What it means
That fluttery, queasy churn in your stomach when nerves start tap-dancing, like before an interview, a first date, or any moment that’s got your insides doing little panic cartwheels. It can also mean a mild upset stomach from something dodgy you ate. It’s old-school British and sounds wonderfully wobblier than life.
Usage examples
"Got the collywobbles about my interview tomorrow, proper bricking it. You’ll be alright, mate, you always flap then absolutely smash it, now stop pacing and have a brew."
"I got the collywobbles right before walking on stage, proper butterflies in the belly."
"I've got proper collywobbles waiting for the dentist to call my name, and I know it's only a check-up."
"That dodgy chicken gave me the collywobbles all night, so I weren't going anywhere except the sofa and the loo."
"I've had the collywobbles since breakfast thinking about meeting her dad tonight, and now even my tea tastes nervous."
Where it comes from
Collywobbles is on record from the 19th century in British English for stomach pain, queasiness, or nervous belly-churning. The exact source isn’t pinned down with certainty, but dictionaries treat it as a playful comic formation, built to sound as rumbling and wobbly as the feeling it names.
This expression also appears in
