definitions

willies

[ wil-eez ]
/ ˈwɪl iz /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR willies ON THESAURUS.COM

noun (used with a plural verb) Informal.

nervousness or fright; jitters; creeps (usually preceded by the): That horror movie gave me the willies.

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RELATED WORDS

anxiety, tension, stress, impatience, agitation, sensitivity, disquiet, jitters, uneasiness, anger, turbulence, worry, nervousness, restlessness, apprehension, foreboding, uncertainty, mistrust, misgiving, angst

Nearby words

williams, william carlos, williamsburg, williamson, williamsport, willie, willies, willimantic, willing, willing horse, willingdon, willingham

Origin of willies

1895–1900, Americanism; origin obscure; cf. -s3

Definition for willies (2 of 3)

Willie

[ wil-ee ]
/ ˈwɪl i /

noun

a male given name, form of William.
a female given name.

Definition for willies (3 of 3)

willy

or wil·ley

[ wil-ee ]
/ ˈwɪl i /

noun, plural wil·lies.

willow(def 4).

verb (used with object), wil·lied, wil·ly·ing.

to willow (cotton).

Origin of willy

1825–35; special use of dial. willy, Old English wilige basket (orig. one made of willow twigs); akin to willow
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for willies

British Dictionary definitions for willies (1 of 2)

willies

/ (ˈwɪlɪz) /

pl n

the willies slang nervousness, jitters, or fright (esp in the phrase give (or get) the willies)

Word Origin for willies

C20: of unknown origin

British Dictionary definitions for willies (2 of 2)

willy

/ (ˈwɪlɪ) /

noun

British informal a childish or jocular term for penis
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 willies

willies

n.

1896, "spell of nervousness," perhaps from the woollies, a dialectal term for "nervous uneasiness," probably in reference to the itchiness of wool garments.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Idioms and Phrases with willies

willies

see under the creeps.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.