Collywobbles

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkɒlɪwɒb(ə)lz/

Definitions

1. A feeling of queasiness, nervousness, or butterflies in the stomach, typically caused by anxiety or anticipation
2. A sensation of stomach uneasiness, trembling, or nervous agitation arising from anxiety or apprehension
3. An unsettled stomach accompanied by nervous jitters or butterflies, often stemming from worry or emotional tension

Etymology: The phrase "collywobbles" is usually explained as a blend of "colic," the gripping abdominal pain, and "wobble," an unsteady motion, which together picture a stomach that churns and lurches with nerves. That pairing is the most widely accepted reading, though it is not certain. Two other explanations have been proposed. One links the word to "colly," an old term for coal dust, suggesting that miners who breathed it in fell ill; the other suggests it is a corruption of "cholera." Neither is firmly established, and the colic-plus-wobble account remains the leading candidate. Whatever its exact route, the word has long been used in a lighthearted, slightly jokey way for the queasy feeling of anxiety, the sort that makes a person want to be sick before a performance or an exam.