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Learning English Conversations

Willy-nilly

Learning English Conversations

BBC

Language Learning, Education

4.61.2K Ratings

🗓️ 23 August 2022

⏱️ 2 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Learn an informal expression about doing things without planning.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

This is a download from BBC Learning English. To find out more, visit our website.

0:07.4

Hello and welcome to the English we speak. With me, Fifei.

0:11.5

And me, Roy. Fayfay, you look really angry. What's wrong?

0:16.8

Well, Roy, I can't find anything in the office. Things have been moved and stuff has just been thrown into drawers Willy-nilly.

0:25.5

Willie and Nilly? Who are these people? And why are they throwing stuff in drawers?

0:31.7

No, Roy, I said willy-nilly. Willi-nilly is an informal expression which means randomly or without order.

0:40.0

Someone has made a terrible mess in the office.

0:43.1

Ah, I understand. It was Rob. He organised the office, willy-nilly, and you know what he's like.

0:50.6

Just throwing things in drawers, willy-nilly, putting things everywhere, willy-nilly, making a mess,

0:56.3

willy-nilly?

0:57.1

Roy, I think you're overusing the expression.

1:00.4

You can't just say it, willy-nilly.

1:02.9

Very good.

1:04.2

I see what you did there, impressive use of the expression.

1:07.6

Well, if you're impressed by that, wait till you hear another use of

1:11.7

willy-nilly. I'm not sure that's art. It looks like you've just thrown colours on the canvas,

1:20.9

willy-nilly. You can't just come into the office willy-nilly. We have a set start time.

1:29.3

In the morning, I just put on any old clothes, willy-nilly.

1:36.7

You're listening to the English We Speak from BBC Learning English,

1:41.5

and we're hearing about the expression, willy-nilly. We can use it to mean

1:46.1

something has been done without order or randomly. So I guess you can't just use the expression

1:52.1

in a sentence willy-nilly. Exactly. By the way, Roy, I saw you were arranging another office

...

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