⇨ butterflies in your stomach; butterfliesnoun the feeling of queasiness that accompanies fear or nervousness. The fluttering of butterflies as a metaphor for the unsettled sensations of trepidation US, 1940
butterflies in (one's) stomach
A feeling of nervousness. The butterflies in my stomach almost kept me from going on stage and performing.
butterflies in your stomach
If you have butterflies in your stomach, you feel very nervous about something that you have to do. He seemed so full of enthusiasm that I felt foolish still having butterflies in my stomach.Now I can go there as a competitor, I'm starting to feel the butterflies in my stomach already. Note: Butterflies is also used in many other structures and expressions with a similar meaning. Any jockey who says he doesn't get butterflies down at the start is telling lies.Carol felt butterflies tumbling in her guts.