reluctant

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin reluctāns, present participle of reluctor (“to struggle against, oppose, resist”), from re- (“back”) + luctor (“to struggle”).

adj

1. Not wanting to take some action; unwilling to do something.
   She was reluctant to lend him the money
   Surprisingly, our new dog is a reluctant ball-retriever.
   They are reluctant to the inclusion of a necessity test, especially of a horizontal nature, and emphasize, instead, the importance of procedural disciplines …. 2008, Kern Alexander et al., The World Trade Organization and Trade in Services, page 222
2. (archaic) Contrary; defiant; refractory.
   Whence we must infer, that the least stir of tumult or rebellion against the Prince is reluctant to all the Ordinances of Heaven, is an abortive product of Hell against the pure dictates of nature […] 9 September 1683, A Sermon of Thanksgiving for the Happy Delivery of Charles the Second […] Preached […] in Thomas-Town in the County of Kilkenny, published 1683, page 4
   If pride be allowed to cause you to envy or wound the characters of such as differ from, or outshine you, or to make you reluctant to Christian reproof from your inferiors, how fearful is your guilt and danger! 1782, John Brown, “Address to Students of Divinity”, in A Compendious View of Natural and Revealed Religion, page xiv
   Many of the inhabitants were reluctant against the measure, and are still so obstinate that they must be compelled to do their duty. 15 February 1866, H. Hjaltelin, “On the Treatment of Virulent and Zymotic Diseases”, in The Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, volume 74, number 3, page 59
3. (regular expressions) Tending to match as little text as possible.