For most of my life, the phrase “I got sick to my stomach” has meant, “I threw up.” Similarly, “I think I’m going to be sick to my stomach” has meant, “I think I may upchuck,” etc.
My wife uses it to mean any severe digestive discomfort, whether or not things went (or she thinks they will go) up or down on their way out of her system. I’ve never heard anyone else use the term this way, though.
Hence the poll. How do you use this term? What does it mean to you when someone else uses it?
To me, it mean nauseous, on the verge of vomiting, but not necessarily so.
I chose other: I use it to mean I’m nauseated; I feel like I’m going to throw up (specifically, as opposed to, say, having diarrhea or heartburn or some other digestive issue). Honestly, I thought that’s how everyone used it, as in:
“I got sick to my stomach just watching Toddlers in Tiaras.” (nauseated, figuratively)
“I felt sick to my stomach all night, but didn’t actually throw up.” (nauseated, literally)
If I say I “got sick”, period, then yes, that would mean I threw up:
“I was a little nauseated the whole car ride, but on those hairpin turns, I got sick.”
What they said. If I meant that I threw up, I’ll usually say that or go with the “got sick” phrasing from above. If I mean something like diarrhea but am trying to be polite, I’ll probably go with something like “major/massive intestinal trouble” or similar.
Technically it means nausea, but in polite company I’ll use it for any digestive problem. If I’m telling my boss why I can’t come in or my boyfriend why I’m skipping dinner, they don’t really need to know what end things are coming out of.
Nausea and/or vomiting. “Had stomach cramps” is the euphemism for diarrhea/wolf ass/feeling like you’re about to shit your pants.
Synonym for “driving the porcelain bus”.
Nausea. Vomit does not nessasarily have to be involved.
To me, “sick to my stomach” means nauseated, with or without vomiting.
In the US, “sick” by itself means simply “unwell,” with the stomach not necessarily involved. My impression is when the British use “sick” they are primarily meaning “nauseated.”
Nausea, primarily. May be a precursor to vomiting, but I don’t use it to describe the act itself.
To me, “got sick to my stomach” means I threw up. If I “feel sick to my stomach” then its nausea that may lead to throwing up. Now if I say “I’m gonna get sick to my stomach”… then you better clear a path cuz its coming up!
I consider it to mean a major discomfort. However, if that same term is used by certain people I know, it always includes vomit. In general, I assume no vomit unless told.
I would have thought that out of specific gastrointestinal context it is means figurative discomfort, disgust of some sort. I would have thought that when persons were nauseous they would say nauseous.
I use it pretty literally to mean that my stomach isn’t feeling well. If I was just sick it could mean fever or chills, but to the stomach usually means my stomach feels a bit like emptying its contents.
This is distinct from nausea, which is a swimmy whirling feeling in my head.
Nauseated, not specifically throwing up.