willy

Etymology 1

From Middle English willy, willi, equivalent to will + -y. Cognate with Dutch willig (“obedient, hearsome”), German willig (“willing”), Swedish villig (“willing, agreeable”).

adj

1. (obsolete) Willing; favourable; ready; eager.
2. (UK dialectal, Scotland) Self-willed; willful.

Etymology 2

From Middle English wilȝe, from Old English wiliġ (“willow”). More at willow.

noun

1. Alternative form of willow

verb

1. To cleanse wool or cotton, etc. with a willy, or willow.

Etymology 3

From Middle English wilie, from Old English wiliġe, wileġe (“basket”), from Proto-Germanic *wiligō (“wicker basket”), from Proto-Indo-European *weliko- (“willow-tree”). More at weel, willow.

noun

1. (UK dialectal) A willow basket.
2. (UK dialectal) A fish basket.

Etymology 4

Originally northern British usage, from the 1960s. Probably the simple use of a proper name as a pet name; compare dick, fanny and peter. Unlikely to be a contraction of Latin membrum virile, male member (that is, the penis), a Latin term used in English in the nineteenth century.

noun

1. (hypocoristic, slang, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, childish) the penis.
   Little Johnny got his willy stuck in his zipper.
2. (UK, childish) Term of abuse.

Etymology 5

noun

1. (espionage) A person who is manipulated into serving as a useful agent without knowing it.