willies

FREQ #28321

n. 焦虑不安；心惊肉跳；小鸡鸡（儿童用语, willy的复数）

词形变化

the willies 复数 only 复数

释义与例句

n.
  1. 1.

    plural of willy

  2. 2.

    A feeling of nervousness or fear.

    非正式 仅复数

    Staying in the haunted house gave me the willies.

词汇关系

名词

上位词 4

uneasiness disquietude edginess inquietude

相关短语

willy willies wet willies Holy Willies whining Willies whining willies pilly willies sticky willies willy willy wet willy Holy Willie whining Willy whining willy whining Willie pilly willy

词源

The meaning "spell of nervousness", recorded since 1896, stems perhaps from the woollies, a dialectal term for "nervous uneasiness", probably in reference to the physical itchiness of wool garments. Or it might be a play on words relating to the ballet Giselle, performed in Paris in 1846, where the stage is flooded by the Wilis, who are the spooky, ephemeral, beautiful but evil ghosts of virgins who died before their wedding day. Watching the Wilis in Giselle is meant to give you the willies. Most English speakers pronounce 'Wilis' as 'willies'.

来源：wiktionary