† nilln.1
Obsolete.
An instance of unwillingness; a disinclination for or aversion to something. Chiefly in collocation with will.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > wish or inclination > unwillingness > [noun] > instance of
dangerc1374
nillc1450
stay1550
c1450 ( J. Walton tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Linc. Cathedral 103) 190 (MED) Bestes wiche þat hauen of nature Boþe will and nyll [L. uolendi nolendique] be free elleccioun..Ne wilfully be dede, it is no dowte.
1526 Pylgrimage of Perfection (de Worde) f. 293v Where is one wyll and one nyll in all thynges.
1579 T. Twyne tr. Petrarch Phisicke against Fortune i. xxvii. 36 b Some..haue fealt..yf a man may so tearme it, a wyll and a nyll at one instant.
1656 T. Hobbes Questions Liberty, Necessity & Chance 281 Though a man have in every long deliberation a great many Wills and Nills.
1677 T. Gale Court of Gentiles: Pt. IV iv. 262 God begins to wil or nil nothing; al his wils and nils are eternal.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2003; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
† nilln.2
Obsolete.
Zinc oxide, esp. as a by-product of the smelting or calcination of copper or brass.By early chemists called in Latin nil or nihil album (and in English in the 19th cent. flowers of zinc).There is no evidence that the term nill has ever been especially current in English, but from being used to render pompholyx and spodium, it found its way into dictionaries, in which it appears with a number of confused or erroneous definitions (see quots.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > elements and compounds > metals > specific elements > zinc > [noun] > compounds > flowers of zinc
pompholyx1543
nill1545
soot1611
botrytis1657
1545 Bibliotheca Eliotæ Pompholix is an herbe which (as Manardus writeth) is that which the Apothecaries dooe call Nill [1552 omits is an herbe whiche].
1558 W. Ward tr. G. Ruscelli Secretes (1559) i. 8 Take..of Nill [Fr. tutia] a dragme.
1565 T. Cooper Thesaurus at Pompholix The sperkles or ashes that commeth of brasse tried in the furneis, and is of Apothecaries called Nyll, much vsed in medicines of the Eyes.
1585 J. Higgins tr. Junius Nomenclator 408/1 Pompholyx.., the foile that commeth of brasse, and the ore of brasse, which is so light that it flieth like a feather in the aire, and is called Nil.
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues at Pompholige Nil; the light oare, or foyle of Brasse.
1632 R. Sherwood Dict. in R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues (new ed.) Nill, les escailles d'airain.
1696 E. Phillips New World of Words (new ed.) Nil, the sparkles that flie from Metals tried in a Furnace. It is called in Greek Pompholyx, or Spodium.
1736 R. Ainsworth Thes. Linguæ Latinæ I Nil [the shadings of brass in trying], æris & cadmiæ favilla.
1755 S. Johnson Dict. Eng. Lang. Nill, the shining sparks of brass in trying and melting the ore.
1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. 497 Nill, scales of hot iron at the armourer's forge. Also, the stars of rockets.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2003; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
nillv.
/nɪl/, U.S. /nɪl/α. 1st singular Old English nuill (Northumbrian, before ic), Old English nwill (Northumbrian, before ic), Old English (before ic) Middle English–1500s nyll, Old English–1500s nylle, Middle English nile, Middle English nille, Middle English nyle, Middle English–1500s nyl, Middle English–1600s nil, Middle English– nill, 1500s n'ill; 3rd singular Old English nyla (rare), Old English (rare)–Middle English nile, Old English (rare)–Middle English nille, Old English–Middle English nyle, Old English (subjunctive)–Middle English nylle, Middle English–1500s nyl, Middle English–1500s 1800s nil, Middle English–1600s nyll, Middle English– nill, 1500s n'ill, 1500s nilleth; Scottish pre-1700 nyll, pre-1700 nylle, pre-1700 1700s– nill; 2nd singular Old