Willy Nilly

B2 16+

Pronunciation: /ˈwɪli ˈnɪli/

Definitions of willy nilly

noun a state of chaos or disorder

Example Sentences

A1 I picked up the toys willy nilly, without any specific order.

A2 She threw the ingredients into the pot willy nilly, hoping for the best.

B1 The books on the shelf were arranged willy nilly, making it hard to find a specific one.

B2 The decisions made by the committee seemed to be done willy nilly, without much thought.

C1 The company's policies were implemented willy nilly, causing confusion among employees.

C2 The artist's works were displayed willy nilly in the gallery, creating a chaotic but intriguing atmosphere.

adjective haphazard or without direction

Example Sentences

A1 She packed her suitcase willy nilly, throwing in whatever she could find.

A2 The children ran around the playground willy nilly, without any sense of direction.

B1 The new manager made decisions willy nilly, without consulting the team.

B2 The company's finances were managed willy nilly, leading to chaos and confusion.

C1 The government's policies seemed to be implemented willy nilly, with no clear strategy in place.

C2 The artist's creative process appeared to be willy nilly, but resulted in stunning works of art.

adverb in a disorganized or unplanned manner

Example Sentences

A1 I cleaned my room willy nilly, without any particular order.

A2 She packed her suitcase willy nilly, throwing things in without much thought.

B1 The team worked willy nilly to finish the project on time.

B2 The artist painted willy nilly, letting inspiration guide their brush.

C1 The CEO made decisions willy nilly, without consulting the board.

C2 The politician acted willy nilly, causing chaos in the government.

Examples of willy nilly in a Sentence

formal The decision was made willy nilly without proper consideration of all the facts.

informal I just picked a movie willy nilly without even looking at the reviews.

slang We can't just go willy nilly and hope for the best.

figurative She danced willy nilly through life, without a care in the world.

Grammatical Forms of willy nilly

past tense

went

plural

willy nillies

comparative

more willy nilly

superlative

most willy nilly

present tense

go

future tense

will go

perfect tense

have gone

continuous tense

is going

singular

willy nilly

positive degree

willy nilly

infinitive

to go

gerund

going

participle

gone

Origin and Evolution of willy nilly

First Known Use: 1600 year
Language of Origin: Middle English
Story behind the word: The phrase 'willy nilly' originated from Middle English, where 'willy' meant 'will' or 'desire' and 'nilly' meant 'nill' or 'not desire'. It was originally used to convey something done willingly or unwillingly.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'willy nilly' has shifted to convey a sense of randomness or haphazardness, rather than just willingness or unwillingness.