willy
adjectivenounverbnounnounnouncommon in dialogue
- //ˈwɪli//
Self-willed; willful.
adjective
- 1
obsoleteWilling; favourable; ready; eager.
- 2
Self-willed; willful.
Etymology
From Middle English willy, willi, equivalent to will + -y. Cognate with Dutch willig (“obedient, hearsome”), German willig (“willing”), Swedish villig (“willing, agreeable”).
noun
- 1
Variant of willowAlternative form of willow.
Etymology
From Middle English wilȝe, from Old English wiliġ (“willow”). More at willow.
verb
- 1
To cleanse wool or cotton, etc. with a willy, or willow.
noun
- 1
A willow basket.
- 2
A fish basket.
Etymology
From Middle English wilie, from Old English wiliġe, wileġe (“basket”), from Proto-Germanic *wiligō (“wicker basket”), from Proto-Indo-European *weliko- (“willow-tree”). More at weel, willow.
noun
- 1
slangThe penis.
Little Johnny got his willy stuck in his zipper.
Everybody knows your mum is a whore / Getting 'round Piccadilly looking for willy / Punters pull up and say "don't be silly"
- 2
A term of abuse.
You're a big fat willy! So shut up!!
Etymology
Originally northern British usage, from the 1960s. Probably the simple use of a proper name as a pet name; compare dick, fanny and peter. Unlikely to be a contraction of Latin membrum virile, male member (that is, the penis), a Latin term used in English in the 19th century.
noun
- 1
A person who is manipulated into serving as a useful agent without knowing it.
Etymology
Perhaps a shortening of willy-nilly, an old way of saying “whether one wants to or not”, here referring to the person being used as an agent without their knowledge, i.e. regardless of their will.
Forms
- plural
- willies
- comparative
- willier, more willy
- superlative
- williest, most willy
- past tense
- willied
- past participle
- willied
- present participle
- willying
- third person singular
- willies