English nuilt (Northumbrian), Old English–Middle English nylt, Old English–1600s (1800s archaic) nilt, early Middle English nillt ( Ormulum), 1500s nillest, 1500s nilleste, 1500s– nill; Scottish pre-1700 1700s– nill, 1800s nil; plural Old English nyllan (rare), Old English nyllaþ, Old English nyllað, Old English nylleþ (Mercian), Old English (subjunctive)–Middle English nyllen, late Old English nylleð, early Middle English nilenn ( Ormulum), Middle English nil, Middle English nyl, Middle English nyle, Middle English nylen, Middle English– nill, 1700s n'ill (archaic); also Scottish pre-1700 nil, pre-1700 nyl; infinitive Old English nyllan, 1500s–1600s nill, 1600s nyll. eOE (Kentish) Will of Abba (Sawyer 1482) in F. E. Harmer Sel. Eng. Hist. Docs. 9th & 10th Cent. (1914) 3 Gif min wiif ðonne hia nylle mid clennisse swæ gehaldan.OE Cynewulf Crist II 683 Nyle he ængum anum ealle gesyllan gæstes snyttru.OE Paris Psalter (1932) lxxiv. 8 Nyle he þa dærstan him don unbryce.c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 2091 Wha se nile trowwenn þiss He slaþ hiss aȝhenn sawle.a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 1806 Self his kinde nile ðat wune forgeten.c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness (1920) 1261 Nabuzardan nyl never stynt.a1425 (c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) Isa. i. 20 That if ȝe nylen,..swerd schal deuoure ȝou.1447 O. Bokenham Lives of Saints (Arun.) (1938) 2457 Yf þou nylt, I shal..[thee] neuer more doughtir calle.a1450 St. Edith (Faust.) (1883) 3952 Y my-self nyl not be y-buryed þere.1551 Dr. Haddon's Exhort. in F. J. Furnivall Ballads from MSS I. 325 Thow arte too bownde, that wake thow nillest, for no distres.1579 E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. May 151 If I may rest, I nill live in sorrowe.c1616 R. C. Certaine Poems in Times' Whistle (1871) 120 Marriage they nill admitt by any meanes.1787 R. Burns Let. 25 Oct. (2001) I. 168 Your name will be inserted among the other authors, ‘Nill ye, will ye’.1850 J. Struthers Life in Poet. Wks. I. p. xli Thoughts of this kind frequently..forced themselves into his mind, nil he would he.1955 J. R. R. Tolkien Return of King App. 343 I must indeed abide the Doom of Men, whether I will or I nill.
β. 1st singular Old English nelle, early Middle English nella; 3rd singular Old English nel (rare), Old English nele, Old English nelle (subjunctive), Old English (rare)–early Middle English næle; 1st and 3rd singular early Middle English nal, early Middle English neole, early Middle English neolle, Middle English nel, Middle English nele, Middle English nell, Middle English nelle; 2nd singular Old English–Middle English nelt, early Middle English neol (before personal pronoun); plural Old English nellan (rare), Old English nellaþ, Old English nellað, Old English nellen (subjunctive), Old English nellon (rare), Old English–Middle English nelleð, early Middle English nælleð, early Middle English nellæþ, early Middle English nellæð, Middle English nel, Middle English nelen, Middle English nelle, Middle English nelleþ; infinitive Old English nellan. OE Blickling Homilies 45 Gif hi nellaþ healdan Godes æwe.OE Old Eng. Hexateuch: Exod. (Claud.) iv. 21 He nele þin word gehyran.lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) anno 1086 Hi nellað lufian God & rihtwisnesse.a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 41 Synfulle men þe heued-synnes don habbeð and nelleð þerof no shrift nimen.a1300 Passion our Lord 146 in R. Morris Old Eng. Misc. (1872) 41 Ic nele neuer þe vorsake.c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xi. 22 Til þow be a lorde..leten þe I nelle.a1450 (?1404) in J. Kail 26 Polit. Poems (1904) 18 Many..nelen non oþere counseil craue.a1450 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Lamb.) (1887) i. 11518 Ȝif hit be so..Þat þou nelt come at þy day.a1500 ( J. Yonge tr. Secreta Secret. (Rawl.) (1898) 157 He wille not begyle, ne bigilid he nel not be.
