Vo-li′tion, n.
(‑lish′un), n. [Fr. volition, Sp. volicion, It. volizione, L. Lat. volitio, from Lat. volo, velle, to will, be willing, allied to Gr. βολ, βόλομαι, βούλομαι. Cf. WILL.] 1. The act of willing or choosing; the act of forming a purpose; the exercise of the will.
Volition is the actual exercise of the power which the mind has of considering, or forbearing to consider, an idea. Locke.
Volition is an act of the mind, knowingly exerting that dominion it takes itself to have over any part of the man, by employing it in, or withholding it from, any particular action. Locke.
Sense 2. The power of willing or determining.
Synonyms—Will; choice; preference; determination; purpose.—VOLITION, CHOICE. Choice is Anglo-Saxon, and volition Latin. The former is the familiar, and the latter the scientific, term for the same state of the will; viz., an “elective preference.” When we have “made up our minds” (as we say) to a thing, i. e., have a settled state of choice respecting it, that state is called an immanent volition; when we put forth any particular act of choice, that act is called an emanant, or executive, or imperative, volition. When an immanent, or settled state of choice, is one which controls or governs a series of actions, we call that state a predominant volition; while we give the name of subordinate volitions to those particular acts of choice which carry into effect the object sought for by the governing or “predominant volition.” See WILL.