willy

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See also: Willy

English

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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From Middle English willy, willi, equivalent to will +‎ -y. Cognate with Dutch willig (obedient, hearsome), German willig (willing), Swedish villig (willing, agreeable).

Adjective

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willy (comparative willier or more willy, superlative williest or most willy)

  1. (obsolete) Willing; favourable; ready; eager.
  2. (UK dialectal, Scotland) Self-willed; willful.
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Etymology 2

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From Middle English wilȝe, from Old English wiliġ (willow). More at willow.

Noun

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willy (plural willies)

  1. Alternative form of willow

Verb

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willy (third-person singular simple present willies, present participle willying, simple past and past participle willied)

  1. To cleanse wool or cotton, etc. with a willy, or willow.

Etymology 3

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From Middle English wilie, from Old English wiliġe, wileġe (basket), from Proto-Germanic *wiligō (wicker basket), from Proto-Indo-European *weliko- (willow-tree). More at weel, willow.

Noun

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willy (plural willies)

  1. (UK dialectal) A willow basket.
  2. (UK dialectal) A fish basket.

Etymology 4

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Originally northern British usage, from the 1960s. Probably the simple use of a proper name as a pet name; compare dick, fanny and peter. Unlikely to be a contraction of Latin membrum virile, male member (that is, the penis), a Latin term used in English in the nineteenth century.

Alternative forms

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Noun

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willy (plural willies)

  1. (hypocoristic, slang, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, childish) the penis.
    Little Johnny got his willy stuck in his zipper.
    • 2016 March 7, “Road Rage (Freestyle)”, performed by Little T (Josh Tate):
      Everybody knows your mum is a whore / Getting 'round Piccadilly looking for willy / Punters pull up and say "don't be silly"
  2. (UK, childish) Term of abuse.
    (The addition of quotations indicative of this usage is being sought:)
Synonyms
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Derived terms
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Translations
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Etymology 5

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(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Alternative forms

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Noun

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willy (plural willies)

  1. (espionage) A person who is manipulated into serving as a useful agent without knowing it.

See also

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