nolens volens

From Latin nōlēns (“unwilling”), from nōlō (“I am unwilling”) and volēns (“willing”), from volō (“I am willing, I will”).

nolens volens

1. Willing or unwilling; willy-nilly.
   • 1765, [Laurence Sterne], chapter XXXIII, in The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, volume VIII, London: T. Becket and P. A. Dehondt, , →OCLC, page 183:

     Now I would not, quoth my uncle Toby, get a child, nolens, volens, that is, whether I would or no, to pleaſe the greateſt prince upon earth——

   • 1815 February 24, [Walter Scott], chapter L, in Guy Mannering; or, The Astrologer. , volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: James Ballantyne and Co. for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, ; and Archibald Constable and Co., , →OCLC:

     “Well, nolens volens, you must hold your tongue,” said Pleydell.

   • 1843, Edward Belcher, Narrative of a Voyage Round the World:

     Boats with soldiers were sent under the direction of the padres to capture Indians and bring them to the missions, where they were made Christians nolens volens.

   • 1887, Charles Darwin, “To T. H. Huxley. Down, August 8 ”, in Francis Darwin, editor, The Life and Letters of Charles Darwin‎, volume II, New York: D. Appleton & Company, page 123:

     He won't go very “dangerous lengths,” but thinks the truth lies half-way between Agassiz and the ‘Origin.’ As he goes thus far he will, nolens volens, have to go further.

Learned borrowing from Latin nolens volens.

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɔ.lɛns ˈvɔ.lɛns/
• Syllabification: no‧lens vo‧lens

nolens volens (not comparable)

1. nolens volens; willing or unwilling; willy-nilly

• nolens volens in Polish dictionaries at PWN