Meaning of volunteer In English

• 0 a person who does something, especially helping other people, willingly and without being forced or paid to do it:

  • The Health clinic is relying on volunteers to run the office and answer the phones.

  • Since it would be a highly dangerous mission, the Lieutenant asked for volunteers.

  • It's a volunteer army with no paid professionals.

• 1 to offer to do something that you do not have to do, often without having been asked to do it and/or without expecting payment:

  • [ + to infinitive ] During the emergency many staff volunteered to work through the weekend.

  • He volunteered for the army (= he joined even though he did not have to).

  • I volunteered myself for the position of Health and Safety Representative.

  • humorous My friends volunteered me to do the talking.

  • If I were you, I wouldn't volunteer any details of what happened.

  • [ + speech ] "I saw her going out of the main entrance half an hour ago," he volunteered.

• 2 a person who does something, esp. for other people or for an organization, willingly and without being forced or paid to do it:

  • The charity relies on volunteers to run the office and answer the phones.

• 3 to do something, esp. for other people or for an organization, willingly and without being forced or paid to do it:

  • [ + to infinitive ] During the emergency a lot of people volunteered to work through the night.

  • [ T ] Three physicians volunteered their services.

• 4 a person who does a job or some work without being paid or forced to do it:

  • They employ 1,000 people and 23,000 volunteers.

  • I will ask for volunteers to help with the search.

• 5 to offer to do something without being paid for it or without being asked to do it:

  • If they're short of helpers, I could volunteer.

  • volunteer to do sth I volunteered to do the accounting.

  • volunteer for sth He volunteered for early retirement.

  • volunteer sb for/to do sth He volunteered his wife for the job.

  • More residents need to step forward and volunteer time and energy.

• 6 used to describe someone who works without expecting payment, or the work they do:

  • volunteer staff/workers

  • a volunteer doctor/firefighter/lawyer The legal advice centres are staffed by volunteer lawyers.

  • Her volunteer work took up most of her free time.