Nervous wreck

[0172] Butterflies in your stomach

🎲 Cold feet
English Idioms
All Idioms

Explanation

  • The feeling of nervousness, anxiety, or excitement, often felt physically as a fluttering or trembling sensation in the stomach area.

Origin

  • This idiom likely relates to the physiological effects of adrenaline released during nervousness or excitement (the fight or flight response).
  • This response can affect the digestive system, causing muscle tension or spasms that feel like fluttering.
  • The image of delicate butterflies flitting around inside one's stomach provides a vivid metaphor for this internal sensation.
  • The phrase has been in use since at least the early 20th century.

Synonyms & Related Expressions

  • Nervous.
  • Anxious.
  • Excited.
  • Having jitters. / The jitters.
  • Feeling apprehensive.
  • My stomach is in knots. (Implies more intense anxiety/worry)
  • On pins and needles. (Waiting anxiously)

Alternatives

Slang/Informal:

  • Amped. (Excited, energized, sometimes nervously)
  • Psyched. (Excited)
  • A bit twitchy. (Nervous, restless)

Vulgar/Emphatic (for intense nerves):

  • Shitting bricks. / Bricking it. (UK) (Very nervous or scared)

Milder/More Specific:

  • A flutter of excitement.
  • A touch of stage fright.
  • Pre-game jitters.

Situational Appropriateness

  • Widely acceptable in most contexts, including informal and semi-formal.
  • It's a common and well-understood idiom for nervousness or excitement.
  • Because it can refer to positive excitement as well as anxiety, it's quite versatile.

Misunderstanding Warnings

  • Generally well-understood as a metaphor. Non-native speakers should grasp that it's not a literal statement about insects.
  • The main nuance is whether it signifies positive excitement or negative anxiety, which depends entirely on the context.

Examples

  • I always get butterflies in my stomach before a first date.
  • She felt butterflies in her stomach as she walked onto the stage.
  • Even experienced actors can get butterflies in their stomach on opening night.

Dialogue

Person A: Are you ready for your performance?

Person B: Mostly, but I definitely have butterflies in my stomach.

Person A: That's normal! Just take a deep breath. You're going to be amazing.

Person B: Thanks, I hope so!

Social Media Examples

  • Tweet: Big presentation tomorrow morning. Already got butterflies in my stomach! Wish me luck! #publicspeaking #nerves
  • Instagram Caption (photo before a wedding): Getting ready... so many butterflies in my stomach! ❤️ #weddingday #excited
  • Facebook Status: Anyone else get butterflies in their stomach just thinking about roller coasters? 🎢😅

Response Patterns

  • Acknowledgment and empathy (Yeah, I know that feeling, Totally normal).
  • Reassurance (You'll do great, It's a good sign, means you care).
  • Sharing similar experiences (I get that too when...).
  • Asking about the cause (What's making you nervous/excited?).

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

After someone mentions having butterflies:

  • People often ask what event is causing the feeling (What's coming up?).
  • They might offer encouragement or advice on how to manage the nerves/excitement.
  • If the context is positive excitement (like before a wedding), responses might be congratulatory.

Conversation Starter

  • No. Describes a feeling related to a specific event or situation.

Intonation

  • Usually said with slight emphasis on butterflies and stomach.
  • The tone can be slightly anxious, excited, or simply descriptive. BUTTERFLIES in your STOMACH.

Generation Differences

  • Used and understood across all generations.

Regional Variations

  • Very common in all major English-speaking regions.
Nervous wreck
🎲 Cold feet