INDEX:
1. to be willing to do something
2. when you do something willingly
3. to not be willing to do something
4. doing something unwillingly
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ FORCE SB TO DO STH
see also
↑ WANT/NOT WANT
↑ CAN/CAN'T
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1. to be willing to do something
▷ be willing to do something /biː ˌwɪlɪŋ tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase]
if you are willing to do something that is necessary or that you have been asked to do, you will do it fairly happily :
▪ He’s willing to tell the police everything he knows.
▪ To do well as a journalist, you have to be willing to change jobs very frequently.
▪ Investors are willing to pay more for stocks when interest rates are low.
▷ be ready to do something /biː ˌredi tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase]
to be willing to do something at any time, whenever it needs to be done :
▪ I’m always ready to help if you need me.
▪ We are ready to consider any serious proposals.
▪ If you really want to sell, price your house sensibly and be ready to make a deal.
▷ not mind doing something /nɒt ˌmaɪnd ˈduːɪŋ something/ [verb phrase not in progressive] spoken
to be willing to do something that someone wants you to do, even though you might prefer not to :
▪ I don’t mind driving if you’re tired.
▪ If you don’t mind waiting a few minutes, we can check our records for you.
▷ be glad/happy/pleased to do something /biː ˌglæd, ˌhæpi, ˌpliːzd tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase]
to be very willing to do something that will help someone else :
▪ Our sales staff are always pleased to help.
▪ ‘Could you do me a favor?’ ‘Sure, I’d be glad to.’
▪ John says he’d be happy to give you a hand with the gardening.
be only too glad/happy/pleased to do something
be very willing
▪ I’d be only too pleased to look after the kids for you.
▷ agree to do something /əˌgriː tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase]
to say that you are willing to do something that someone has asked you to do, especially when this will take some effort or be inconvenient :
▪ I’ve agreed to help Sarah move house this weekend.
▪ One of the jurors agreed to talk about the experience, but did not want to be named.
kindly agree to do something
formal
▪ Officer Browning has kindly agreed to come into school and give us a talk on crime prevention.
▷ be prepared to do something /biː prɪˌpeəʳd tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase]
to be willing to do something, especially something difficult or unpleasant :
▪ He was prepared to use force if necessary.
▪ You’ll never learn to speak another language unless you’re prepared to make an effort.
▪ Griffiths was prepared to spend up to $500,000 to renovate the old theater.
▷ willing /ˈwɪlɪŋ/ [adjective]
eager, hard-working, and willing to do anything you are asked to do :
▪ He’s not a very bright boy, but he’s young, strong, and willing.
▪ She’s an enthusiastic, willing learner.
▷ be game /biː ˈgeɪm/ [verb phrase] informal
to be willing to try something dangerous, new, difficult, or risky :
▪ ‘Want to go climbing with us?’ ‘Yeah, I’m game.’
be game to do something
American
▪ She’s one of those people who’s game to try anything.
be game for
British
▪ Tim’s always game for a laugh. willing to do things that might be fun
2. when you do something willingly
▷ willingly /ˈwɪlɪŋli/ [adverb]
▪ I’d willingly pay higher taxes if the money was spent on health and education.
▪ Hundreds of teenagers volunteer willingly to help in service organizations.
▪ She willingly cut her beautiful long hair in order to play Joan of Arc in Shaw’s play.
▷ voluntarily /ˈvɒlənt ə rɪli, ˈvɒlənt ə rəli, ˌvɒlənˈterə̇liǁˌvɑːlənˈterəli/ [adverb]
if you do something voluntarily, especially something difficult, unpleasant, or inconvenient, you do it willingly and not because you are forced to :
▪ She wasn’t fired or asked to resign; she left voluntarily.
▪ The company has voluntarily recalled the product to check for defects.
▷ willing /ˈwɪlɪŋ/ [adjective only before noun]
willing accomplice/partner/participant etc
someone who takes part in an activity with someone else without being forced to, especially a dishonest or criminal activity :
▪ The police believe Davison was a willing participant in the murder.
▪ Get a bike, find a willing friend, and explore the bike trails.
▷ of your own free will /əv jɔːr ˌəʊn friː ˈwɪl/ [adverb]
if you do something of your own free will, you do it because you choose to and want to, and not because you are forced to :
▪ Nobody forced her to go -- she left of her own free will.
▪ How many of our teenage children actually help around the house of their own free will?
