1A person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task.

1. 1.1 A person who works for an organization without being paid.
   Example sentencesExamples

   • What started out as bar talk ended up becoming an organization with 4,000 volunteers.
   • But as with any organisation that relies on volunteers for the majority of its effort, it is sometimes incredibly difficult to actually get things done.
   • It provides training in childcare to volunteers who join the organisation and has opened up a new career for many lower-middle class youngsters.
   • He insists they are not employees, but unpaid volunteers recruited by the Universal Music and Video Distribution Group.
   • Angel Community Radio is staffed entirely by volunteers, with 60 per cent aged over 60.
   • The Bradford branch's five charity shops could not function without the volunteers who support the paid staff.
   • The organization relies on volunteers to not only work behind the scenes in the office, but to also pick up a hammer and lend a helping hand in the actual construction of the homes.
   • Besides Hammond, there are three project assistants and many dedicated volunteers.
   • Maybe it should take a lesson from the clubs and groups on campus that don't need to collect all this money from students, operate with only volunteers and ask speakers to volunteer as well.
   • The club is run by volunteers who donate their time and their money to look out for these gentle animals.
   • The Scottish Ambulance Service will train unpaid volunteers in rural Scotland in emergency medical techniques.
   • When the High Street store first opened it was staffed entirely by volunteers.
   • So far the organization's 155 trained volunteers have saved 600 of the city's animals.
   • She says she works harder in retirement as a volunteer than in the paid workforce.
   • The organization relies on volunteers to pick up donations, unpack donations, pack hampers and work in the food bank on Wednesdays.
   • Hospitals, places of worship, museums, community centers and other organizations often need volunteers.
   • Last year the eight paid staff and 18 volunteers handled more than 50,000 inquiries.
   • The group is comprised of both volunteers and paid staff.
   • We are an organization of civilian volunteers and cannot get relief aid into any location until the local authorities say it is safe and provide us with security and access.
   • Started in 1997, the organization is staffed solely by volunteers.
2. 1.2 A person who freely enrolls for military service rather than being conscripted, especially a member of a force formed by voluntary enrollment and distinct from the regular army.
   Example sentencesExamples

   • In an all-volunteer army buttressed by a volunteer reserve, soldiers don't fight simply for abstractions.
   • U.S. volunteers rather than regulars provided the main military force this time.
   • The success of any campaign to induce volunteers or force conscripts into an army will be decided, to a large extent, by circumstances.
   • The intent is to use reserve component volunteers and forces not recently mobilized to balance deployment stresses across the force.
   • The soldiers are a mix of those who served in the old army and new volunteers.
   • Only if the military could recruit enough volunteers would the three-month service term become feasible.
   • Most of the deployed team members are volunteers and have infantry or combat arms experience.
   • Magistrates and constables did what they could to contain and disperse disorderly crowds, but troops were often called in: regular army soldiers, militiamen or volunteer forces.
   • Remember the old soldiering wish for volunteers rather than conscripts.
   • Australia has a volunteer army reserve but no national service requirement.
   • In addition, the mobilization of the nation's reserve forces only include retired conscripts rather than retired volunteers.
   • All it would authorize was a volunteer army, whose members never reached a quarter of those required.
   • These forces, consisting mostly of state militiamen, volunteers, and conscripts, endured heavy casualties.
   • Present and past Army volunteers with veteran military vehicles will also be in the parade, which will start at 11 am.
   • There may yet be a decline in volunteers, and the army is paying close attention to recruiting efforts in order to detect any problems early, so they can try and counter them.
   • A former congressional staffer stands by to emphasize the vital difference between an army of volunteers and an armed militia.
   • Additionally, a large number of volunteers and inactive Army Reserve soldiers have stepped forward and offered to serve.
   • This explains the seeming paradox of why we have a lower acceptance of combat casualties with a volunteer military than we had with a draft Army.
   • Is it a conscript force, volunteer military, or blend?
   • The U.S. Army welcomed volunteers and paid privates $21 a month.
3. 1.3 A plant that has not been deliberately planted.
   Example sentencesExamples

   • It is possible to transplant any small volunteers by digging them up when they're quite small.
   • In 1999, sorghum planted in a field with widely scattered volunteer wheat plants was heavily damaged by chinch bugs.
   • The planting of cover crops or allowing volunteer plants to grow is becoming more common.
   • Besides the mother tree, there's a productive volunteer seedling nearby.
   • If you let the flowers go to seed, you will have volunteer plants next spring.
4. 1.4Law A person to whom a voluntary conveyance or deposition is made.
   Example sentencesExamples