γ. 1st and 3rd singular Middle English nol, Middle English nolle, Middle English nul, Middle English nule, Middle English null, Middle English nulle; 2nd singular Middle English nolt, Middle English nult; Scottish pre-1700 nolt; plural Old English nallan (Northumbrian, rare), Old English nallo (Northumbrian, rare), Middle English nolle, Middle English nollen, Middle English nolleþ, Middle English nul (subjunctive), Middle English nulle, Middle English nullen, Middle English nulleþ, Middle English nulleð, Middle English nulleth; Scottish pre-1700 noll. OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Luke xix. 14 Nolumus hunc regnare super nos : nallo we ðiosne þætte gerixage ofer usic.a1225 (?OE) MS Lamb. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 29 He nule nefre mare eft ȝe don þeo sunnen.c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) 1447 Nawit for his forbode nulle ich hit bileuen.c1275 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Calig.) (1935) 909 Hwi nultu fare to noreweie?c1275 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Calig.) (1935) 1764 Hwi nulleþ hi nimen heom to rede?c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 7222 Hii nolleþ no god þing ihure ne yse.a1350 in G. L. Brook Harley Lyrics (1968) 36 Such tiding mei tide, y nul nout teme.c1400 ( in T. Wright Polit. Poems & Songs (1859) I. 363 Ther nul no stych with odur abyde.c1450 (c1350) Alexander & Dindimus (Bodl.) (1929) 344 We nolle sclepe in no sclowþe.c1460 (?c1400) Tale of Beryn 190 I wol hym no thing spare, That I nol touch his taberd.1633 in J. Maidment Misc. Abbotsford Club (1837) 161 He said to yow, Away wich, carling, devill a farthing ye noll fa.
2. Past tense. Indicative (and subjunctive):α. 1st and 3rd singular Old English (Anglian)–early Middle English nalde, Old English–1500s nolde, early Middle English nælde, early Middle English nollde ( Ormulum), early Middle English nulde, Middle English nolled, Middle English–1500s nold, 1500s noulde, 1500s–1600s (1700s archaic) n'ould, 1500s–1600s (1700s–1800s archaic) nould; Scottish pre-1700 nald, pre-1700 nold, pre-1700 nolde; 2nd singular Old English noldæs (rare), Old English noldyst (rare), Old English (Anglian)–early Middle English naldes, Old English–early Middle English noldes, Old English–Middle English noldest, early Middle English naldæst, early Middle English naldest, early Middle English noldost, early Middle English nost, Middle English nolste, 1500s noldist; plural Old English naldon (Anglian), Old English naldun (Anglian), Old English noldan, Old English noldon, Old English noldun (rare), Old English (subjunctive)–Middle English nolden, early Middle English nælden, early Middle English naldden, early Middle English neolden, early Middle English nulden, Middle English nolde, 1500s nould, 1500s–1600s n'ould.
β. 1500s nilde, 1500s nillde, 1500s nilled, 1500s–1600s nild.
OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Mark i. 34 Demonia multa eiciebat et non sinebat loquia ea : dioblas menigo he fordraf ut uel afirde & nalde leta spreca hia uel ne lefde hia to spreccanne.OE Crist III 1392 Ða þu lifes word læstan noldes.OE Beowulf 967 Ic hine ne mihte, þa Metod nolde, ganges getwæman.lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) anno 1106 Se cyng him nolde agifan þæt þe he..uppon him genumen hæfde.a1225 (?OE) MS Lamb. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 5 He [sc. Christ] mihte ridan ȝif he walde on riche stede..[yet] nalde he no.c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 120 [He] bed ure lauerd ȝeorne þet he dude hit from him, ant he nalde.a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3029 Ðe wicches hidden hem, for-ðan Bi-foren pharaun nolden he ben.c1330 (?a1300) Arthour & Merlin (Auch.) (1973) 897 Whi noldestow vnderstonde Hou þi kin is brouȝt to schond?a1425 (c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) Isa. xlii. 24 Thei nolden go in hise weies.a1450 St. Edith (Faust.) (1883) 1593 Þe bysshopus nolde turne non other-weys.c1500 Robert Deuyll in W. J. Thoms Coll. Early Prose Romances (1828) I. 33 Robert nolde ete nor drynke.?1553 (c1501) G. Douglas Palice of Honour (London) Prol. l. 52 in Shorter Poems (1967) 10 Neptunus nolde within that palace hant.1565 B. Garter Tragicall Hist. Two Eng. Louers f. 57v Her heauy harte noulde let her speake nor could she shed her teares.1575 J. Rolland Treat. Court Venus iii. f. 38 Thow Nald Venus obey.?1577 F. T. Debate Pride & Lowlines sig. Avi Whereas..I them beheld.., But nold so much as touche them with my hand.1579 E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. Feb. 192 The good man noulde stay his leasure.1590 R. Greene Wks. (Rtldg.) 301/1 Unto the founts Diana nild repair.1596 T. Danett in tr. P. de Commynes Hist. Ep. Ded. sig. A2 Would I nould I to the presse the booke must go.1600 E. Fairfax tr. T. Tasso Godfrey of Bulloigne v. xlvii. 84 Thinke how I..Was wronged, yet I nould reuengement take.1642 H. More Ψυχωδια Platonica sig. B3v Then they..desired, That he nould break this happy union.1819 W. Scott Bride of Lammermoor xi, in Tales of my Landlord 3rd Ser. II. 248 ‘You were rather obliged to the old lord, I think,’ said Ravenswood. ‘Was I? my sartie! first for bringing me into jeopardy, would I nould I.’ 3. Imperative.α. Singular Old English nyl, Old English nyle (originally subjunctive), Old English nylle (originally subjunctive), Middle English nil, Middle English nyll; plural Old English nillaþ (rare), Old English nyllað, Old English nylle (before personal pronoun), Old English nyllyn (originally subjunctive, rare), Middle English nil (before personal pronoun), Middle English nile (before personal pronoun), Middle English nilles, Middle English nyl (before personal pronoun), Middle English nyle (before personal pronoun).
