nill
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of nill
before 900; Middle English nillen, Old English nyllan, contraction of phrase ne willan ; see no 1, will 1, willy-nilly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“The punishment for disrespecting these sacred personalities was almost nill earlier,” said Abdul Akbar Chitrali, a lawmaker belonging to a religious political party and author of the bill.
From New York Times ● Jan. 21, 2023
Britain needs a Post Bank to provide universal banking and local enterprise funds or a community reinvestment nill to help encourage savings back into disadvantaged areas.
From The Guardian ● Jun. 17, 2010
The trees, the rocks, and flocks reply, The birds, the winds, the beasts report, Floods, echo, grounds, for sorrow cry, We grieve since Phillis nill kind Damon's love consort.
From Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles Phillis - Licia by Martha Foote Crow
His lordship has made it a practice to look in at his victim—for that is the way he thinks of him, will he nill he!—as early every day as possible, and as late.
From When Ghost Meets Ghost by William Frend De Morgan
They answered, and said: "You shall come with us, will ye: nill ye, to Prester John our Lord."
From The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 2 by Henry Yule
In the opening game, Jac Morgan made the most carries, most metres and Tomos Williams made the most passes - yet Wales were still nilled by France.
From BBC ● Feb. 7, 2025
JG: "I think England are less favoured now to win the Six Nations, given the France scoreline when they nilled Italy last weekend, which means their points difference is vastly improved compared to before. "
From BBC ● Mar. 20, 2015
Weakened Bulls ended up with the indignity of being nilled as Saints claimed their first win in three games.
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2012
My nurse some Feral was; Fate nilled approve By any Woman such a name be tane Who gave me breast; nor seemed it suitable.
From Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern, Vol. VIII by Various
Myself when I was deliberating upon serving the Lord my God now, as I had long purposed, it was I who willed, I who nilled, I, I myself.
From The Confessions of St. Augustine by E. B. (Edward Bouverie) Pusey
Liam Kay's score ensured Wakefield avoided a nilling on home turf.
From BBC ● Apr. 14, 2022
We won the National Conference Premier Division that season, and to beat Workington as we did – not just beating them, but nilling them – was a terrific achievement.
From The Guardian ● Mar. 4, 2011
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