   • By that, we say it refers to a situation where, because of a family connection, there is trust and where a family member is prepared to do something when there is nothing in it for him where he is in equity purely a volunteer.
   • Does a religious objection to duty amount to a belief, and does an unwillingness by a volunteer to respond to recall amount to a manifestation of that belief?
   • Here one has, on the evidence as I understand it, a volunteer who might well be inferred to have notice.
   • It similarly binds Mr. Murphy's children who are volunteers.

1Freely offer to do something.

1. 1.1with object Offer (help)
   he volunteered his services as a driver for the convoy

   Example sentencesExamples

   • A couple of times each year I volunteer my help on one of these trips, and always leave feeling like I have put one over on someone.
   • To earn a bronze star youngsters have to volunteer their services to help the community.
   • I appeal to residents on the approach roads into the town to volunteer their help at least one night a week.
   • Others blame the neighbors who failed to volunteer their help in raising and home-schooling five small children.
   • Also important is the provision of optical and dental care and many of the city's opticians and dentists volunteer their services free to help the children.
   • Some people have volunteered their help, starting by learning sign language.
   • Everyone involved had volunteered their time and service and a big thank you goes to them and to everyone who donated and helped in every way to make this appeal such a success.
   • Work is being co-ordinated by a professional charity fund-raising manager, who has kindly volunteered his services.
   • There is a great sense of achievement to be had from being involved in the event and that is why so many people continue to volunteer their help.
   • If you are a carpenter in the Sacred Heart Parish and can volunteer your time freely please call into the centre any Tuesday night from 7.30 pm- 9pm.
   • Many thanks also to all who volunteered help during the year both in fundraising and other areas.
   • Many local opticians and dentists volunteered their services to help the children.
   • When I am back ‘up to speed’ I will certainly be the first to volunteer my help, to get this project off the ground.
   • Today, the committee has 30 drivers who volunteer their help for the meals-on-wheels service.
   • She quickly snatched up her son and took him down to the bombproof shelter, then volunteered her services to help the wounded men, whose numbers were multiplying by the hour.
   • But other southern states volunteering help, like Arkansas and Alabama, are not much better-off than their neighbours.
   • Instead of going back to the hotel, I called the newsroom and volunteered my services.
   • The trust is holding a meeting for supporters on April 28 to encourage them to volunteer their help to run the centre.
   • She thanked everyone for their help during the year, particularly the dedicated ladies who volunteer their services on a weekly basis and keep all systems running smoothly.
   • Other messages were from good samaritans eager to volunteer aid.

   Synonyms

   offer, tender, proffer, present, put forward, put up, venture
2. 1.2reporting verb Say or suggest something without being asked.
   with object it never paid to volunteer information

   with direct speech “Her name's Louise,” Christina volunteered

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Don't expect young people to volunteer such information.
   • Only British Telecom volunteered the information that in the past year, 61 out of 108,000 employees had been sacked for that type of misconduct.
   • Today detectives were shifting through information volunteered from the public following a witness appeal.
   • They both have given plausible reasons as to why they did not volunteer that information to the police.
   • Some even volunteered information about corruption, politics and inter-ministerial rivalries.
   • Bob felt odd volunteering information, but it was necessary.
   • He pressed on, but his mother wasn't volunteering any information, that much was evident.
   • Instead, I allowed the witnesses to volunteer any information, impressions or feelings they had about the event and kept my eyes open.
   • He looked at her expectantly but she didn't volunteer any more information.
   • It was only after much persuasion after the conference that she volunteered some information.
   • In each of the sections space was incorporated to allow to participants to volunteer additional information.
   • Near the end of the session, Anna disturbed me by volunteering information about her new relationship with Martin.
   • His friends volunteered the information that he likes holidays and wants to be a rally driver.
   • You just can't imagine volunteering the information that would kill your friends.
   • It has been gratifying to observe staff volunteering information on incidents involving medical devices, rather than simply trying to hide the event.
   • Fortunately, the conversation moved on, and I avoided volunteering any information on the subject.
   • But nobody volunteers that kind of information to tourists.
   • What about the problem of silence in order to allow the accused to volunteer information, which is a very common technique of interrogation?
   • I resist the temptation to ask who was on the phone, but she volunteers the information.
   • Many made no attempt to hide their Jewish background, and some attended the island government offices to volunteer information on their grandparents' ethnicity.

