ppl. a. [OE. unwillende (UN-1 10), = ON. and Icel. ú-, óviljandi. Cf. MLG. unwillendes. Re-formed in 16th cent.]
† 1. Of persons: Not intending, purposing, or desiring (to do a particular thing). Obs.
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past C., xxxiii. 214. Ðæt hic [sc. the impatient] ne hliepen unwillende on ðæt scorene clif unðeawa.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 862. Wyþ þar schote his ffader he slow; Al unwylland þat draught he drow.
2. Of persons, etc.: Not inclined, willing, or ready; averse, reluctant, loath. Also in fig. context.
In quot. 1606 the comparative is used with adverbial force, = more unwillingly.
c. 1000. in Ags. Hom. (Assmann), 180. Min drihten hit wat, þæt ic hit unwillende do, þæt ic æfre þas dæda ʓefremme.
1538. Elyot, Inuitus,… vnwyllynge, or agaynste a mannes wylle.
1586. Marlowe, 1st Pt. Tamburl., II. i. Marching … with vnwilling souldiers faintly arm’d.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., I. iii. 245. You gaue leaue to my vnwilling tong, Against my will, to do my selfe this wrong.
1606. G. W[oodcocke], Hist. Ivstine, IX. 40. To which request Phillip vrged he should of reason so much the vnwillinger condiscend.
1644. Milton, Areop. (Arb.), 32. The tardiest, and the unwillingest of them that praise yee.
1746. Francis, trans. Horace, Epist., I. viii. 9. With unwilling Ear The Voice of Comfort, or of Health I hear.
1761. Gray, Descent of Odin, 49. Unwilling I my lips unclose.
1817. Shelley, Rev. Islam, XI. xiv. On each unwilling heart Unusual awe did fall.
1849. G. P. R. James, Woodman, vii. Evidently intended to bring up unwilling eels out of their native mud.
1870. Bryant, Iliad, IV. I. 106. I fully yield me to thy wish Though with unwilling mind.
1897. Nicholson, Golspie, 22. This unwilling workman’s curse lay on the family for ever.
absol. a. 1566. Sidney, Arcadia, II. xxvii. Thus armed, thus governed, forcing the unwilling,… they came headlong towarde this lodge.
a. 1658. Lovelace, Poems (1904), 193. Fates lead the willing, but unwilling draw.
1765. Blackstone, Comm., I. 44. Counsel acts only upon the willing, law upon the unwilling also.
b. Const. to with inf., or with clause.
In very frequent use from c. 1630, usu. with to and inf.
1533. Sir T. More, Debell. Salem, Wks. 1030/2. I … shewe my selfe vnwilling that the priestes should doe it neither.
1548. Elyot, s.v. Respuo, To be vnwillyng to here hym speake.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, II. ix. And so went they away from verie unwilling people to leave them.
1618. Selden, Hist. Tithes, III. vi. 1114. Every man … would have been the unwillinger to have specially endowed the church.
1664. in Verney Memoirs (1907), II. 212. I am unwilling you should be soe much alone.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 115. I was unwilling to run any more risks.
1765. Museum Rust., IV. 287. We should be very unwilling to offend him.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., vi. I own I were unwilling he should learn what nowise concerns him.
1878. Browning, La Saisiaz, 28. Then my fellow takes the tale up, not unwilling to aver … ‘I knew him best of all.’
c. transf. of things.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 1051. Her eyes,… being open’d, threw unwilling light Upon the wide wound … in his sort flank. Ibid. (1593), Lucr., 309. As each unwilling portal yields him way.
1692. Dryden, Don Sebastian, III. i. Why shou’d you pluck the green distasteful Fruit From the unwilling Bough. Ibid. (1697), Virg. Georg., I. 144. For he, with frequent exercise, commands The unwilling soil, and tames the stubborn lands.
1704. Trapp, Abra-Mulé, II. i. 416. A stiff unwilling Bow.
1748. Gray, Alliance, 43. There industry and gain their vigils keep, Command the Winds, and tame th’ unwilling Deep.
1848. Mrs. Gaskell, M. Barton, iv. She … lighted the unwilling fire, borrowing a pair of bellows to make it burn the faster.
1896. Idler, March, 291/2. I … pushed open the unwilling baize-covered door.
† 3. Undesirous of something. Obs. rare.
a. 1575. trans. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden, No. 29), 54. Neyther partie was unwilling of peace.
1590. Peele, Polyhemnia, Wks. 1829, II. 210. On lusty horse That, angry with delay,… Would snort,… Unwilling of his master’s tarriance.
† 4. Unwilling to (unto), contrary to the will or desire of (a person). Obs. rare.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 334. They shall not touche any thynge of yowres vnwyllyng vnto yow.
1654. Gayton, Pleas. Notes, IV. 171. Your hair (unwilling to your self) discovers you.
† 5. Involuntary; unintentional; unwilled. Obs.
1535. Trevisa’s Barth. De P. R., VII. lv. 105 b/2. Somtyme comyth vnwyllynge pyssynge, and that euyll hyghte … Diabethica passio.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, 519. This high preest shalbe the … speech of God, cleere from sinne aswel willing as vnwilling.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., IV. i. 159. Patience I pray you, ’twas a fault vnwilling.
1687. Dryden, Hind & P., III. 842. Good fortune may present some happier time, With means to cancel my unwilling crime.
6. Performed or manifested, expressed or avowed, reluctantly or unwillingly.
1613. in Sidney’s Arcadia (1629), 343. Then went hee towards Pyrocles … and acquainted him with his vnwilling absenting himselfe.
1659. W. Chamberlayne, Pharon., IV. v. 403. That soft delays … to an unwilling stay His fierce pursuers would ere long betray.
1665. Bp. Patrick, Parab. Pilgr., viii. 29. It can [not] be acceptable to God to see men croutch in this fashion to him, and … afford him their unwilling prostrations.
1741. W. Whitehead, Danger Writing Verse, 235. Must the Muse th’ unwilling task pursue?
1764. Goldsm., Trav., 352. Fictitious bonds, the bonds of wealth and law, Still gather strength, and force unwilling awe.
1822. Milman, Belshazzar, 93. Oh! bear a brief unwilling banishment From thine own home, my heart.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xv. III. 529. That sagacity and energy which had … extorted the unwilling admiration of his enemies.
