▪ I. † unˈwill, n.1 Obs.
[OE. unwilla (un-1 4 b, 12), = MLG. unwille, MDu. onwille (Du. onwil), OS. *unwillo (gen. unwilles), OHG. unwillo (MHG., G. unwille), ON. and Icel. {uacu}vili (Da. uvilje, Sw. ovilja), displeasure, reluctance.]
1. Used adverbially, in genitive (usually with possessive pron.): Against one's will; unwillingly.
The normal OE. genitive unwillan is replaced by unwilles on the analogy of willes (see will n.1 10) and other adverbial genitives. For the adverbial use, cf. OS. unwilles, MLG. unwillens, older Flem. onwillens, MDu. mijns onwillen.
| c 893 K. ælfred Oros. vi. xxxviii, Siþþan sæton þa Gotan þær on lande, sume be þæs caseres willan, sume his unwillan. c 1000 in Thorpe Laws II. 182 Ᵹif he hit dide unwilles. c 1000 ælfric Saints' Lives ix. 87 Þeah þu mine hand ahebbe to ðinum hæþenᵹilde, And swa þurh me ᵹeoffriᵹe mines unwilles. a 1225 Juliana 6 (Roy. MS.), Affrican..ȝettede him his dohter, & wes sone ihondsald al hire unwilles. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints vii. (James) 373 Þe men als þare wnwillis Suld to þe prince be brocht thrillis. |
b. at (or again) one's unwilles, = prec. rare—1.
Cf. ON. at uvilja einhvers against one's will.
| c 1400 Anturs of Arth. 424 (Ireland MS.), Ȝette schalle thou wring thi hondus,..Or any we schild hom weld, atte my unnewilles [Douce MS. agayne myne vmwylles]. |
2. Something displeasing or undesired; that which is against a person's will or wish; (one's) dislike or aversion.
| c 1000 in Sal. & Saturn (1848) 262 Nafu ðu to yfel ellen. ðeah ðe sum unwilla on becume. a 1023 Wulfstan Hom, 12 He dryhð deofles wyllan and godes unwillan. a 1200 St. Marher. 13 Ich mot nede, ant neoðeles min unwil hit is to don al þat ti wil is. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 123 Here [he] wuneð on wanrede and þoleð his unwille. a 1225 Juliana (Bodl. MS.) 7 Ha wes him sone ihondsald þah hit hire unwil were. a 1250 Owl & Night. 422 Þu farest so doþ þe ille, Euerich blisse him is vnwille. a 1300 Cursor M. 25261 Lauerd gif vs to Grace in erth þi wil to do, For to forber all þin vnwil. |
▪ II. unˈwill, n.2
[un-1 12 + will n. Cf. prec.]
1. The fact or condition of being displeased or offended; displeasure.
| 1872 Whitley Stokes Goidelica 182 Great folly, since thou hast proposed (?) to go to death, to be under the unwill of Mary's Son. 1895 K. Meyer Voy. Bran i. 14 Woe to him that shall be under His unwill. |
2. Lack of will or purpose.
| 1899 W. S. Blunt Satan Absolved 18 Thy Will found counterpart Only in Man's un-Will, Thy Truth in his un-Truth. |
▪ III. unˈwill, v.
[un-2 3.]
1. a. trans. To will or resolve the reverse of (something one has willed); = unresolve v.
| 1650 Howell Giraffi's Rev. Naples i. 120 He wold will and unwill a thing at the same instant. 1678 R. L'Estrange Seneca's Morals iii. 50 It is the Business of my Age to Unwill one day, that which I Will'd Another. 1849 J. A. Carlyle tr. Dante's Inf. 16 One who unwills what he willed. 1870 J. H. Newman Gram. Assent i. iv. 69 That which willed it, can unwill it. 1871 Browning Pr. Hohenst. 1472 What if the event demonstrate her unwise, If she unwill the thing she willed before? |
b. With reference to will n.1 (= testament).
| 1660 R. Coke Power & Subj. 23 Therefore if a Man make twenty Wills, yet when he will, he may unwill them all. 1854 J. W. Warter Last of Old Squires xviii. 195 [He saw] that there was a democratic Desire abroad to unwill what good Men in former Days had willed. |
c. To revoke or reverse (one's will or purpose).
| 1871 Browning Balaust. 163 Wouldst thou..Unwill thy will to reign a righteous king? |
2. To divest of volition; to deprive (a person) of will-power.
| 1844 Mrs. Browning Duchess May iii. vi, Now, your will is all unwilled—now, your pulses are all stilled. 1891 Meredith One of our Conq. I. xii. 232 The precedent of submission is a charm upon the faint-hearted through love: it unwinds, unwills them. |