different between zealous vs willing

English

Alternative forms

• zelous

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ????? (zêlos, “zeal, jealousy”), from ????? (z?ló?, “to emulate, to be jealous”). Doublet of jealous.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /?z?l.?s/
• Rhymes: -?l?s
• Hyphenation: zeal?ous

Adjective

zealous (comparative more zealous, superlative most zealous)

1. Full of zeal; ardent, fervent; exhibiting enthusiasm or strong passion.
   • 1791, James Boswell, The life of Samuel Johnson, new ed. (1831) by John Wilson Croker, volume 1, page 238:

     Johnson was truly zealous for the success of "The Adventurer;" and very soon after his engaging in it, he wrote the following letter:

   • 1896, Andrew Dickson White, A History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom (2004 edition), page 122:

     Doubtless many will exclaim against the Roman Catholic Church for this; but the simple truth is that Protestantism was no less zealous against the new scientific doctrine.

   • 1940, Foster Rhea Dulles, America Learns to Play: A history of popular recreation, 1607-1940, page 61:

     […] and there were few more zealous dancers at the fashionable balls in the Raleigh Tavern at Williamsburg.

   • 2011 April 4, "Newt Gingrich," Time (retrieved 9 Sept 2013):

     Newt Gingrich . . . left Congress in 1998, following GOP midterm-election losses that many blamed on his zealous pursuit of Bill Clinton's impeachment.

Synonyms

• (full of zeal): ardent, eager, enthusiastic, fervent, passionate, zealotic

Antonyms

• (full of zeal): apathetic, dispassionate, indifferent, unenthusiastic

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

English

Etymology

• (adjective): Old English willende, present participle of willan
• (noun): Old English willung, from willian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?w?l??/
• Hyphenation: will?ing
• Rhymes: -?l??

Adjective

willing (comparative more willing, superlative most willing)

1. Ready to do something that is not (can't be expected as) a matter of course.

Synonyms

• agreeable, agreeing, consenting, voluntary; See also Thesaurus:acquiescent

Derived terms

• willing horse
• willingly
• willingness

Translations

Noun

willing (plural willings)

1. (rare or obsolete) The execution of a will.

Verb

willing

1. present participle of will

Further reading

• willing in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• willing in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.