▷ voluntary /ˈvɒlənt ə riǁˈvɑːlənteri/ [adjective]
actions that are voluntary are done willingly, not because you are forced to do them or have a legal duty to do them :
▪ Most charities rely on voluntary contributions from the public.
▪ Playing sport on Saturday at school was entirely voluntary.
▪ The district is calling for a voluntary ban on using wood-burning stoves, in order to improve air quality.
▷ readily /ˈredɪli, ˈredəli/ [adverb] written
if you do something readily, you do it very willingly and without needing to think about whether you should do it or not :
▪ He readily agreed to all our suggestions.
▪ Beth was very tired and readily accepted a seat when it was offered.
▪ Parsons readily took responsibility for the show’s failure.
▷ freely /ˈfriːli/ [adverb]
if you freely do or say something, you do or say it willingly, even though it is something that other people might be embarrassed to do or say :
▪ Mrs. Atwood’s note said that she freely chose to end her life.
freely admit/acknowledge
▪ I freely admit I made many mistakes.
▪ Ms. Tate freely acknowledges that she hasn’t paid the fines, but argues she should not have to.
▷ gladly /ˈglædli/ [adverb]
if you do something gladly, you are very willing and pleased to do it :
▪ If only I had more money in the bank, I would gladly retire.
▪ When businesses heard about the reason for the fund-raiser, they gladly gave us donations.
3. to not be willing to do something
▷ unwilling/not willing /ʌnˈwɪlɪŋ, ˌnɒt ˈwɪlɪŋ/ [adjective]
not willing to do something, even though you should do it or someone else wants you to do it :
▪ According to his lawyer, Stuart was an unwilling participant in the shooting.
unwilling/not willing to do something
▪ She’s unwilling to admit that she was wrong.
▪ Most people are unwilling to give up their cars and use public transportation.
▪ Put away any toys the child is not willing to share, to avoid any problems.
unwillingness [uncountable noun]
unwilling/not willing to do something
▪ No agreement was reached because of the unwillingness of either side to compromise.
▷ reluctant /rɪˈlʌktənt/ [adjective]
someone who is reluctant is not willing to do something, although they may be persuaded after refusing for a while :
▪ Stores have cut prices to attract reluctant shoppers.
▪ Becoming a donor is a simple process, but many people remain reluctant.
reluctant to do something
▪ He seemed somewhat reluctant to explain, but finally did so.
▪ Some of the older staff were reluctant to use the new equipment.
reluctance [uncountable noun]
reluctant to do something
▪ The U.S. has been criticized for its reluctance to deal with the problem of global warming.
▷ drag your feet /ˌdræg jɔːʳ ˈfiːt/ [verb phrase]
to take too much time to do something because you are unwilling to do it :
▪ The White House has accused Congress of dragging its feet.
drag your feet over/on
▪ They urged Parliament not to drag its feet on the bill.
drag your feet in doing something
▪ Demonstrators say the administration is dragging its feet in establishing a housing program.
▷ be loath to do something /biː ˌləʊθ tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase]
to be very unwilling to do something, especially something which affects you personally and which you may find upsetting or unpleasant to do :
▪ His mother was still asleep and he was loath to wake her.
▪ Congressmen are loath to limit the amount of time they can be in office.
4. doing something unwillingly
▷ unwillingly /ʌnˈwɪlɪŋli/ [adverb]
if you do something unwillingly, you do it slowly or without any eagerness, in a way that shows you are unwilling :
▪ Johnson unwillingly admitted he’d been drinking that evening.
▪ He pointed at a chair, and Alfred sat down unwillingly.
▷ reluctantly /rɪˈlʌktəntli/ [adverb]
if you do something reluctantly, you do it even though you are not very willing to do it :
▪ Reluctantly, he gave the officer his name and address.
▪ He reluctantly consented to his daughter’s marriage.
▪ Mrs. Bernson reluctantly agreed to help prepare for the conference.
▷ against your will /əˌgenst jɔːʳ ˈwɪl/ [adverb]
if you do something against your will, you do not want to do it but you are forced to :
▪ The refugees were sent back against their will.
▪ No one should be forced to marry against their will.
▷ grudgingly /ˈgrʌdʒɪŋli/ [adverb]
if you do something or say something grudgingly, especially something that gives help or praise or pleasure to someone else, you do it very unwillingly :
▪ The city council has grudgingly given $100,000 towards the new after-school care program.
▪ Steve grudgingly admitted that Matthew had played a better game.
grudging [adjective]
▪ Charles listened to the speech with grudging admiration.