β. Singular Old English nælle (Northumbrian, originally subjunctive), Old English nel, Old English nelle (originally subjunctive), Middle English nele; plural Old English nællæs (Northumbrian), Old English nællas (Northumbrian), Old English nællað (Northumbrian), Old English nælles (Northumbrian), Old English nælleð (Northumbrian), Old English nellad (transmission error), Old English nellas (Northumbrian), Old English nellaþ, Old English nellað, Old English nelle (before personal pronoun), Old English nellyn (originally subjunctive, rare).
γ. Plural Old English nallas (Northumbrian), Old English nallað (Northumbrian), Old English nalle (before personal pronoun), Old English nalleð (Northumbrian), Old English nallon (originally subjunctive, rare).
eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) xxxvi. 1 Noli aemulari inter malignantes : nyl ðu elnian betwih awergde.eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) iv. 5 Irascimini et nolite peccare qui dictis in cor : eorsiað & nyllað syngian ða ða cweoðað in heortum.OE Paris Psalter (1932) lxi. 10 Nellað ge gewenan welan unrihte.OE Paris Psalter (1932) cii. 9 Nelle þu oð ende yrre habban.a1400 Psalter (Vesp.) lxi. 10 in C. Horstmann Yorkshire Writers (1896) II. 192 Nil þou hope in wickednes.a1400 Psalter (Vesp.) lxxiv. 4 in C. Horstmann Yorkshire Writers (1896) II. 207 I saide to wicked: ‘nilles do wicli.’a1425 J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) II. 362 Þerfore seiþ Poul aftir, Nyle ȝe ȝyve stede to þe devel.a1425 (c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) Prov. iii. 27 Nil thou forbede to do wel him that mai. ▸ c1449 R. Pecock Repressor (1860) 109 Nile ȝe deeme and ȝe schulen not be deemed. Now archaic.
I. As a main verb.
1. † b. transitive. With subordinate clause. Obsolete.
a. transitive. Not to will (a thing); to refuse, reject; to negative, prevent from happening, etc. Now rare (archaic in later use).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > statement > refusal > [verb (transitive)] > reject
awarpc1000
forwerpeOE
warpc1000
nillOE
warnc1300
reprovec1350
to put abacka1382
to throw awaya1382
repugnc1384
to put awaya1387
waivec1386
forshoota1400
disavowc1400
defyc1405
disprovec1430
repelc1443
flemea1450
to put backa1500
reject?1504
refutea1513
repulse1533
refel1548
repudiate1548
disallowa1555
project?1567
expel1575
discard1578
overrule1578
forsay1579
check1601
decard1605
dismiss1608
reprobate1609
devow1610
retorta1616
disclaimc1626
noforsootha1644
respuate1657
reluctate1668
negative1778
no-ball1862
basket1867
to set one's foot down1873
not to have any (of it, that, this)1895
to put down1944
eighty-six1959
neg1987
OE King Ælfred tr. Psalms (Paris) (2001) v. 3 Þu eart se ylca God þe nan unriht nelt.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 14026 Ȝif hit weore ilu[m]pe, swa nulle hit ure Drihte [etc.].
a1300 in C. Brown Eng. Lyrics 13th Cent. (1932) 118 Þu nult noþing bote richt.
?a1300 Fox & Wolf 189 in G. H. McKnight Middle Eng. Humorous Tales (1913) 33 Noltou, quod the wolf, thin ore?
c1330 Roland & Vernagu (Auch.) (1882) 94 He brouȝt..Gold & siluer, & riche stones, Ac þer of nold he nouȝt.
c1395 G. Chaucer Canon's Yeoman's Tale 1463 ‘Nay, nay,’ quod Plato, ‘certein, that I nyl.’
