bon gré, mal gré

[ bawn grey mal grey ]

adverb

, French.

1. whether willing or not; willy-nilly.

Example Sentences

Cloaks and umbrellas were brought, and, bon gre, mal gre, we walked half a mile in the mud and rain to a dirty commissary, who kept us waiting in the dark fifteen minutes, and then, making out a description of the person of each, demanded half a dollar for the new passport, and permitted us to wade back to our dinner.

From Project Gutenberg

The ecclesiastics associated themselves, bon gré mal gré, with the popular feeling.

From Project Gutenberg

She did not realize the full value of the 89 pearl she was casting away, and in her weakness she answered: “I go, leaving you bon gre, mal gre.”

From Project Gutenberg

Roger, passing through one of the halls, and seeing Dulce and Mr. Gower standing before a huge Chelsea bowl of flowers, stops short, hesitates, and then, bon gre mal gre, goes up to them and makes some trivial remark that neither deserves an answer nor gets one.

From Project Gutenberg

But there is at least one smart remark—of the "publicist" rather than the novelist kind—towards the end: C'est un besoin inné chez les peuplades germaniques; il faut, bon gré mal gré, qu'ils adorent quelqu'un.

From Project Gutenberg