Link Centre Dictionary

thrill

UK/θɹɪl/ US/θɾ̪̊ɪɫ/ fairly common
noun (3) verb (4)

noun

1.

the swift release of a store of affective force

  • “they got a great bang out of it”
  • “what a boot!”
  • “he got a quick rush from injecting heroin”
  • “he does it for kicks”
Synonyms
2.

an almost pleasurable sensation of fright

  • “a frisson of surprise shot through him”
Synonyms
3.

something that thrills

  • “the thrills of space travel”

verb

1.

cause to be thrilled by some perceptual input

  • “The men were thrilled by a loud whistle blow”
2.

feel sudden intense sensation or emotion

  • “he was thrilled by the speed and the roar of the engine”
Synonyms
3.
4.

fill with sublime emotion; tickle pink (exhilarate is obsolete in this usage)

  • “The children were thrilled at the prospect of going to the movies”
  • “He was inebriated by his phenomenal success”
Synonyms

Origin

From Old English þȳrlian (“to pierce”), derived from þȳrel (“hole”) (archaic English thirl). Doublet of thirl (verb).

Phrases

  • cheap thrill Terms derived from thrill (noun)
  • thrill kill Terms derived from thrill (noun)
  • thrill killer Terms derived from thrill (noun)
  • thrill killing Terms derived from thrill (noun)
  • thrill of the hunt Terms derived from thrill (noun)
  • thrill ride Terms derived from thrill (noun)

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.