Compared wilfuller, wilfullest (both rare). Also 3–4 wil(lo)uol, wyl(le)fol, 3–7 wilfull, 3–5, 7–8 (9 U.S.) willful, 4 wyluolle, (weleful), 4–5 willef(f)ul, 4–6 Sc. vilful(l, also various forms with y, ll, ff, with or without final e. [f. WILL sb.1 + -FUL: not recorded in OE. (but see WILFULLY): cf. WILLESFUL.]
1. Asserting or disposed to assert one’s own will against persuasion, instruction or command; governed by will without regard to reason; determined to take one’s own way; obstinately self-willed or perverse. (of persons or personal attributes, or transf. of actions: see also 5.)
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 75. Pertinaces in malo eliminat ecclesia holie chirche deleð fro cristendom, þo þe wilfulle ben here sinnes to luuen.
c. 1250. in O. E. Misc., 184. Hwan þu sixst on leode King þat is wilful.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, III. 935. For vernay slouþe and oþere wilful tacches.
c. 1400. Rule St. Benet (verse), 280. Men or wemen of wilful mode, Þat order of religion takes.
1529. in Leadam, Sel. Cases Star Chamber (Selden Soc.), II. 34. The seid Henry is sklanderus and a wylfull person and wyll not be ordered but after his owne wyll.
1570–6. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent, 256. Some blinde and wilfull worshipper.
1579. Lyly, Euphues, 43. He that to day is not willyng, will to morrow bee more wilful.
1605. Shaks., Lear, II. iv. 305. To wilfull men, The iniuries that they themselues procure, Must be their Schoole-Masters.
1773. Mrs. Chapone, Improv. Mind (1774), II. vi. 24. The smallest disappointment … will put wilful young people out of temper.
1821. Shelley, Adonais, xi. One … in her wilful grief would break Her bow and winged reeds.
1867. Swinburne, Blake (1868), 190. These opinions, and stranger than these, he put forth in the cloudiest style, the wilfullest humour, and the stormiest excitement.
Comb. 1632. Lithgow, Trav., I. 34. What wilfull-hearted man can be so apt to belieue, that our blessed Lady had such estimation of morter and stones?
† b. In good sense: Strong-willed, strongly persistent. Obs. rare.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 5663. A myghtful [v.r. wilfull] man was Maryus, Of fair speche merueillous.
1633. T. James, Voy., 92. Being now become wilfull in our indeauours.
† 2. Having the will to do something; purposing, intending; wishful, desirous. Also said of the purpose or desire: Eager, earnest. Obs.
1340. Ayenb., 162. Nou yziȝ ane yongne boryeis and ane newene kniȝt. Mochel habbeþ þos of uele þoȝtes newe diuerses and wyluolle. Þe borgeys wylneþ to chapfari … þe knyȝt … wilneþ corteysyes to done an largeliche yeue.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, II. 345. Arayit rycht awisely, Willful to do chewalry.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 361. Whan that he … hadde his wilful pourpos wonne Of al this Erthe under the Sonne.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 725. [She] Wan be thy worship & wilfull desire.
a. 1500. Ratis Raving, 2919. Wysmen ar wylfull to do grace, & mercyable in petwous cas.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XII. Prol. 270. On fut I sprent into my bayr sark, Wilfull for till compleyt my langsum wark.
1573–80. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 77. Be wilfull to kill and vnskilfull to store, And looke for no foison.
† 3. Willing; consenting; ready to comply with a request, desire or requirement. Obs.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XI. 266. The worthy kyng, quhen he has seyn His host … wilfull to fulfill His liking, with gud hert and will.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 207. Gif thai lordis … defendis maliciously the ref, and is nocht wilfull to mak reformacioun and redress.
c. 1460. Oseney Reg., 39. With þe wilfull consent of þe Kyng and of the Aduocates of the same church.
c. 1475. Partenay, 1641. With A wilfull hert full gentilly resceyuyng … thys souerayn.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., V. i. 211. When Wals are so wilfull, to heare without warning. Ibid. (1598), Merry W., III. ii. 44. I will … divulge Page … for a secure and wilfull Acteon.
† 4. Proceeding from the will; done, undertaken, assumed or undergone of one’s own free will or choice; not compulsory or enforced: = VOLUNTARY A. 1 b, 3. Obs.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., III. pr. xi. (1868), 98. I ne trete nat heere now of weleful moeuynges of the sowle.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 14. Men þat haue … taken cristis mekenesse and gret pouert bi wilful profession.
c. 1400. Rule St. Benet (Prose), 142. The secunde is, þat þe behouis liue in wilfull powerte.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, X. 218. The gret debait in Wallace wit can waid, Betwix kyndnes and wyllfull wow he maid.
c. 1480. Henryson, Fox & Wolf, xxvi. (Bann.). Do wilfull pennance here, and ȝe sall wend … to ioy withouttin end.
