Nilled

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Archaically meaning was unwilling or refused to do something, as in the old phrase will he, nill he for whether or not someone wanted it
2. An archaic past form describing someone who was not willing to take a course of action or who refused it
3. Describing a past state of unwillingness, a word from older English used to mean declined or was reluctant

Etymology: "Nilled" is the past form of "nill," a verb meaning "to be unwilling" or "to not want." It descends from Old English "nyllan," built from "ne" (not) and "will," so the word literally says "not to will." Its close relative is the "will" of "willing" and "will" itself, which makes "nill" a rare example of English keeping a negative verb that once sat alongside "will" in everyday speech. The verb survives mainly in one stock phrase, "willy-nilly," meaning "whether one wishes or not." The pairing dates to the same Middle English period, when "will" and "nill" were set side by side to express wanting and not wanting, and the phrase outlived the verb's ordinary use.

Synonyms: refused, declined, rejected

Antonyms: willed, wished