Obs. Forms: 4–5 willi, wylly, (5 wille, wyle, wyly, 6 wylle), 4– willy. [f. WILL sb.1 + -Y1, prob. after ON. viljugr (MSw. viliogher, Sw., Da. villig), corresp. to OS., (M)Du. willig, OHG. willîg (MHG. willec, G. willig). But an OE. *willic may have existed; cf. next.]
1. Willing, eager.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 23073. Þai … willi war to do, and gladd, Þat men of hali kirc þam badd. Ibid., 26351. Propre, stedfast, Ernexst, willi, buxum, sothfast.
13[?]. Gosp. Nicod. (G.), 161. Þe men þat wight and willy ware said: ‘to þi steuin we stand.’
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 1775. Wisest of wordes and wille þerto.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., V. iii. 496. Forto make hem the redier and the willier forto counceyle with leerned men.
1489. Caxton, Faytes of A., I. vi. A vij b. A prynce ought not be byleued that therin shold be ouer wylly & courageous.
2. Well-disposed, benevolent.
With first quot. cf. Chaucer’s ‘welwilli planet’ (Troylus, III. 1208).
c. 1403. Lydg., Temple of Glas, 1348. Willi planet, O Esperus so briȝt, Þat woful hertes can appese.
1449. Paston Lett., I. 88. I fonde her never so wylly to noon as sche is to hym.
1483. Cath. Angl., 418/2. Willy, beneuolus.
3. ? Of the will.
c. 1400. trans. Secr. Secr., Gov. Lordsh., 96. And þanne fallys to hym a reale willy [orig. uoluntaria] vertu.
b. in parasynthetic compounds, EVIL-WILLY, GOODWILLY, ILL-WILLY, WELL-WILLY.
Hence † Willily adv., voluntarily, willingly.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 26942. Willili lok þat þou be scriuen, Noght wit strength þar-to be driuen.
c. 1400. Abbey Holy Ghost, in Hampole’s Wks. (Horstman), I. 334. Make þame arely to ryse and go þe wyllylyere to paire seruysse.