1531. Tindale, Expos. 1 John (1538), 37 b. By wylfull kepynge of the commaundement we be sure that we loue God.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage, II. ix. 131. He there died … through his wilfull want of bread and water.
1667. Milton, P. L., X. 1042. No more be mention’d then of violence Against our selves, and wilful barrenness, That cuts us off from hope.
1687. Dryden, Hind & P., II. 715. The silent stranger stood amazed to see Contempt of wealth, and wilful poverty.
† b. Involving unfettered exercise of will; arbitrary; wilful empire, absolute sovereignty, autocracy. Obs.
1533. Bellenden, Livy, III. xviii. (S.T.S.), II. 24. Thus sall It be clerely schewin … quhidder wilfull empire or public liberte be erast establist be þir lawis.
5. Done on purpose or wittingly; purposed, deliberate, intentional; not accidental or casual. Chiefly, now always, in bad sense, of an action either evil in itself or blameworthy in the particular case; often (with color of sense 1) implying ‘perverse, obstinate.’ Also transf. of the agent, as wilful murderer, one who commits wilful murder.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 9633. It was his aun … wilful sin Þat did vs all fra him to tuin.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531). Mortall synnes, & carnall consentes to the same, and wylfull delectacyons in synne.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Edw. V., 9 b. Wylfull murtherers, whom God commaundeth to be taken from the aulter.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. (1882), 13. Although it be wilfull and purposed murther.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., IV. i. 142. How will their grudging stomackes be prouok’d To wilfull Disobedience, and Rebell?
a. 1625. Fletcher, Nice Valour, V. ii. Can there be wilfuller destruction?
1736. Bailey (fol.), s.v. Waste, Wilful Waste makes wofol Want.
1781. Cowper, Truth, 20. Charge not … Your wilful suicide on God’s decree.
1844. Thirlwall, Greece, lxvi. VIII. 387. Though his character has … been misrepresented through hostile prejudices and wilful calumny.
1883. D. C. Murray, Hearts, xxviii. On a charge of wilful and corrupt perjury.
B. as adv. † 1. = WILFULLY 4, 5. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 16429. To þaa wilful wod he taght Þe lauerd es al-weldand.
c. 1381. Chaucer, Parl. Foules, 429. Dishobeysaunt or wilful necligent.
1541[?]. Coverdale, Confut. Standish (1547), d vij. Forgetfull what ye sayd afore, or els wilfull blind.
1592. Kyd, Sp. Trag., I. iii. Could she [Fortune] heare, yet is she wilfull mad.
1595. Shaks., John, V. ii. 124. The Dolphin is too wilfull opposite And will not temporize with my intreaties.
1596. [see BLAME v. 6].
c. 1600. Shaks., Sonn., li. 13. Since from thee going, he went wilfull slow. Ibid. (1611), Wint. T., I. ii. 255. If euer I were wilfull-negligent.
† 2. Voluntarily, of free will: = WILFULLY 2.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 87. So þat whanne þei schulden ben most wilful pore & preche þe gospel of cristis pouert & his apostlis.
1450–1530. Myrr. Our Ladye, II. 161. The sete of dome where the wylfull powre shall sytte and deme wyth cryste.
C. as sb. A wilful person; rarely, a wilful act.
1819. Scott, Ivanhoe, xxxi. Nay, then, if wilful will to water, wilful must drench. Ibid. (1829), Anne of G., xvi. That is as much as to say, wilful will to it.
1875. Tennyson, Q. Mary, III. v. One of those wicked wilfuls that men make, Not shame to call it nature.
1885. Academy, 14 Nov., 322/1. The unfortunates or the wilfuls who are under restraint offend less and less each year against the prison regulations.
Hence † Wilfulhead (whence irreg. † Wilfulheadness in same sense), † Wilfulship, wilfulness; † Wilfulling nonce-wd. [irreg. f. wilful + -ING1], a wilful act.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., Prol. 355. Lyk tyrauntis of lumbardye That vsyn *wilfulhed & tyrannye.
c. 1400. Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483), IV. xii. 63. Only that thyng euery wyght may which he may by ryght and nought of wilful-hede.
1485. Coventry Leet Bk., 523. Yf any personne of obstinacie or *wilful-hednesse will withstand … the said … Rules.
1605. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. iii. III. Law, 610. No more bay with thy *wilfullings His wrath’s dread Torrent.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 205. Þat oðer is *wilfulshipe and lichamliche lustes.
c. 1280. MS. Douce 139, lf. 157. Þe idel mon … Þat þurstes of wilfulscipe and drinket sorwenesse.
