willy

• IPA^(key): /ˈwɪli/

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• Rhymes: -ɪli

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

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

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

• ill-willy
• evil-willy

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

willy (plural willies)

1. Alternative form of willow

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.

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.

willy (plural willies)

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

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.

• willie

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:)

• (penis): peter, johnson, wee-wee; see also Thesaurus:penis

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

• willie

willy (plural willies)

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

• sticky willy
• wet willy
• the willies
• willy willy
• willy-nilly