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Nill Vs Nil, Meaning Of Each Word And Sentence Examples

Nill Vs Nil, Meaning Of Each Word And Sentence Examples

Just in case you were wondering, the differences between nill and nil extend beyond a simple letter difference. This article exposed the differences between them and explained how to use them in a sentence.

First of all, let’s talk about meaning. “Nill” means to feel an aversion to something and not be willing to do something, reject or refuse. On the other hand, “Nil” means nothing, zero or non-existent.

Here we also talk a bit about the origins of “nill” and “nil” and the etymology of both words, some synonyms, and antonyms, as well as some examples and differences between them. So look for a pen and notepad and take some notes, so you know how to use both terms in the future.

guy shows nill towards something

Origin

For the word “nill,” the first use dates back to the 12th century. This word’s origin is from the Middle English word “nilen.” Similarly, “nillen” comes from the Old English word “nyllan”; this word is the contraction from the combination of “ne,” which means not, and “wyllan,” which means to wish.

Contrary to this, the word “nil” started to be used in the mid 19th century as a contraction of “nihil,” a Latin word that means nothing. There is not an exact origin of this word.

Synonyms

These words have a few expressions that are similar in meaning; here you have the list for each one:

Nill

  • Will not
  • Unwill
  • Wish not
  • Reject
  • Refuse

Nil

  • Nothing
  • Zero
  • Naught
  • Nought
  • Aught

Antonym

Like most words, “nill” and “nil” have a few words that are opposite in meaning. Here you have the antonyms for each word:

Nill

  • Will to
  • Accept

Nil

  • Existent
  • Existing

How People Use Them

The word “nill” is considered to be archaic these days. This word was often used to express thoughts about not being willing to do something. “Nill” acts as an auxiliary verb in some situations; this means it is used to support other verbs and cannot be used independently. However, when it is used as refuse, it can be used alone.

In the case of “nil,” people tend to use this word in certain games and sports events to refer to the score. Additionally, a Latin phrase says “nil desperandum,” which means nothing is to be despaired of. This phrase is used as a way of saying never give up.

In addition to that, “nil” is a term used in accounts and bookkeeping to talk about canceling. In certain computer languages, it refers to no assigned value or those different from the value zero.

Differences and similitude

The difference between these two very similar words is more than an extra “l.” The first difference we saw was the meaning of each word. Another difference is the type of word. “Nill” is a verb, while “nil” is a noun or determiner. Sometimes “nil” is used as a noun when applied to canceling in accounting and bookkeeping.

There are other definitions for the word “nill,” one is used to reference the sparks thrown by melted brass. Furthermore, it describes the scales of hot iron when it is forged.

In concerns of the pronunciation of each word, here you can find videos of the pronunciation of nill and nil:

nil in the dictionary

Examples

Here are some examples so you can see in what scenarios you might use nill and in which ones you would have to use nil.

Nill

  1. All the proposals Andrew made were nill.
  2. But Mike nill go to the game because he argued with the coach.
  3. John apparently made a mistake. As soon as he kneeled and asked, will you marry me? to Anne, she almost immediately said, I nill,  and left the place.
  4. Michael nilled to report the cardiothoracic resident because he did not want to add to the drama.
  5. We have to show the reports to the directors’ board, and we thought Madelaine was the perfect candidate to present them, but will she or nill?
  6. Will you or nill you do the favor for your friend?
  7. Mark doubted the decision he had to make. Will he, nill he have to confront her about the situation?
  8. Will you, nill you follow the candidate’s orders?
  9. I tried to tell you what happened, but you were nilling to listen.
  10. He is nilling to go to the airport to pick up his friend’s girlfriend with him.
  11. She nill do her sister’s homework.
  12. The project proposal was nilled by most of the directives of the company.
  13. Mike nill move her desk from the first floor to the fifth.
  14. The boat owner nilled to sell it for the low amount an interested buyer offered him.
  15. Marian nilled to tell us the truth.
  16. Will I, nill I, the ineffable thing has tied me to him; tows me with a cable I have no knife to cut. –  Chapter 38. Dusk, Moby-Dick; or The Whale By Herman Melville

Nil

  1. He reduced to nil all the work she had done for the project.
  2. After all of the team’s effort to make the event happen, it was all for nil, thanks to the bad weather.
  3. The chances of us getting that car are almost nil.
  4. The possibilities of escaping were nil, but he managed to find a way of getting out of the room without getting noticed.
  5. The repercussions of using a cheaper fabric were almost nil.
  6. The final scores of the high school soccer game were: Wildcats, nil; Sharp Sharks, five.
  7. Our friend insisted on paying for everything as we were her guests, so we ended up paying nil.
  8. The trust between republicans and democrats is virtually nil.
  9. When Charlotte was asked what the chances of getting an interview with her were, she just said nil to none.
  10. My opportunity of getting that job was practically nil.
  11. The system threw a nil value when resolving the issue.
  12. Nowadays, the use of nill is pretty much nil. Nobody is using this expression anymore.
  13. In the first round of vote count for the political elections, the results for the third candidate were virtually nil.
  14. This class’s knowledge of chemistry at the beginning of the semester was almost nil.
  15. My wills of getting John to do the job were nil.
  16. His art was nil for most of the people that attended the exposition.
  17. In a context where there is a truth value expected, if there is a non-nil value, this is considered to be true.
  18. Nowadays, in modern times, the use of physical paper maps is practically nil.
  19. After that terrible event, the good news was nil.
  20. The heat is on! Fortunately, the humidity is not. But highs in the upper 80s will be the norm, and a spike into the lower 90s on Sunday is likely. Shower chances are almost nil, with the best chance on Monday as cooler air tries to sneak in from the north. – The Washington Post, May 20th, 2021.

nothing synonym of nil

Final words

Even though these words are similar in spelling and pretty much equal, they are used in entirely different situations. “Nill” means not being willing to do something, refusing, or rejecting. On the other hand, “nil” means zero or non-existent.

The origins of these might not be pretty clear. Nevertheless, what is completely clear is that “nill” doesn’t seem to be used as often anymore. In contrast, “nil” is not that common, but it is not obsolete.

After reading this article, we hope you have a clearer mind regarding the uses of these words. Next time you hear someone using “nill” or “nil,” you will realize that each of them has a different meaning, depending on the context.