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Webster 1913 Edition


Nill

Nill

(nĭl)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Nilled
(nĭld)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Nilling
.]
[AS.
nilan
,
nyllan
;
ne
not +
willan
to will. See
No
, and
Will
.]
Not to will; to refuse; to reject.
[Obs.]
Certes, said he, I
nill
thine offered grace.
Spenser.

Nill

,
Verb.
I.
To be unwilling; to refuse to act.
The actions of the will are “velle” and “nolle,” to will and
nill
.
Burton.
Will he, nill he
,
whether he wills it or not; usually contracted to
willy-nilly
.

Nill

,
Noun.
[Cf. Ir. & Gael.
neul
star, light. Cf.
Nebula
.]
1.
Shining sparks thrown off from melted brass.
2.
Scales of hot iron from the forge.
Knight.

Webster 1828 Edition


Nill

NILL

,
Verb.
T.
Not to will; to refuse; to reject.

NILL

,
Verb.
I.
To be unwilling.

NILL

,
Noun.
The shining sparks of brass in trying and melting the ore.

Definition 2024


nill

nill

English

Verb

nill (third-person singular simple present nills, present participle nilling, simple past nilled or (obsolete) nould, past participle nilled)

  1. (modal auxiliary, obsolete) To be unwilling; will not (+ infinitive).
  2. (intransitive, archaic) To be unwilling.
    • 1903, A. W. Pollard (ed.), Le Morte d'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory (1485) , volume I, Bk. II, chapter V:
      So the knight of Ireland armed him at all points, [] , and rode after a great pace, as much as his horse might go; and within a little space on a mountain he had a sight of Balin, and with a loud voice he cried, Abide, knight, for ye shall abide whether ye will or nill, and the shield that is to-fore you shall not help.
      1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter v, in Le Morte Darthur, book II:
      Soo the knyght of Irelonde armed hym at al poyntes / [] and rode after a grete paas as moche as his hors myght goo / and within a lytel space on a montayne he had a syghte of Balyn / and with a lowde voys he cryed abyde knyght / for ye shal abyde whether ye will or nyll / and the sheld that is to fore you shalle not helpe
    • 1955, J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings (Appendices):
      I must indeed abide the Doom of Men, whether I will or I nill.
  3. (transitive, archaic) To reject, refuse, negate.
Derived terms

Etymology 2

Compare Irish and Gaelic neul star, light. Compare nebula.

Noun

nill

  1. Shining sparks thrown off from melted brass.
  2. Scales of hot iron from the forge.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Knight to this entry?)