volunteer
verb/ˌvɒlənˈtɪə(r)/
/ˌvɑːlənˈtɪr/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they volunteer | /ˌvɒlənˈtɪə(r)/ /ˌvɑːlənˈtɪr/ |
| he / she / it volunteers | /ˌvɒlənˈtɪəz/ /ˌvɑːlənˈtɪrz/ |
| past simple volunteered | /ˌvɒlənˈtɪəd/ /ˌvɑːlənˈtɪrd/ |
| past participle volunteered | /ˌvɒlənˈtɪəd/ /ˌvɑːlənˈtɪrd/ |
| -ing form volunteering | /ˌvɒlənˈtɪərɪŋ/ /ˌvɑːlənˈtɪrɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive, transitive] to offer to do something without being forced to do it or without getting paid for it
- He has been volunteering for 11 years now.
- volunteer to do something Jill volunteered to organize a petition.
- I volunteered to help clean up the beach.
- volunteer for something Several staff members volunteered for early retirement.
- volunteer as something He volunteered as a translator for Spanish-speaking patients.
- volunteer something Workers volunteer their time, as no funds are available to pay professional staff.
- volunteer something as something He volunteered his services as a driver.
- volunteer something for something She has been volunteering her computer skills for the foundation.
Extra ExamplesTopics Social issuesb1- Barbara has kindly volunteered to lead the session.
- David graciously volunteered to model for the art class.
- We volunteered as witnesses.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- graciously
- kindly
- as
- for
- [transitive] to suggest something or tell somebody something without being asked
- volunteer something to volunteer advice
- Nobody asked her, and she didn't volunteer any information.
- + speech ‘I could lend you some books,’ he volunteered.
- [intransitive] to join the army, etc. without being forced to
- He wasn't conscripted. He volunteered.
- volunteer for something to volunteer for military service
- I volunteered for service in the Air Force.
- volunteer to do something More than a hundred thousand Irish men and women volunteered to serve in the British armed forces during World War II.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- graciously
- kindly
- as
- for
- [transitive] to suggest somebody for a job or an activity, even though they may not want to do it
- volunteer somebody (for/as something) They volunteered me for the job of interpreter.
- volunteer somebody to do something Her dad had volunteered her to help put away the equipment.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- graciously
- kindly
- as
- for
Word Originlate 16th cent. (as a noun, with military reference): from French volontaire ‘voluntary’. The change in the ending was due to association with -eer.
Check pronunciation:
volunteer