Not ready, eager, or prepared to do something; reluctant or resistant.
From Middle English, combining 'un-' (not) with 'willing' (from Old English 'willende', present participle of 'willan' meaning 'to wish' or 'to want'). Shows the negative prefix transforming desire into resistance.
Unwilling captures a fascinating psychological state - it's not just the absence of willingness but often active resistance. Unlike 'unable', which suggests incapacity, 'unwilling' implies choice and often involves internal conflict between what one could do and what one wants to do.
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