show willing

English

Verb

show willing (third-person singular simple present shows willing, present participle showing willing, simple past showed willing, past participle shown willing or showed willing)

1. To show enthusiasm and energy.
   • 1897, Frank T. Bullen, chapter 1, in The Cruise of the "Cachalot"; round the world after sperm whales‎^[1]:

     On board ship, especially American ships, the first requisite for a sailor who wants to be treated properly is to "show willing," any suspicion of slackness being noted immediately, and the backward one marked accordingly.

   • 1920, B. Bennion, The trout are rising in England and South Africa; a book for slippered ease, London: William Clowes & Sons, page 4:

     It sang a song as it went, it "showed willing," as the homely saying goes. It was companionable, full of life; had its little ways.

   • 1995 August 27, “Keane shows willing”, in The Independent on Sunday, London:

     But Roy Keane loves a battle and yesterday led the Old Trafford kids to an educational victory that brought a told-you-so grin from their manager Alex Ferguson.

2. To make a valiant effort.
   • 1935 W.H. White, A complete physics written for London medical students and general use, (Clay & Sons, London) §91 p.61:

     No top or gyroscope has actually been balanced perfectly enough to guide an astronomical telescope, but they show willing.

   • 2010 October 31, “Spirit of nation must be revived”, in Sunday Independent, Dublin:

     Brian Lenihan said recently that we must stick to the four-year deadline -- for now -- and maybe after a couple of years of showing willing, we could re-negotiate.

3. To indicate one's willingness; to acquiesce, co-operate.
   • 2005 May 21, Irma Kurtz, “Moving on: a slave to nicotine”, in Times Online, London:

     The moment he shows willing to try again buy patches or other nicotine replacement products recommended by your pharmacist

   • 2006, Gareth Dale, The East German revolution of 1989, Manchester University Press, →ISBN, page 151:

     The government, fearing that another front was about to be opened, quickly showed willing to compromise, and declared an amnesty

4. To pretend to be willing; to bluff.
   • 1962, Andrew Boyle, Trenchard, Collins, page 227:

     He had not been bluffing or merely "showing willing."

   • 2011 July 27, Rowena Mason, “BP 'in bits' worth up to £90bn more”, in Daily Telegraph, London:

     It is not yet clear whether Mr Dudley and his team are seriously considering a break-up or merely showing willing to placate investors clamouring for more value.

Synonyms

• (show enthusiasm): look lively
• (pretend to be willing): pay lip service; make an idle promise

Further reading

• “show willing”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “show willing” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman.