英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

wild (v.)[wild 词源字典]: "to run wild, refuse to be tamed," Old English awildian (see wild (adj.)). Wilding (n.) in the teen gang sense first recorded 1989. Earlier it meant "plant that grows without cultivation" (1520s).[wild etymology, wild origin, 英语词源]
wild card (n.): 1950 in figurative sense, from literal use in certain forms of poker (1941), from wild (adj.) + card (n.). The phrase was used occasionally c. 1900 in British and Irish writing to mean "drinking, free-spirited man."
wild goose chase (n.): 1592, first attested in "Romeo and Juliet," where it evidently is a figurative use of an earlier (but unrecorded) literal sense in reference to a kind of follow-the-leader steeplechase. Wild goose (as opposed to a domesticated one) is attested in late Old English (wilde gos).
wild man (n.): c. 1200, "man lacking in self-restraint," from wild (adj.) + man (n.). From mid-13c. as "primitive, savage." Late 14c. as a surname.
wildcat (n.): undomesticated cat, early 14c. (late 12c. as a surname), from wild (adj.) + cat (n.). Meaning "savage woman" is recorded from 1570s; sense of "one who forms rash projects" is attested from 1812. The adjective in the financial speculative sense is first recorded 1838, American English.
wildebeest (n.): 1838, from South African Dutch (in modern Afrikaans wildebees, plural wildebeeste), literally "wild beast," from Dutch wild "wild" (see wild (adj.)) + beest "beast, ox" (in South African Dutch "steer, cattle"), from Middle Dutch beeste, from Old French beste "beast" (see beast).
wilderness (n.): c. 1200, "wild, uninhabited, or uncultivated place," with -ness + Old English wild-deor "wild animal, wild deer;" see wild (adj.) + deer (n.). Similar formation in Dutch wildernis, German Wildernis, though the usual form there is Wildnis.
wildfire (n.): late Old English wilde fyr "destructive fire" (perhaps caused by lightning); also "erysipelas, spreading skin disease;" see from wild (adj.) + fire (n.). From c. 1300 as "Greek fire," also fire rained down from the sky as divine retribution. Figurative sense from late 14c. By 1795 as "sheet lightning."
wildlife (n.): also wild life, "fauna of a region," 1879, from wild (adj.) + life.
wildly (adv.): early 15c., from wild (adj.) + -ly (2).
wildness (n.): early 14c., "unrestrained behavior," from wild (adj.) + -ness. Late 14c. as "frenzy;" mid-15c. as "undomesticated state."
wile (n.): late Old English, wil "stratagem, trick, sly artifice," perhaps from Old North French *wile (Old French guile), or directly from a Scandinavian source (compare Old Norse vel "trick, craft, fraud," vela "defraud"). Perhaps ultimately related to Old English wicca "wizard" (see Wicca). Lighter sense of "amorous or playful trick" is from c. 1600.
wile (v.): late 14c., "to deceive," from wile (n.). Related: Wiled; wiling. Sense of "cause (time, etc.) to pass pleasantly, divert attention pleasantly" is by 1796, from confusion with while (v.).
wilful (adj.): British English spelling of willful. Related: Wilfully; wilfulness.
Wilhelm: German form of William (q.v.). Fem. form is Wilhelmina. Wilhelmine (adj.) is "pertaining to the reign of Wilhelm II," emperor of Germany 1888-1918. Berlin's Wilhelmstrasse was the pre-1945 headquarters of the German foreign office, hence used metonymically for "German foreign policy" (compare Quai d'Orsay).
will (v.1): Old English *willan, wyllan "to wish, desire; be willing; be used to; be about to" (past tense wolde), from Proto-Germanic *willjan (cognates: Old Saxon willian, Old Norse vilja, Old Frisian willa, Dutch willen, Old High German wellan, German wollen, Gothic wiljan "to will, wish, desire," Gothic waljan "to choose").

The Germanic words are from PIE root *wel- (2) "to wish, will" (cognates: Sanskrit vrnoti "chooses, prefers," varyah "to be chosen, eligible, excellent," varanam "choosing;" Avestan verenav- "to wish, will, choose;" Greek elpis "hope;" Latin volo, velle "to wish, will, desire;" Old Church Slavonic voljo, voliti "to will," veljo, veleti "to command;" Lithuanian velyti "to wish, favor," pa-velmi "I will," viliuos "I hope;" Welsh gwell "better").

Compare also Old English wel "well," literally "according to one's wish;" wela "well-being, riches." The use as a future auxiliary was already developing in Old English. The implication of intention or volition distinguishes it from shall, which expresses or implies obligation or necessity. Contracted forms, especially after pronouns, began to appear 16c., as in sheele for "she will." The form with an apostrophe is from 17c.
will (n.): Old English will, willa "mind, determination, purpose; desire, wish, request; joy, delight," from Proto-Germanic *wiljon- (cognates: Old Saxon willio, Old Norse vili, Old Frisian willa, Dutch wil, Old High German willio, German Wille, Gothic wilja "will"), related to *willan "to wish" (see will (v.1)). The meaning "written document expressing a person's wishes about disposition of property after death" is first recorded late 14c.
will (v.2): Old English willian "to determine by act of choice," from will (n.). From mid-15c. as "dispose of by will or testament." Often difficult to distinguish from will (v.1).
will-o'-the-wisp (n.): 1660s, earlier Will with the wisp (c. 1600), from the masc. proper name Will + wisp "bundle of hay or straw used as a torch." Compare Jack o'lantern.
willful (adj.): also wilful, c. 1200, "strong-willed," usually in a bad sense, "obstinate, unreasonable," from will (n.) + -ful. From late 14c. as "eager" (to do something). Mid-14c., of actions, "done on purpose, intentional, due to one's own will." Related: Willfullness.