butterfly

*butterflies in one's stomach

a nervous feeling in one's stomach. (*Typically: get ~; have ~; give someone~.) Whenever I have to speak in public, I get butterflies in my stomach. She always has butterflies in her stomach before a test. It was not frightening enough to give me butterflies in my stomach, but it made me a little apprehensive.

See also: stomach

*gaudy as a butterfly

fancy; colorful. (*Also: as ~.) Marie looked as gaudy as a butterfly in her new dress. Michael's scarf is gaudy as a butterfly.

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have butterflies (in your stomach)

to feel very nervous, usually about something you are going to do She had butterflies in her stomach as she walked out onto the stage.

See also: have

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have butterflies in your stomach

to feel very nervous Her mouth was dry, there were butterflies in her stomach, and her knees were shaking so much it was hard to walk on stage.

See also: have, stomach