Query (3rd and final try): Origin of "give/have the willies"

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

I can see some citations in the 1890s connecting "the willys" and "the
willies" to delirium tremens. Saying that a person "had the 'willies'"
meant the person was experiencing delirium tremens.

I will post some citations later or someone else may post them first.

Of course, one may still wonder why the DTs were called "the willies".
Garson


On Sat, Aug 23, 2014 at 11:24 PM, Cohen, Gerald Leonard <gcohen at mst.edu> wrote:
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Cohen, Gerald Leonard" <gcohen at MST.EDU>
> Subject:      Query (3rd and final try): Origin of "give/have the willies"
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> This is my final attempt. (My earlier two messages included quoted material=
>  from OED3; maybe that's what made my
>
> first two e-mails come out as gibberish.)
>
>
>
> So here goes. I've been asked the origin of "willies" as in "give/have the =
> willies." OED lists it as "Origin unknown."
>
> It's of U.S origin, first attested in 1896. "To give s.o. the willies' is t=
> o make them nervous.
>
>
>
> Would anyone have any idea about the origin of this term/expression?
>
>
>
> Gerald Cohen
>
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