Decree vs. Will — What's the Difference?

A decree is a rule of law usually issued by a head of state (such as the president of a republic or a monarch), according to certain procedures (usually established in a constitution). It has the force of law.

The mental faculty by which one deliberately chooses or decides upon a course of action

An authoritative order having the force of law.

Diligent purposefulness; determination

The judgment of a court of equity.

Self-control; self-discipline

The judgment of a court.

A desire, purpose, or determination, especially of one in authority

A doctrinal or disciplinary act of an ecclesiastical authority.

Deliberate intention or wish

An administrative act applying or interpreting articles of canon law.

Free discretion; inclination or pleasure

To order, establish, or decide by decree

Bearing or attitude toward others; disposition

To issue a decree.

A legal declaration of how a person wishes their personal possessions to be disposed of after death.

An edict or law.

A legally executed document containing this declaration.

(legal) The judicial decision in a litigated cause rendered by a court of equity.

To decide on or intend

(legal) The determination of a cause in a court of admiralty or court of probate.

To yearn for; desire

(religion) A predetermination made by God; an act of providence.

To decree, dictate, or order

To command by a decree.

To induce or try to induce by sheer force of will

An order from one having authority, deciding what is to be done by a subordinate; also, a determination by one having power, deciding what is to be done or to take place; edict, law; authoritative ru decision.

To grant in a legal will; bequeath

A decision, order, or sentence, given in a cause by a court of equity or admiralty.

To order to direct in a legal will

An edict or law made by a council for regulating any business within their jurisdiction; as, the decrees of ecclesiastical councils.

To exercise the will.

To determine judicially by authority, or by decree; to constitute by edict; to appoint by decree or law; to determine; to order; to ordain; as, a court decrees a restoration of property.

To make a choice; choose

To ordain by fate.

To wish; desire

To make decrees; - used absolutely.

(auxiliary) Used to express the future tense, sometimes with some implication of volition when used in the first person. Compare shall.

A legally binding command or decision entered on the court record (as if issued by a court or judge);

(auxiliary) To be able to, to have the capacity to.

Issue a decree;

(auxiliary) Expressing a present tense with some conditional or subjective weakening: "will turn out to", "must by inference".

Decide with authority;

(auxiliary) To habitually do (a given action).

(auxiliary) To choose or agree to (do something); used to express intention but without any temporal connotations (+ bare infinitive), often in questions and negation.

To wish, desire (something).

To wish or desire (that something happen); to intend (that).

(archaic) Implying will go.

To instruct (that something be done) in one's will.

(transitive) To bequeath (something) to someone in one's will (legal document).

(transitive) To exert one's force of will (intention) in order to compel, or attempt to compel, something to happen or someone to do something.

One's independent faculty of choice; the ability to be able to exercise one's choice or intention.

The act of choosing to do something; a person’s conscious intent or volition.

One's intention or decision; someone's orders or commands.

Firmity of purpose, fixity of intent

(law) A formal declaration of one's intent concerning the disposal of one's property and holdings after death; the legal document stating such wishes.

(archaic) That which is desired; one's wish.

(archaic) Desire, longing. (Now generally merged with later senses.)

The power of choosing; the faculty or endowment of the soul by which it is capable of choosing; the faculty or power of the mind by which we decide to do or not to do; the power or faculty of preferring or selecting one of two or more objects.

The choice which is made; a determination or preference which results from the act or exercise of the power of choice; a volition.

The choice or determination of one who has authority; a decree; a command; discretionary pleasure.

Strong wish or inclination; desire; purpose.

That which is strongly wished or desired.

Arbitrary disposal; power to control, dispose, or determine.

The legal declaration of a person's mind as to the manner in which he would have his property or estate disposed of after his death; the written instrument, legally executed, by which a man makes disposition of his estate, to take effect after his death; testament; devise. See the Note under Testament, 1.

To wish; to desire; to incline to have.

As an auxiliary, will is used to denote futurity dependent on the verb. Thus, in first person, "I will" denotes willingness, consent, promise; and when "will" is emphasized, it denotes determination or fixed purpose; as, I will go if you wish; I will go at all hazards. In the second and third persons, the idea of distinct volition, wish, or purpose is evanescent, and simple certainty is appropriately expressed; as, "You will go," or "He will go," describes a future event as a fact only. To emphasize will denotes (according to the tone or context) certain futurity or fixed determination.

To be willing; to be inclined or disposed; to be pleased; to wish; to desire.

To form a distinct volition of; to determine by an act of choice; to ordain; to decree.

To enjoin or command, as that which is determined by an act of volition; to direct; to order.

To give or direct the disposal of by testament; to bequeath; to devise; as, to will one's estate to a child; also, to order or direct by testament; as, he willed that his nephew should have his watch.

To exercise an act of volition; to choose; to decide; to determine; to decree.

The capability of conscious choice and decision and intention;

A fixed and persistent intent or purpose;

A legal document declaring a person's wishes regarding the disposal of their property when they die

Decree or ordain;

Have in mind;

Determine by choice;

Leave or give by will after one's death;