniques yield consequences that most organizations would just as soon not deal with.
▪ After all, he delivers oil to you and would just as soon keep doing it.
▪ And a lot of them would just as soon not get this junk e-mail.
▪ And they would just as soon I was not there.
▪ Fiercely individualistic, Texas would just as soon give back the Alamo as institute a state tax.
▪ The dismissal of such people would stir up controversy the president would just as soon avoid.
would like
▪ I'd like to reserve a room for Saturday.
▪ We'd like some information about flights to Chicago, please.
▪ We'd really like a new washing machine.
▪ We would like you to attend an interview at 3:30 on Friday.
▪ Would you like some more coffee?
▪ Would you like to borrow this book?
▪ A proposed right is a claim which the proposer would like the society to enforce.
▪ And, of course, your decision should, above all, reflect your feelings about what you would like to do.
▪ If you would like to reassess your life and learn how to use stress to your advantage, come along.
▪ People like Jennifer Grant, director of the Riley Center, would like to see it catch on big time.
▪ Sam Ruang would like to have one more child, but he under-stands that that is beyond his means.
▪ We are new to the London area, and would like to eat in restaurants or visit pubs with others.
▪ We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you and wish her a very happy retirement.
would not
▪ Days later, my brother called to say he was all right, but would not say where he was.
▪ In the army they would not fight, for the good reason that they had nothing to fight for.
▪ Keyes said he would not break his fast until he was invited to participate in subsequent candidate debates.
▪ Nellie had hoped it would not be too late for her, and now this had to happen.
▪ That was the annual stockholders meeting, at which the computer would not only be publicly introduced, but officially shipped.
▪ We remember Princess Diana causing grim foreboding at the Palace by avowing that she would not go quietly.
would rather
▪ I'd rather not talk about it, okay?
▪ I would rather stay home tonight.
▪ We could eat later, if you would rather do that.
▪ Beach says her generation, however, would rather visit with friends, play sports and watch television.
▪ But she loves to read and would rather listen to the radio than watch television.
▪ He would rather go down fighting, and try to salvage whatever he could from the wreckage of his dreams.
▪ I had the money, and there was nothing I would rather have spent it for than coming to you.
▪ I would rather die than retreat.
▪ I would rather taste ash on my tongue than blood in my mouth.
▪ Most people would rather stay home with their kids.
▪ Some members would abandon the evangelical parts of the platform, while others would rather give up politics.
would rather/would sooner ... than
would that ...
▪ But would that have been unfair?
▪ But would that hold them off for long?
▪ But what good would that do?
▪ I have a sheet of 1 / 2-inch foam insulation; would that work?
▪ Now, would that be wise?
▪ Or would that be too flamboyant?
▪ Or would that too do damage to future matrimonial prospects?
▪ Where would that leave giant fullback Hendrik Truter you may ask?
would you be good enough to do sth?
▪ Would you be good enough to get my glasses for me?
▪ Would you be good enough to re-advise me of your full address so that I can send the documents to you?
would you be good/kind enough to do sth?
would you be kind enough to do sth/be so kind as to do sth
would you believe it!
▪ Would you believe it, she actually remembered my birthday!
would you care for sth?
▪ Would you care for a drink?
▪ How well would he care for them?
would you care to do sth?
▪ Would you care to comment on that, Senator?
would/could kill for sth
▪ But Katrinka is sustained by her search for her long-lost son, and a wardrobe a Vegas showgirl could kill for.
▪ I could kill for him, easily and without thought.
▪ Most retailers would kill for that kind of performance.
▪ Some of the lasses would kill for tab-ends and that.
would/do you mind ...?
you will be delighted/pleased etc to know (that)
you would be well-advised to do sth
you would be well/ill advised to do sth
you would have thought (that)
your courage/will/nerve fails (you)
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪ Even as a baby, Joseph had a strong will.
▪ He made a will just hours before he died.
▪ I guess it's just God's will.
▪ Mrs Williams left her daughter $200,000 in her will.
▪ They weren't the best side in the European Cup, but they possessed the will to win.
