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willies

[ wil-eez ]
/ ˈwɪl iz /
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noun (used with a plural verb)Informal.
Usually the willies . nervousness or fright; the jitters; the creeps: That horror movie gave me the willies.
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Origin of willies

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900; origin obscure; cf. -s3

Words nearby willies

Williams syndrome, Williams, Tennessee, William Tell, William the Conqueror, Willie, willies, Willimantic, willing, Willingdon, Willingham, willing horse
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to willies

angst, apprehension, concern, disquiet, doubt, dread, jitters, misery, misgiving, mistrust, nervousness, panic, restlessness, suffering, suspense, trouble, uncertainty, unease, uneasiness, gooseflesh

How to use willies in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for willies

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
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

Other 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.
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