volunteer definition - Dictionary

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volunteer

vol·un·teer [ vòllən tr ]

noun (plural vol·un·teers)

Definition:

1. somebody who works for nothing: somebody who works without being paid

2. somebody acting voluntarily: somebody who does something voluntarily, especially something undesirable

3. voluntary recruit to armed forces: somebody who has freely offered to serve in the armed services

4. botany cultivated plant growing naturally: a cultivated plant, especially a crop plant, that grows without having been intentionally sown or planted

5. law somebody acting without legal obligation: a participant in something who is not legally bound to participate and does not expect to be paid

6. law somebody given property: a recipient of property who does not have to pay for it or give anything in return

7. Southeastern U.S. agriculture second crop in same season: a second crop or growth of grass in the same season, after the first harvest or mowing

verb (past and past participle vol·un·teered, present participle vol·un·teer·ing, 3rd person present singular vol·un·teers)

Definition:

1. transitive and intransitive verb offer free help: to do charitable or helpful work without receiving pay for it

volunteers his time

Many companies now encourage their staff to volunteer.

2. transitive and intransitive verb do something by choice: to perform, or offer to perform, work of your own free will

volunteered to work the night shift

3. transitive verb tell something without being asked: to tell somebody something or give information without being asked

volunteering information

4. transitive verb offer somebody else's help: to suggest somebody else as a helper ( informal )

volunteered her secretary for a few days

5. intransitive verb offer to do military service: to offer to serve in one of the armed services without being required by law to join

adjective,

adverb

Definition:

Southeastern U.S. agriculture as volunteer crop: as a crop that is the second crop or growth of grass in the same season, after the first harvest or mowing

[Late 16th century. Via French volontaire< Latin voluntarius (see voluntary)]

Regional History


	Volunteer is used of a second or unplanted crop, often one that develops from seed left the year before, throughout the Mid-Atlantic rural South. It can be a noun (harvest the volunteers), adjective (volunteer tomatoes), or adverb (came up volunteer).