Nilling

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. Expressing an archaic sense of being unwilling or refusing to do something, as in the old phrase willy-nilly
2. Describing the act of being reluctant or declining to will something, a rare archaic usage paired with willing
3. Refusing or being unwilling in an old-fashioned way, the opposite of willing, as found in older English writing

Etymology: "Nill" is an old verb meaning "to not want" or "to be unwilling," and "nilling" is its present participle, the form used in phrases like "willy-nilly," where "nilling" pairs with "willing." The verb came into Middle English as "nillen," descended from the Old English "nyllan," which was built from "ne," meaning "not," and "will." So the word is essentially a compact negation of "will," which is why it sits so neatly beside its partner. The surprise is that "nill" looks like a Latin relative but is not one. The shared morphemes behind both are cognates, meaning they descend from a common ancestor, but English did not take "nill" from Latin. The phrase "willy-nilly" preserves the verb in everyday speech, and it is the main place a reader will still meet "nilling" today.

Synonyms: refusing, declining, rejecting

Antonyms: willing, wishing