▪ When Henrietta told her father that she was going to marry Weinberger, he threatened to cut her out of his will.
▪ When her husband died, she seemed to lose the will to live.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ According to Hobbes, law is a command, the expression of the will of the sovereign.
▪ But her durability, her will to survive, were attractive, and 1 liked her very much.
▪ But other political analysts suggested that Milosevic was staging a final test of wills before giving in.
▪ Toddlers have strong wills but have yet to learn self-control.
▪ What a display of grandeur and sheer force of will!
III.verbPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
(only) time will tell
▪ Only time will tell if this agreement will bring a lasting peace.
▪ BProbably, but time will tell.
▪ Only time will tell if this is a serious effort at improving both public sector accountability and overall performance.
▪ Only time will tell whether it can hold its place in this competitive field.
▪ That is the real test of leadership, and only time will tell.
▪ The expert answers by saying that the story is very important and only time will tell about the future.
▪ Whether that was worth the price of the fare, only time will tell.
▪ Whether the Order will continue to grow, only time will tell.
England expects that every man will do his duty
God willing
▪ God willing, the war will end soon.
God willing
I would be glad if
I would be grateful if you could/would ...
▪ I would be grateful if you could tell me anything about the guitar.
▪ I would be grateful if you could tell me where I can get hold of such posters.
▪ I would be grateful if you would examine Exhibit A. Do you recognise it?
▪ If you will be attending the site visit, I would be grateful if you could complete the tear-off slip below.
▪ This will take place at the above address on and I would be grateful if you could attend at.
I would think/imagine/say
▪ And that, I would say, is what we, in our own religious rites, had best be doing too.
▪ Dominic remains, I would say, a preposterously beautiful creature.
▪ Elizabeth: I would say about 185 pounds.
▪ Is there a chance Chrysler might buy Fiat? I would think there's essentially zero chance of that happening.
▪ Perhaps it is more a matter for philosophers than scientists, but I would say not.
▪ Pretty heavily on fire, too, I would think.
▪ That is a prime question, I would say, of this hour in the bringing up of children.
▪ This looks tough, I would think, and then immediately forget about it.
accidents (will) happen
▪ And if accidents happen, they happen.
▪ But some accidents happen because of their egocentric tendency to think of themselves as invulnerable.
▪ But worse is the fact that the same accidents happen time and time again.
▪ Everyone knows that hideous accidents happen, however precise modern weapons are supposed to be.
▪ Local fishermen say that, when accidents happen, the trawlers never stop.
▪ Therefore, both over-confidence and under-confidence may play a part in creating an environment in which accidents happen more readily.
▪ Where he went, accidents happened.
▪ Which is exactly how accidents happen.
as luck would have it
▪ As luck would have it, it rained the next day and the game was canceled.
▪ As luck would have it, there were two seats left on the last flight.
▪ This was the first time I had ever seen a panda, and as luck would have it, I had my camera with me.
▪ But, as luck would have it, for them anyway, no buses ran on Sunday.
▪ But, as luck would have it, I didn't have an opportunity to follow up my intention at the time.
▪ Somewhere in the Great Hall, as luck would have it, were two managing directors from Salomon Brothers.
▪ This particular shoe, as luck would have it, is a flip-flop.
battle of wills
▪ A battle of wills, no less, between pursuer and prey.
▪ A drawn-out battle of wills began, with my having to stone-wall both in London and on visits to Moscow.
▪ After two days even the smallest decision could become an exhausting battle of wills.
▪ In fact, their battle of wills is escalating.
▪ Instead I was getting myself into an increasingly confrontational situation, a battle of wills, with the Director of Coaching.
▪ The battle of wills between them forms the backbone of the story.
▪ This follows whispers of an alleged battle of wills with manager Don Mackay.
boys will be boys
▪ Boys will be boys and in spite of warnings at least one fatal accident occurred involving local lads, and several were injured.
▪ Above: Boys will be boys.
▪ That, and a few water spouts, but then boys will be boys.
chance would be a fine thing!
did he heck/will it heck etc
do sth of your own free will
▪ Bronson gave us his confession of his own free will.
