nolens volens

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English

Scrabble Score

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Meaning

adv

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

From Latin nōlēns (“unwilling”), from nōlō (“to be unwilling”) and volēns (“willing”), from volō (“to be willing, to want”).

Questions

What does nolens volens mean?

Willing or unwilling; willy-nilly.

Where does nolens volens come from?

From Latin nōlēns (“unwilling”), from nōlō (“to be unwilling”) and volēns (“willing”), from volō (“to be willing, to want”).

How to pronounce nolens volens

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