unwilling

  • 1Unwilling — Un*will ing, a. Not willing; loath; disinclined; reluctant; as, an unwilling servant. [1913 Webster] And drop at last, but in unwilling ears, This saving counsel, Keep your piece nine years. Pope. [1913 Webster] {Un*will ing*ly}, adv. {Un*will… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2unwilling — index adverse (hostile), averse, disinclined, disobedient, dissident, evasive, intractable, involuntary …

    Law dictionary

  • 3unwilling — O.E. unwillende, from UN (Cf. un ) (1) not + WILLING (Cf. willing). Re formed 16c …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 4unwilling — [adj] not in the mood afraid, against, against the grain*, averse, backward, begrudging, compelled, contrary, demurring, disinclined, disobliging, evasive, forced, grudging, hesitating, indisposed, indocile, involuntary, laggard, loath,… …

    New thesaurus

  • 5unwilling — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ not willing. DERIVATIVES unwillingly adverb unwillingness noun …

    English terms dictionary

  • 6unwilling — [unwil′iŋ] adj. [altered (in 16th c.) < ME unwilland < OE unwillende < un , not + prp. of willan: see WILL2] 1. not willing or inclined; reluctant; loath; averse 2. done, said, given, etc. reluctantly unwillingly adv. unwillingness n …

    English World dictionary

  • 7unwilling — [[t]ʌ̱nwɪ̱lɪŋ[/t]] 1) ADJ GRADED: usu v link, usu ADJ to inf If you are unwilling to do something, you do not want to do it and will not agree to do it. Initially the government was unwilling to accept the defeat... For months I had been either… …

    English dictionary

  • 8unwilling */ — UK [ʌnˈwɪlɪŋ] / US adjective 1) if you are unwilling to do something, you do not want to do it or you refuse to do it unwilling to do something: Jane was unwilling to admit she was wrong. The government seems unable or unwilling to make further… …

    English dictionary

  • 9unwilling — adj. unwilling to + inf. (she is unwilling to participate) * * * [ʌn wɪlɪŋ] unwilling to + inf. (she is unwilling to participate) …

    Combinatory dictionary

  • 10unwilling — un|will|ing [ ʌn wılıŋ ] adjective * 1. ) if you are unwilling to do something, you do not want to do it or you refuse to do it: unwilling to do something: Jane was unwilling to admit she was wrong. 2. ) only before noun involved in doing… …

    Usage of the words and phrases in modern English