1. Home
2. Idioms
3. thrill

thrill

---

---

be thrilled to pieces

To be ecstatic; to be very pleased and excited. A: "I really hope Mary enjoys her surprise birthday party." B: "I'm sure she'll be thrilled to pieces!" I was thrilled to pieces to hear that I'd been selected for a literary award in New York City.

See also: piece, thrill

be thrilled to death

To be ecstatic; to be very pleased and excited. A: "I really hope Mary enjoys her surprise birthday party." B: "I'm sure she'll be thrilled to death!" I was thrilled to death to hear that I'd been selected for a literary award in New York City.

See also: death, thrill

thrilled to bits

Ecstatic; very pleased and excited. A: "I really hope Mary enjoyed her surprise birthday party." B: "I'm sure she did; she seemed thrilled to bits!" I was thrilled to bits to hear that I'd been selected for a literary award in New York City.

See also: bit, thrill

thrilled to pieces

Ecstatic; very pleased and excited. A: "I really hope Mary enjoyed her surprise birthday party." B: "I'm sure she did; she seemed thrilled to pieces!" I was thrilled to pieces to hear that I'd been selected for a literary award in New York City.

See also: piece, thrill

thrill killer

One who derives excitement or pleasure from murdering people. I think our suspect is a thrill killer and really enjoys carrying out these violent crimes.

See also: killer, thrill

thrill at someone or something

to become excited by someone or something. The opera was mystically intoxicating, and the audience thrilled at the tenor lead. We thrilled at the agility of the dancers.

See also: thrill

thrill someone to pieces

 and thrill someone to death; thrill someone to bits

Fig. to please or excite someone very much. John sent flowers to Ann and thrilled her to pieces. Your wonderful comments thrilled me to death.

See also: piece, thrill

thrill someone with something

to create or use something to cause someone much joy. The famous singer thrilled us with a lovely song. Sally was thrilled with the praise heaped upon her daughter.

See also: thrill

thrill to something

to become excited by something; to experience great joy while experiencing something. I always thrill to the sound of a marching band. The crowd thrilled to the sight of the winning team parading down Main Street.

See also: thrill

thrilled to death

 and thrilled to pieces

Fig. very excited; to be very pleased. She was thrilled to death to get the flowers. I'm just thrilled to pieces to have you visit me.

See also: death, thrill

be thrilled to bits

  (British, American & Australian informal) also be thrilled to pieces (American informal)

to be extremely pleased 'So what did your parents say when they heard you were pregnant?' 'Oh, they were thrilled to bits.'

See also: bit, thrill

thrill to pieces

Also, thrill to death. Give great pleasure, delight, as in I was just thrilled to pieces with our new grandson, or He was thrilled to death when he first saw the Himalayas. Both of these hyperbolic terms use thrill in the sense of "affect with sudden emotion," a usage dating from the late 1500s. Also see tickled pink.

See also: piece, thrill

thrill to

v.

To be greatly excited by someone or something: Audiences thrilled to the spectacular performance.

See also: thrill