   Synonyms

   suggest, submit, advance, propose, venture, put forward, moot, propound, posit, air, hazard, say, declare, observe, comment, remark
3. 1.3 Work for an organization without being paid.
   Example sentencesExamples

   • Immigrants' limited involvement revolves around volunteering for civic organizations.
   • People are put off volunteering, he suggests, because of the increasing fear of litigation and frustration with the associated red tape.
   • Summer can be an opportunity to work in summer schools or to volunteer in summer camps organizing different programs for children.
   • The organizers expect responsible, cooperative participants who will volunteer at least one hour of time to the Fair and the community.
   • As the new head of the advisory council, he plans to revive the center, where's he's volunteered for more than 20 years.
   • One of the women who volunteer at my pregnancy center herself became pregnant.
   • They felt that other volunteering organizations limited themselves to just members who either paid member dues or to certain communities.
   • This made it easy for her to volunteer in the Children's Ward.
   • The opening message should be interesting enough to entice the potential volunteer to consider volunteering for the organization.
   • Sixty per cent of participants have never volunteered before and evidence suggests that many will continue to volunteer in the future.
   • He was actively involved in volunteering for various non-profit organizations, which primarily serve the minority population.
   • You could volunteer with a literacy organization and help teach people to read, or visit the local children's hospital and bring them gifts or just spend time with them.
   • We could do with ten people to volunteer a couple of hours of their time over the next fortnight.
   • When asked what led them to volunteer, more than two-thirds of those with children told us they volunteer for organizations that serve family members.
   • Outside of work, he's volunteered with a number of local environmental and resource management committees.
   • Below is a partial list of members who are giving their time and expertise to various community organizations-some of whom are volunteering for more than one group.
   • Unlike older adults, very few volunteered through religious organizations.
   • If you're into community service, I am sure there are several service groups or community organizations to volunteer with.
   • One of the best ways to get involved with AIDS action is simply to pick among the many AIDS organizations in the city and begin volunteering.
   • So if a volunteer is sued while volunteering for an unincorporated organisation, they won't be protected.

   Synonyms

   offer one's services, present oneself, step forward, come forward, make oneself available
4. 1.4with object Commit (someone) to a particular undertaking, typically without consulting them.
   he was volunteered for parachute training by friends

   Example sentencesExamples

   • It was about 7 PM and my family had volunteered me to go collect dinner from a nearby restaurant.
   • The old man has something he wants done in San Francisco, and I've volunteered you.
   • Would you volunteer your client to give another series of polygraph tests with the Justice Department now?
   • I mention this now because Girlfriend has volunteered me to give Charlie a lift to Birmingham tomorrow evening, to pick up her repaired bike from a breakdown which happened last Wednesday.
   • However, she says she would be ready to volunteer him to be fitted with a tag if she discovered he was causing more trouble than he admitted.
   • It was not until his teacher volunteered him to join the choir that his talent was discovered.
   • But dad volunteered me because they needed another kid to take part.
   • When an official came to the door and asked if anyone wanted to box, my brother volunteered me.
   • She doesn't know it yet, but that's why it's going to be such a nice surprise when I volunteer her.
   • Tom grabbed my wrist and raised my arm up as to volunteer me.
   • I still don't know when I should tell him that I also volunteered him for possible race caravan duty.
   • He was a 19-year-old rifleman in Northern Ireland when he was volunteered to take part in what he thought was common cold research.
   • Everyone seems to be having a fight and somewhere in the middle of all this, I was volunteered to fix everything.
   • My pal Andy and I were volunteered to accompany her to England.
   • Discovering I've got safety boat duty tomorrow, cos my brother opted out and volunteered me.
   • Pete was volunteered to do the rigging, and was soon edging his way out on the rather vague ledges.
   • How on earth was she going to tell her mom that she'd volunteered her to pick Ryan up?
   • Lucky for me, we had an odd number of students in that class, and she always volunteered me to share with her.
   • We fishermen had a small role to play; in addition to tagging our catches, Dan had volunteered us as fish herders.
   • Jess, remind me to never ever let you volunteer us for anything ever again, okay?