?c1450 tr. Bk. Knight of La Tour Landry (1906) 17 Y chese the yongest of the .iij. doughters, for y nill none other.
1577 H. I. tr. H. Bullinger 50 Godlie Serm. II. iv. ii. sig. Bbb.iii/2 It..nilleth, hateth, and repelleth the euil that the Lorde hath forbidden it.
1649 R. Baxter Saints Everlasting Rest (new ed.) iv. ix. §1 If it appeare evil to us, then we Nill it.
a1680 J. Corbet Humble Endeavour (1683) i. vi. 5 Though God doth not simply Nill the Existence of sin, yet he Nills it so far, as that he hates it.
a1708 W. Beveridge Private Thoughts Christian Life (1712) 178 So as to will what he wills..and to nill what he nills.
1778 Arminian Mag. 1 196 He commanded Abraham to offer up Isaac, yet he nilled the execution of it.
1860 E. B. Pusey Minor Prophets 20 When to will the same and nill the same, maketh of twain, one spirit.
1961 P. Ramsay War & Christian Conscience ii. 31 He [sc. St. Augustine] was equally unable to will entirely to love his mistresses with a whole heart... Them he also nilled for the love of God, for God had made him for himself.
ΚΠ
OE Ælfric Homily: De Duodecim Abusivis (Corpus Cambr. 178) in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 297 God nele þæt we beon grædie gitseras.
?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 8 Þach nulle ich naut þet ȝe bi hoten heom ase heste to holden.
c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 5055 Wanne god nel noȝt þat it be lengore in vre hond.
a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer Romaunt Rose (Hunterian) 270 She nolde..Hir owne fadir ferde well.
a1522 G. Douglas in tr. Virgil Æneid (1957) i. Prol. 271 I nald ȝe traist I saide this for dispyte.
1575 G. Gascoigne Weedes in Wks. (1587) 112 Heaven it nolde that there they should them teint.
II. As a modal auxiliary, normally complemented by the infinitive: to be unwilling, not to will.† 2. With bare infinitive. † 4. With to-infinitive. Obsolete.With nilling and to-infinitive cf. willing adj. 1a(a).
a. In the present and past tenses. Also: (in the present) sometimes expressing simple futurity. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > wish or inclination > unwillingness > be unwilling [verb (intransitive)]
nillOE
loathea1200
to make it tough1297
forthinka1300
reckc1300
ruea1400
to make (it) strangec1405
to make strangenessc1407
stick1418
resistc1425
to make (it) strange?1456
steek1478
tarrowc1480
doubt1483
sunyie1488
to make (it) nice1530
stay1533
shentc1540
to make courtesy (at)1542
to make it scrupulous1548
to think (it) much1548
to make dainty of (anything)1555
to lie aback1560
stand1563
steek1573
to hang back1581
erch1584
to make doubt1586
to hang the groin1587
to make scruple (also a, no, etc., scruple)1589
yearn1597
to hang the winga1601
to make squeamish1611
smay1632
bogglea1638
to hang off1641
waver1643
reluct1648
shy1650
reluctate1655
stickle1656
scruple1660
to make boggle1667
revere1689
begrudge1690
to have scruples1719
stopc1738
bitch1777
reprobate1779
crane1823
disincline1885
OE Beowulf 679 Ic hine sweorde swebban nelle.
OE Old Eng. Hexateuch: Exod. (Claud.) iv. 21 He nele þin word gehyran.
OE Ælfric Let. to Wulfgeat (Hatton) in B. Assmann Angelsächsische Homilien u. Heiligenleben (1889) 9 For ðæs wintres cyle nolde se asolcena erigan.
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 6278 Ȝiff þu nillt nohht hatenn himm Þatt hateþþ þe.
c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 7222 Hii nolleþ no god þing ihure ne yse.
c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xi. 22 Til þow be a lorde..leten þe I nelle.
a1425 (c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) Isa. xlii. 24 Thei nolden go in hise weies.
c1500 Robert Deuyll in W. J. Thoms Coll. Early Prose Romances (1828) I. 33 Robert nolde ete nor drynke.
1579 E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. May 151 If I may rest, I nill live in sorrowe.
1633 in J. Maidment Misc. Abbotsford Club (1837) 161 He said to yow, Away wich, carling, devill a farthing ye noll fa.
1642 H. More Ψυχωδια Platonica sig. B3v Then they..desired, That he nould break this happy union.
b. In imperative singular and plural: do not. Cf. will v.1 13 Obsolete. [Translating Latin noli, nolite as auxiliaries of the negative imperative.]
