willy nilly[adverb]Synonyms: helplessly, inescapably, inevitably, perforce, unavoidably, whether or no
Related Idioms: as a matter of course, come what may, of necessity, without let or choice
[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲
willy-nil‧ly /ˌwɪli ˈnɪli/
adverb[
Date: 1600-1700;
Origin: will I nill I '(whether) I am willing (or) I am unwilling'; nill 'to be unwilling' (11-19 centuries), from Old English nyllan, from ne 'not' + wyllan ( ⇒ will1)]
1. if something happens willy-nilly, it happens whether you want it to or not:
He found himself drawn, willy-nilly, into the argument.2. without planning, organization, or control:
Companies were accused of raising prices willy-nilly. [TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