Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a pathological worrier, esp. as a term of address.

1946		S. Jackson Indiscreet Guide to Soho 50: ‘We call him the mad bull,’ grinned Barney. ‘He’s such a worry guts.’.
1950		C. Harris Three-Ha’Pence to the Angel 192: Thought I wasn’t coming, dint yer? You old worry guts, I’m ’ere.
1953		J. Franklyn Cockney 275: ‘Worrygut’, ‘Miserygut’, ‘Grizzlegut’ all speak for themselves.
1963		A.E. Farrell Vengeance 129: I’m an old worry puss.
1999		Guardian Weekend 20 Nov. 42: He is [...] an over-reactor, a neurotic worry-guts.
2003		(con. 1932) W. Woodruff Beyond Nab End 20: ‘Worrygut!’ Charlie grinned.
2020		Guardian 3 June 🌐 Perhaps [Johnson] reckons Labour can be pigeonholed as nanny-state worryguts and killjoys.

1. (US) a pathological worrier.

1943		W. Guthrie Bound for Glory (1969) 58: Okay! Worry Wart, you.
1953		R. Turner ‘The Teacher’ in Margulies Back Alley Jungle (1963) 121: You are a worry wart, aren’t you?
1967–8		Baker et al. CUSS 224: worry wart, Constantly complaining and irritable.
1979		B. Gutcheon New Girls (1982) 118: Oh, Malcolm, you worrywart.
1982		M. Braun Judas Tree (1983) 42: You’re a worrywart! I’m perfectly capable of looking after myself!
2000		Newark Advocate (OH) sect. C 11 June 23/2: Me, Mrs Stick-in-the-Mud...Mrs Worry Wart.

2. attrib. use of sense 1.

1971

B. Malamud Tenants (1972) 15: My father was a worry-wart immigrant with a terrible temper.

intimating envy on behalf of a speaker who has just been informed of another’s luck, also used ironically.

1953

A.J. Liebling Honest Rainmaker (1991) 59: You and I should have their worries, Colonel!