ΚΠ
eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) iv. 5 Irascimini et nolite peccare qui dictis in cor : eorsiað & nyllað syngian ða ða cweoðað in heortum.
a1400 Psalter (Vesp.) lxi. 10 in C. Horstmann Yorkshire Writers (1896) II. 192 Nil þou hope in wickednes.
c1449 R. Pecock Repressor (1860) 109 Nile ȝe deeme and ȝe schulen not be deemed.
3. With implied infinitive taken from the context or with verb of motion understood. Now archaic.
ΚΠ
OE Beowulf 967 Ic hine ne mihte, þa Metod nolde, ganges getwæman.
c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 120 [He] bed ure lauerd ȝeorne þet he dude hit from him, ant he nalde.
c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xv. 456 With foules þat fram hym nolde, but folwed his whistellynge.
c1400 (?c1380) Patience l. 346 Nylt þou neuer to Nuniue bi no kynnez wayez.
1447 O. Bokenham Lives of Saints (Arun.) (1938) 2457 Yf þou nylt, I shal..[thee] neuer more doughtir calle.
1955 J. R. R. Tolkien Return of King App. 343 I must indeed abide the Doom of Men, whether I will or I nill.
ΚΠ
a1513 W. Dunbar Poems (1998) I. 261 Greit abbais grayth I nill to gather.
c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy 7585 Your self nold, ffor mykill of þis medill erthe, þat myschefe to se.
1621 F. Quarles Hadassa sig. C3 The peoples patience, nilling to sustaine The hard oppression.
1652 Ripley's Compend of Alchemy in E. Ashmole Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum 117 Nylling to dwell where Syn is wrought.
1652 H. L'Estrange Americans No Iewes 74 'Tis a learned ignorance to nill to know What our great master does not will to show.
Phrases
† In the phrases nill he, will he (also nill he, would he), nilling, willing, etc. Cf. will v.1 Phrases 1b. Obsolete.In these and other cases where will and nill are contrasted, the former usually precedes: for examples see will v.1 Phrases 1b.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > necessity > [adverb] > whether one will or not
would…nouldOE
whether he (etc.) will or nillOE
will I (or) nill I (he, they, etc.)OE
maugre1340
nill he, will hea1400
who(ever) will or nillc1449
bongre maugrec1450
whether‥yea or no (also nay)1515
nolens volens1547
willing or nilling1578
volens nolens1602
willy-nilly1608
nilling, willing1657
nilly-willy1662
bon gré mal gré1818
wilta shalta1824
william-nilliam1907
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 23728 (MED) Ded has vs wit-sett vr strete; Nil we, wil we, we sal mete.
c1450 (?a1400) Wars Alexander (Ashm.) 301 Fleme he sall þe toþire [wife].., nyll he so will he.
a1500 (?a1450) Gesta Romanorum (BL Add. 9066) (1879) 310 Nylle he will he, he shall put forthe his honde.
1525 T. Churchyard Fayned Fancy Between Spider & Gowte in Churchyardes Chippes 22 To heer the babbling of his daem, But nill he would he, world did fraem.
1629 in P. H. Brown Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1901) 2nd Ser. III. 5 They sould caus fourtie knaves lyke himselffe bring him out nill he wald he.
1657 J. Watts Scribe, Pharisee 73 To take a living from them, to the value of 100l. per annum,..they nilling willing.
1787 R. Burns Let. 25 Oct. (2001) I. 168 Your name will be inserted among the other authors, ‘Nill ye, will ye’.
1803 Gazetteer Scotl. at Ila This puts the witch into such an agony, that she comes nilling willing to the house.
1850 J. Struthers Life in Poet. Wks. I. p. xli Thoughts of this kind frequently..forced themselves into his mind, nil he would he.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
> as lemmas
will (or) nill
ΚΠ
1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene i. iii. sig. C7v And will or nill, Beares her away.
1614 A. Gorges tr. Lucan Pharsalia v. 187 For will, or nill, powre them constraines.
a1783 H. Brooke Imposter (1789) iii. iv. 50 Only to earn The guilt, but not the issue of our purpose. For will or nill, the same effect subscribes The over-ruling dictate.
a1916 J. Payne Last Infirmity in Way of Winepress (1920) 10 Here but the cypress and the yew upraise Their plumes funereal in the wind-swept ways. With these I must content me, will or nill.
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n.1c1450
n.21545
v.eOEas lemmas