Do you like pranking your friends? Maybe you just want to annoy your sibling or someone in your class? If so there are a few different pranks that can effectively annoy someone while also getting in a load of laughs.
To find out more about what a wet Willy is and how to use it correctly, keep on reading. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.
Meaning
A wet Willy is a prank in which a person wets their finger and then shoves it into another person’s ear. In most cases, the acting party will lick their finger or suck their finger before twisting said finger in the recipient’s ear. The sole purpose of this action is to annoy or anger the subject of the prank.
A lesser used meaning for wet Willy is a coward. A person who is afraid of taking action may be called a wet Willy.
There is no other meaning for the phrase or action other than to be an annoying prank. The sound that comes from a wet finger being inserted in the ear canal will elicit a strong reaction, typically negative. The added sensation of a cold wet finger in such an intimate area further adds to the discomfort a person will experience. More information can be found in the video (here).
Example Usage
“There is nothing worse than having someone with bad breath give you a wet Willy”.
“The next time you try to give me a wet Willy I am going to hit you over the head”.
“With the rise of Covid, there are almost no more instances of people giving their friends a wet Willy”.
“The wet Willy prank is not only gross, but it’s also unhygienic. Can you imagine someone’s spit in your ear?”
“I don’t want to go to class anymore, the school bully always gives me a wet Willy and I get in trouble”.
Origin
Pranks have been around for as long as children have existed. This particular prank can be traced all the way back to England in 1864. It is noted that a man who was known to his friends as a jovial prankster decided to annoy one of his friends. He decided to lick his fingers and rub them in his friend’s ears to their horror and his delight. It is said that the man’s friend was named Willy hence why the prank was named wet Willy.
The name of the prank stuck as teens and children all over the world replicated this particular trick. It has persisted in modern times and is often found as a common schoolyard complaint. The prank and the phrase gained more popularity when it was showcased on the popular cartoon Spongbob, which aired on Nickelodeon.
Phrases Similar to Wet Willy
- Wet finger trick
- Wet Waldo
- Wet salamander
- Soft balls
- Gutless wonder
- Wet Sally
- Rusty Willy
Phrases Opposite to Wet Willy
- Tough cookie
- Hard ass
- Courageous
What is the Correct Saying?
- The proper saying is Wet Willy.
Ways People May Incorrectly Say Wet Willy
The phrase wet Willy is not easy to misuse. It is a rather simple prank that has been around for years. It also can refer to a coward. Some ways that wet Willy is used incorrectly are:
- I really want to make him a wet Willy.
- He is so brave, just like a wet Willy.
- I think that fining a wet Willy is going to help our cause.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Wet Willy
- Don’t be such a wet Willy, just go confront him about your issues.
- I wear earmuffs so that Jim can’t give me a wet Willy when I am not paying attention.
- I dare you to give Bruno a wet Willy while he is standing in line for lunch.
- Aren’t you tired of giving people wet Willy’s? It’s pretty gross and you are a teenager now.
- Girls don’t really bother with giving their friends a wet Willy, it’s a gross and totally juvenile prank.