Willies

[mark_weir]

What are the origins of the saying: To give someone the willies

[divan]

All dictionaries seem in the dark as to the derivation of the term, only agreeing that it originated n the 19th century. However, it may come from some sort of corruption of collywobbles, such as wibbly wobbly (shaking, nervous) which might have been shortened to willies. Too fanciful???