Test
Your
Word IQ! Play Now

willies

[ wil-eez ]
/ ˈwɪl iz /
SEE 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.

Words related to willies

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

Words nearby willies

williams, tennessee, 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. 2020

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

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.