Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Will \Will\, v. i.
To be willing; to be inclined or disposed; to be pleased; to
wish; to desire.
And behold, there came a leper and worshiped him,
saying, Lord if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
And Jesus . . . touched him, saying, I will; be thou
clean. --Matt. viii.
2, 3.
Note: This word has been confused with will, v. i., to
choose, which, unlike this, is of the weak conjugation.
{Will I, nill I}, or {Will ye, hill ye}, or {Will he, nill
he}, whether I, you, or he will it or not; hence, without
choice; compulsorily; -- sometimes corrupted into willy
nilly. ``If I must take service willy nilly.'' --J. H.
Newman. ``Land for all who would till it, and reading and
writing will ye, nill ye.'' --Lowell.
Nill \Nill\, v. 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.