Word of the day: Collywobbles

The word of the day is collywobbles. It is a noun. It is pronounced kah-li-wah-bêlz. It means feeling queasy or nervous, like having butterflies in your stomach. You feel it when you are scared, anxious, or excited. You can say “collywobbles is” or “collywobbles are”, both are correct.

How people use Collywobbles

People use it in daily life like: “Gosh, just looking at Sue St. Marie gives me the collywobbles.”

Another example is: “My granddaughter got the collywobbles when she saw Santa Claus for the first time at the mall.”

Synonyms for “Collywobbles”:

1. Nervousness
2. Butterflies
3. Queasiness
4. Anxiety
5. Uneasiness

History and meaning of Collywobbles

The word comes from colic + wobble + -s. Colic means stomach pain, wobble means shaking or moving unsteadily, and -s is used in words about sickness like measles or mumps. Colic comes from Old French “colique” and Latin “colica”, which is related to the colon in your stomach. Wobble comes from old English and Germanic roots, meaning to move back and forth or shake.

How to use word Collywobbles in sentences

1. I get the collywobbles before every school exam.
2. Watching the scary movie gave me the collywobbles.
3. She felt the collywobbles when she had to speak in front of the class.
4. My little brother got the collywobbles when he saw the dentist.
5. Thinking about the big roller coaster ride gave me the collywobbles.

Fun facts about Collywobbles

The word collywobbles was first used in 1823 to describe a nauseated feeling or upset stomach. Some people think collywobbles might be part of our natural survival response, because even babies can get it when they see something surprising or scary.

The word is playful and funny, but it describes a real feeling that everyone has at some time. Collywobbles has no close relatives in English. It is usually plural, but sometimes singular if it refers to actual stomach pain. Related words are colic, which means stomach cramps, and wobble, which means moving unsteadily. Together they make a word for stomach nerves and shakiness.

FAQs

Q1. What does collywobbles mean?

Collywobbles means a nervous, queasy feeling in your stomach when you are scared, worried, or excited.

Q2. When do people get collywobbles?

People get collywobbles before exams, speeches, scary moments, or any situation that makes them anxious.