wibble-wobblen.
/ˈwɪblˌwɒbl/, U.S. /ˈwɪb(ə)lˌwɑb(ə)l/ colloquial.
reduplication of wobble n. (with vowel-variation symbolizing alternation of movement: cf. zigzag n.); hence wibble n. as a simple word (in collocation with wobble).
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > irregular movement or agitation > unsteady movement > [adverb] > wobbling
niddle-noddlec1744
wibble-wobble1847
a-wobble1881
1847 J. O. Halliwell Dict. Archaic & Provinc. Words II Wibble-wobble, unsteadily.
Derivatives
wibblety-wobblety adj. characterized by ‘wibbling and wobbling’, unsteady.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > irregular movement or agitation > unsteady movement > [adjective] > tottering > unstable
unstable1390
unsteadfasta1400
tickle1515
unstayed1594
unsteady1598
shittle1601
firmless1605
flitty1642
totty1652
shuttlec1682
unfirm1697
wankly1795
wankya1825
cockery1825
wobbly1833
tottlish1835
earthquaky1837
tottling1849
shaky1850
cockly1859
unsteadied1865
shoggy1866
wankle1869
wibblety-wobblety1877
cockerty1895
tipsy1895
rocky1900
wibbly-wobbly1901
tottly1905
topply1913
wibbly1914
1877 F. Ross et al. Gloss. Words Holderness Wibblety-wobblety, shaky; tottering; insecure. Wibble-wobble, to vibrate; to quiver; to oscillate.
ˈwibbly-ˈwobbly adj. (also simply wibbly)
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > irregular movement or agitation > unsteady movement > [adjective] > tottering > unstable
unstable1390
unsteadfasta1400
tickle1515
unstayed1594
unsteady1598
shittle1601
firmless1605
flitty1642
totty1652
shuttlec1682
unfirm1697
wankly1795
wankya1825
cockery1825
wobbly1833
tottlish1835
earthquaky1837
tottling1849
shaky1850
cockly1859
unsteadied1865
shoggy1866
wankle1869
wibblety-wobblety1877
cockerty1895
tipsy1895
rocky1900
wibbly-wobbly1901
tottly1905
topply1913
wibbly1914
1901 Birmingham Daily Post 16 Dec. in Eng. Dial. Dict. His wibblely-wobblely speeches.
1905 Motor-Car Jrnl. 23 Sept. 630/1 The gait [of a motor-car] was ungainly by reason of the wibbly-wobbly nature of a rear wheel.
1914 Daily News 5 June 6 I..hauled myself up again, and with wibbly knees crossed to the bushes south of the track.
ˈwibbly-ˈwobbly n. in all of a wibbly-wobbly (nonce-use).
ΚΠ
1922 J. Joyce Ulysses ii. xiv. [Oxen of the Sun] 387 Bless me, I'm all of a wibblywobbly.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1924; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
<
n.1847