collywobbles: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, Humorous, Dated
Quick answer
What does “collywobbles” mean?
A feeling of nervousness, apprehension, or anxiety, often located in the stomach.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A feeling of nervousness, apprehension, or anxiety, often located in the stomach; butterflies in one's stomach.
Can also refer to intestinal discomfort or a mild stomach upset caused by nervousness.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More common and slightly more enduring in British English. In American English, it is perceived as very quaint or archaic.
Connotations
Whimsical, slightly comical, non-serious. It softens the description of anxiety.
Frequency
Rare in contemporary use in both varieties, but has greater historical resonance in UK English.
Grammar
How to Use “collywobbles” in a Sentence
have + the + collywobblesget + the + collywobblesgive + [indirect object] + the + collywobblesVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “collywobbles” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The thought of the driving test absolutely collywobbled him.
American English
- She was collywobbled by the sudden interview request.
adverb
British English
- He waited collywobbily in the corridor.
American English
- She laughed collywobbily, trying to hide her nerves.
adjective
British English
- He gave a collywobbly smile before stepping on stage.
American English
- I'm feeling a bit collywobbly about the meeting.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Highly unlikely. Would be used only in a deliberately humorous or self-deprecating anecdote (e.g., 'I had a serious case of the collywobbles before the big pitch').
Academic
Virtually never used. Found only as a stylistic device in certain humanities (e.g., literary analysis of historical or comic texts).
Everyday
The primary domain. Used among friends or family to describe mild nervousness in a light-hearted way.
Technical
Not used in any technical context (medical, psychological, etc.).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “collywobbles”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “collywobbles”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “collywobbles”
- Spelling: 'collywobbels', 'colywobbles'.
- Using it to describe severe pain or clinical conditions.
- Using it in formal writing without ironic intent.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is not a medical term. It is an informal, humorous word for a physical feeling caused by nervousness.
No, it is almost always used in the plural form 'the collywobbles'.
It is a fanciful 19th-century formation, likely from 'colic' (a stomach pain) and 'wobble', suggesting a shaky, uneasy feeling in the gut.
No, it is generally gentle and humorous. However, it might trivialize genuine, severe anxiety if used insensitively.
A feeling of nervousness, apprehension, or anxiety, often located in the stomach.
Collywobbles is usually informal, humorous, dated in register.
Collywobbles: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɒl.iˌwɒb.əlz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɑː.liˌwɑː.bəlz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to have the collywobbles”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a COLLIE dog (colly-) with a WOBBLY (-wobbles) stomach because it's nervous about going to the vet.
Conceptual Metaphor
ANXIETY IS A PHYSICAL DISTURBANCE/ILLNESS IN THE BODY (specifically the stomach/bowels).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the use of 'collywobbles' be most stylistically appropriate?