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Nil vs Nill - What's the difference?

nil | nill |

As nouns the difference between nil and nill

is that nil is nothing; zero while nill is shining sparks thrown off from melted brass.

As a determiner nil

is no, not any.

As a verb nill is

to be unwilling; will not (+ infinitive).

nil

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Nothing; zero.
  • * 1946 , (Bertrand Russell), History of Western Philosophy , I.19:
    • As to Aristotle's influence on him, we are left free to conjecture whatever seems to us most plausible. For my part, I should suppose it nil .

    Determiner

    (en determiner)
  • No, not any.
  • * 1982 , Gavin Lyall, Conduct of Major Maxim , Hodder & Stoughton Ltd:
    • But after two or three hours and nil results, you have to accept that the trail is cold and you can't justify that level of manpower.

    Related terms

    * nihilism

    See also

    * null * nil desperandum

    Anagrams

    * English terms derived from Latin ----

    nill

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) nillen, from (etyl) nillan, nellan, . Cognate with (etyl) nelle.

    Verb

  • To be unwilling; will not (+ infinitive ).
  • *1590 , (Edmund Spenser), (The Faerie Queen) , III.v:
  • *:I here auow thee neuer to forsake. / Ill weares he armes, that nill them vse for Ladies sake.
  • *1600 , (Edward Fairfax), The (Jerusalem Delivered) of (w), XII, lxi:
  • *:What I nill tell you ask (quoth she) in vain, / Nor mov'd by prayer, nor constrain'd by power.
  • To be unwilling.
  • *:
  • *:So the knight of Ireland armed him at all points,, and rode after a great pace, as much as his horse might go; and within a little space on a mountain he had a sight of Balin, and with a loud voice he cried, Abide, knight, for ye shall abide whether ye will or nill , and the shield that is to-fore you shall not help.
  • *:• :
  • *::Soo the knyght of Irelonde armed hym at al poyntes /and rode after a grete paas as moche as his hors myght goo / and within a lytel space on a montayne he had a syghte of Balyn / and with a lowde voys he cryed abyde knyght / for ye shal abyde whether ye will or nyll / and the sheld that is to fore you shalle not helpe
  • *1955 , , (The Lord of the Rings) (Appendices):
  • *:I must indeed abide the Doom of Men, whether I will or I nill .
  • To reject, refuse, negate.
  • *1590 , (Edmund Spenser), (The Faerie Queen) , II.vii:
  • *:Certes (said he) I n’ill thine offred grace, / Ne to be made so happy do intend.
    • Derived terms
    * willy-nilly

    Etymology 2

    Compare Irish and Gaelic (neul) star, light. Compare (nebula).

    Noun

  • Shining sparks thrown off from melted brass.
  • Scales of hot iron from the forge.
    • (Knight)
    English auxiliary verbs