willy-nilly
willy-nilly · more willy-nilly · most willy-nilly
That happens whether willingly or unwillinglyThat happens whether willingly or unwillingly.
UK/ˌwɪl.iːˈnɪl.iː/US/ˌwɪl.iˈnɪl.i/
Meaning
2 sensesThat happens whether willingly or unwillingly.
Seemingly random; haphazard; arbitrary.
Translations
1 languagesOrigin
Literally, “Be one willing to, be one unwilling to”. From will I, nill I (“whether I wantLiterally, “Be one willing to, be one unwilling to”. From will I, nill I (“whether I want to or not”, with both verbs in the subjunctive), reflecting the old (viz. pre-Great Vowel Shift) pronunciation of I as ee, not yet as eye. Conflated with will he, nill he (with silent h) and will ye, nill ye (with yod dropping), meaning likewise “be he/you willing or not”.
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Forms
more willy-nilly, most willy-nilly| Comparative | more willy-nilly Lesson |
|---|---|
| Superlative | most willy-nilly Lesson |
regular
Synonyms
1 synonymsLessons for this word
2 lessons- A2Comparatives — Because it has a comparative form
- A2Superlatives — Because it has a superlative form