▪ For all men serve him of their own free will.
▪ Her mouth opened of its own free will to his playfully probing tongue, welcoming the invader.
▪ I came back of my own free will on Friday, and went to the game yesterday.
▪ I say this of my own free will.
▪ She was placed in a safe house but later returned to the coven of her own free will.
▪ To some extent, adults can choose of their own free will whether to deal with their grief or not.
▪ Without any reason he left the Firm of his own free will and went to live in Brighton.
flattery will get you everywhere/nowhere
heads will roll
▪ I rather think heads will roll.
▪ Sir Paul sympathises with Mr Meeks ... but says it's inevitable that heads will roll.
it is better/it would be better
it might/would be as well
it will all come out in the wash
no amount of sth can/will etc do sth
▪ But no amount of bashful cuteness can disguise its humourless narcissism.
▪ But no amount of money can buy what Nakamatsu really wants -- lasting fame.
▪ It is due to the inefficiency of the Government which no amount of Budget bribery can possibly erase.
▪ So implausible, so achingly out of touch are they, no amount of Toytown trickery can disguise their ancient irrelevance.
▪ The key is in the cooking; no amount of marinating will tenderize a tough cut of meat.
▪ Therefore, no amount of personality can compensate for mediocre chili. o Judging chili is very personal and subjective.
▪ Translation here must be indeterminate because no amount of evidence will guarantee that the translation we offer will be uniquely correct.
▪ Voice over April's pursuing compensation though no amount of mony can make up for what she's lost.
no more does/has/will etc sb
▪ In practice, this situation will arise only very rarely if a regime of symptom control and no more has been adopted.
▪ Men appear to be no more willing to support women in their traditional roles than women are to assume them.
sb will be the death of me
sb will never hear the last of sth
sb will not be doing sth (again) in a hurry
sb will not go near sb/sth
sb will/would/should etc go far
▪ A man of his abilities should go far in the Party.
▪ And the effects would go far beyond the natural world.
▪ Ghost: Oh, very droll, dear lad - you will go far.
▪ Her decisions would go far toward shaping the postwar world.
▪ It remains to be seen whether such measures will go far to avoid a repetition of the basic abuses, however.
▪ She'd been sure her daughter would go far.
▪ This will go far beyond pep talks and motivational speeches.
▪ Whether the stadium logs another round of lease-backed debt will go far in determining the fate of other major capital-improvement projects here.
sb would (just) as soon
▪ Absorbing Costs Self-defeating techniques yield consequences that most organizations would just as soon not deal with.
▪ After all, he delivers oil to you and would just as soon keep doing it.
▪ And a lot of them would just as soon not get this junk e-mail.
▪ And they would just as soon I was not there.
▪ Fiercely individualistic, Texas would just as soon give back the Alamo as institute a state tax.
▪ He would as soon not go.
▪ The dismissal of such people would stir up controversy the president would just as soon avoid.
sb would give the world to do sth
sb would give their eye teeth for sth
sb would give their right arm to do sth
▪ These parents would give their right arms to get their kids into a prestigious school.
sb would sooner do sth (than)
sb would turn in their grave
sth will go down in history
▪ 1989 will go down in history as the year in which Stalinist Communism ended.
▪ This Minister will go down in history as the Minister who killed off small shops in Britain.
sth would not come/go amiss
▪ A last round of the rooms wouldn't come amiss.
▪ A little humility in the medical debate would not go amiss.
▪ A little thank you to the Ombudsman would not go amiss. --------------------.
▪ A tankful of petrol wouldn't come amiss.
▪ Adding a few seconds to your dev.time to allow for the stop, etc. wouldn't go amiss.
▪ An apology wouldn't go amiss.
▪ In this climate, a down-home bear hug and attendant back slapping probably wouldn't go amiss.
▪ This remained a most important consideration, but some relaxation of the original prohibition would not go amiss.
that will do nicely
that would/will never do
▪ Bless my best boots, that would never do at all.
