 Welcome to English in a Minute. Willi Nilly is definitely fun to say, but what does it mean? Let's listen. Hey, I'm going to Brazil for a conference next week. You should come along. Jonathan, I can't do something like that. Willi Nilly? Sure you can. The last time I traveled without planning, I ended up sleeping in a movie theater for three nights. Not fun. Willi Nilly comes from the writings of William Shakespeare. It is a shortened version of Willi Nilly. Back then, nil meant the opposite of will. These days, Willi Nilly describes something we do quickly and carelessly without much thought or planning. And that's English in a Minute.