English Explanatory Dictionary

collywobbles

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A stomach ache or an upset stomach.
  2. Anxiety, fear, uneasiness.

Pronunciation

/ˈkɒlɪwɒb(ə)lz/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-collywobbles.wav /ˈkɑliˌwɑb(ə)lz/

Word forms

collywobbles the collywobbles

Etymology

Probably from colic (“severe pains that grip the abdomen”) + wobble (“unsteady motion”). Alternatively, it has been suggested that the word derives from colly (“coal dust”) (in the sense of someone becoming ill from breathing in such dust), or that it is a corruption of cholera.

Synonyms

bellyache mulligrubs tummyache butterflies butterflies in one’s stomach creeps heebie-jeebies willies

Derived words

collywobbled
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