whim-wham
[hwim-hwam, wim-wam]
- any odd or fanciful object or thing; a gimcrack.
- whim-whams, Informal. nervousness; jitters: He had the whim-whams after the accident.
Show More
Origin of whim-wham
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
whim-wham
- archaic something fanciful; a trifle
Show More
Word Origin for whim-wham
C16: of unknown origin; compare flimflam
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for whimwham
"whimsical device, trifle," 1520s, of unknown origin; perhaps from Scandinavian (cf. Old Norse hvima "to let the eyes wander," Norwegian kvima "to flutter"), or else an arbitrary native formation (cf. flim-flam).
Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper