different between willies vs willy
willies
English
Etymology
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.
Noun
willies
- plural of willy
Noun
willies pl (plural only)
- (colloquial, with "the") A feeling of nervousness or fear.
- Staying in the haunted house gave me the willies.
Synonyms
- (anxiety): creeps, heebie-jeebies, collywobbles
- (anxiety): see Thesaurus:fear
References
- Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “willies”, in Online Etymology Dictionary
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willy
English
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /?w?li/
- Rhymes: -?li
Etymology 1
From Middle English willy, willi, equivalent to will +? -y. Cognate with Dutch willig (“obedient, hearsome”), German willig (“willing”), Swedish villig (“willing, agreeable”).
Adjective
willy (comparative willier or more willy, superlative williest or most willy)
- (obsolete) Willing; favourable; ready; eager.
- (Britain dialectal, Scotland) Self-willed; willful.
Related terms
- ill-willy
- evil-willy
Etymology 2
From Middle English wil?e, from Old English wili? (“willow”). More at willow.
Noun
willy (plural willies)
- Alternative form of willow
Verb
willy (third-person singular simple present willies, present participle willying, simple past and past participle willied)
- To cleanse wool or cotton, etc. with a willy, or willow.
Etymology 3
From Middle English wilie, from Old English wili?e, wile?e (“basket”), from Proto-Germanic *wilig? (“wicker basket”), from Proto-Indo-European *weliko- (“willow-tree”). More at weel, willow.
Noun
willy (plural willies)
- (Britain dialectal) A willow basket.
- (Britain dialectal) A fish basket.
Etymology 4
- Originally northern British usage, from the 1960s. Probably the simple use of a proper name as a pet name; compare dick, fanny and peter. Unlikely to be a contraction of Latin membrum virile, male member (that is, the penis), a Latin term used in English in the nineteenth century.
Alternative forms
- willie
Noun
willy (plural willies)
- (hypocoristic, slang, childish) the penis.
- (Britain, childish) Term of abuse.
Synonyms
- (penis): peter, johnson, wee-wee; see also Thesaurus:penis
Translations
Etymology 5
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Alternative forms
- willie
Noun
willy (plural willies)
- (espionage) A person who is manipulated into serving as a useful agent without knowing it.
See also
- wet willy
- the willies
- willy willy
- willy-nilly
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