nill
pronunciation
How to pronounce nill in British English:
UK [nɪl]
How to pronounce nill in American English:
US [nɪl]
Word Origin
- nill (v.)
- Old English nylle, nelle "to be unwilling," from ne "no" (see no) + will (v.). Often paired with will; the construction in nill he, will he, once common, attested from c. 1300, surviving principally in willy-nilly, which, however, reverses the usual Middle English word order. Latin expressed a similar idea in nolens volens.
Example
- 1. Will you , nill you , I will marry you .
- 2. This experienced editor is able to reduce the misprints to almost nill .
- 3. I nill give you this prelly rose and invite you drink afternoon tea .
- 4. They look up to god , by american black writer zora nill hurston , is a revolutionary work in the history of black female literature .
- 5. But close examination of seismic activity within oregon shows a swath of land near the idaho border , in the current se portion of the state , where seismic activity is virtually nill , and the land is flat .