▪ Oh, no, that would never do, would it?
the spirit is willing (but the flesh is weak)
the truth will out
when the cat's away (the mice will play)
wild horses would/could not ...
will/would have none of sth
▪ But Kaptan would have none of it.
▪ Kronecker would have none of this.
▪ Pott would have none of it and, with the aid of his old friend Nourse, successfully set it himself.
▪ Stark would have none of that.
▪ Surprised and shocked, the Soviet government would have none of it.
▪ The world was going crazy and, or so it seemed, Trumptonshire would have none of it.
willing helper/volunteer/partner etc
▪ Any Texas prisoner who finds a willing partner on the outside is allowed to be married.
▪ Find yourself a willing partner and sit facing each other.
▪ For example, a teacher who says that she thinks some of the dolls need bathing will soon have some willing helpers.
▪ I belong to several organisations, some are small and local who need willing helpers and supporters.
▪ Non-horsy spouses and relatives can be trained for this role, but they must be willing helpers!
▪ There may be a willing volunteer or a professional person specially appointed, but this may not be easy to find.
▪ Why should he bother, when he had a willing partner waiting back in his rooms?
▪ You take one pair of ends, your willing helper takes the other, and off you go.
wonders will never cease
would it be possible (for sb) to do sth?
▪ Would it be possible to get together at 6:30 instead of 5?
would just as soon
▪ I'd just as soon ride with you, if that's okay.
▪ Absorbing Costs Self-defeating techniques yield consequences that most organizations would just as soon not deal with.
▪ After all, he delivers oil to you and would just as soon keep doing it.
▪ And a lot of them would just as soon not get this junk e-mail.
▪ And they would just as soon I was not there.
▪ Fiercely individualistic, Texas would just as soon give back the Alamo as institute a state tax.
▪ The dismissal of such people would stir up controversy the president would just as soon avoid.
would not
▪ Days later, my brother called to say he was all right, but would not say where he was.
▪ In the army they would not fight, for the good reason that they had nothing to fight for.
▪ Keyes said he would not break his fast until he was invited to participate in subsequent candidate debates.
▪ Nellie had hoped it would not be too late for her, and now this had to happen.
▪ That was the annual stockholders meeting, at which the computer would not only be publicly introduced, but officially shipped.
▪ We remember Princess Diana causing grim foreboding at the Palace by avowing that she would not go quietly.
would rather
▪ I'd rather not talk about it, okay?
▪ I would rather stay home tonight.
▪ We could eat later, if you would rather do that.
▪ Beach says her generation, however, would rather visit with friends, play sports and watch television.
▪ But she loves to read and would rather listen to the radio than watch television.
▪ He would rather go down fighting, and try to salvage whatever he could from the wreckage of his dreams.
▪ I had the money, and there was nothing I would rather have spent it for than coming to you.
▪ I would rather die than retreat.
▪ I would rather taste ash on my tongue than blood in my mouth.
▪ Most people would rather stay home with their kids.
▪ Some members would abandon the evangelical parts of the platform, while others would rather give up politics.
would rather/would sooner ... than
would that ...
▪ But would that have been unfair?
▪ But would that hold them off for long?
▪ But what good would that do?
▪ I have a sheet of 1 / 2-inch foam insulation; would that work?
▪ Now, would that be wise?
▪ Or would that be too flamboyant?
▪ Or would that too do damage to future matrimonial prospects?
▪ Where would that leave giant fullback Hendrik Truter you may ask?
would you be good enough to do sth?
▪ Would you be good enough to get my glasses for me?
▪ Would you be good enough to re-advise me of your full address so that I can send the documents to you?
would you be good/kind enough to do sth?
would you be kind enough to do sth/be so kind as to do sth
you would be well-advised to do sth
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪ Wilson established a fine collection of artworks, which he willed to Peale's Museum.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ As the Internet gathers pace, so too will its impact on the political scene.
▪ In future, the link between them will no doubt be found.
▪ One wonders, given the present unionist leadership, if it ever will.
▪ Only when they have reached stalemate with the bank will the ombudsman then consider a claim.
▪ Which we will, in a moment.