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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Figtree3, post: 28121, member: 33&quot;]Here&#039;s what the Oxford English Dictionary says. You may know that the goal of this dictionary is to document the first instance of the use of words in various meanings. They do list 1896 as the first use they have found. They also list instances that may change the use of the word just slightly. These are listed as year, then source citation, then a quote of the actual use. The first one almost looks like a definition itself. To me this indicates that it might have been used earlier, but no printed instance has been found.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>willies</b>, n.</p><p><br /></p><p>Pronunciation:&nbsp; /ˈwɪlɪz/</p><p>Etymology:&nbsp; Etymology unknown.</p><p>slang (orig. U.S.).</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; the willies: a fit of nervous apprehension. Chiefly in phrs. to give (someone) the willies, to get the willies .</p><p><br /></p><p>1896&nbsp;&nbsp; <i>Dial. Notes</i> 1 427&nbsp;&nbsp; To have the willies, to be nervous.</p><p>1900&nbsp;&nbsp; G. Bonner <i>Hard-pan</i> 99&nbsp;&nbsp; It just gives me the willies to think of your being down on your luck.</p><p>1913&nbsp;&nbsp; J. London <i>Valley of Moon</i> 105&nbsp;&nbsp; Bert gives me the willies the way he&#039;s always lookin&#039; for trouble.</p><p>1927&nbsp;&nbsp; H. A. Vachell <i>Dew of Sea</i> 261,&nbsp;&nbsp; I sure got the willies at the thought of meeting you.</p><p>1942&nbsp;&nbsp; G. Kersh <i>Nine Lives Bill Nelson</i> ix. 57&nbsp;&nbsp; It can give you the willies when, in broad daylight, you hear a rifle go off.</p><p>1953&nbsp;&nbsp; F. Swinnerton <i>Month in Gordon Square </i>202&nbsp;&nbsp; Gosh! She was getting the willies. It was awful.</p><p>1962&nbsp;&nbsp; J. Heller <i>Catch-22</i> xii. 127&nbsp;&nbsp; Chief White Halfoat shuddered. ‘That guy gives me the willies,’ he confessed.</p><p>1975&nbsp;&nbsp; B. Felton &amp; M. Fowler <i>Best, Worst &amp; most Unusual </i>277&nbsp;&nbsp; You can now visit Winchester House. But we wouldn&#039;t advise it if you suffer from the willies.</p><p>1984&nbsp;&nbsp; A. Carter <i>Nights at Circus</i> iii. i. 199&nbsp;&nbsp; Not that the ‘wagon salon’ isn&#039;t very pleasant, if it don&#039;t give you the willies.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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