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Origin and history of thrill

thrill(v.)

early 14c. metathesis of Middle English thirlen "to pierce, perforate, penetrate," from Old English þyrlian, þyrelian "perforate, pierce," from þyrel "hole" (in Middle English, also "nostril"), with -el + þurh "through" (see through). Compare Middle High German dürchel "pierced, perforated."

The sense of "affect with a sudden penetration of emotions, move deeply" is from late 14c. The meaning "give a shivering, exciting feeling" is recorded by 1590s. The intransitive sense of "quiver, move tremulously" is from 1776, originally of sound or light. Related: Thrilled; thrilling.

thrill(n.)

1670s, "a sudden, penetrating, shivering, exciting feeling," from thrill (v.). By 1817 as "a vibrating, quivering." The meaning "a thrilling experience" is attested from 1936. The Middle English noun thirl meant "an external orifice, a hole or aperture," especially a breathing hole, from Old English þyrel, þyrl.

also from 1670s

Entries linking to thrill

through(prep., adv.)

"from one side or end to the other; from the beginning to the end; to the ultimate," a Middle English metathesis of thurgh, from Old English þurh, from Proto-Germanic *thurx (source also of Old Saxon thuru, Old Frisian thruch, Middle Dutch dore, Dutch door, Old High German thuruh, German durch, Gothic þairh "through"). According to Watkins, this is from PIE root *tere- (2) "to cross over, pass through, overcome."

It was not clearly differentiated from thorough until early Modern English. The spelling thro was common 15c.-18c. The reformed spelling thru (1839) is mainly met in American.

The meaning "up to and including" (from January through December) is attested by 1798, noted in OED (1989) as an American usage. To be through "be finished, have done" is from late 15c. Phrase through and through "entirely, thoroughly" is by early 15c.

arsehole(n.)

c. 1400, arce-hoole; see arse + hole (n.). In Old English, Latin anus was glossed with earsðerl, literally "arse-thrill," with thrill (n.) in its original sense of "hole" (compare nostril).

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tickle
c. 1300 (implied in tickling) "to touch lightly so as to cause a peculiar and uneasy or thrilling sensation in the nerves," of uncertain origin, possibly a frequentative form of tick (v.) in its older sense of "to touch." Some suggest a metathesis of Middle English kittle, which
inebriate
late 15c., from Latin inebriatus, past participle of inebriare "to make drunk," from in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + ebriare "make drunk," from ebrius "drunk," probably from PIE root *hegwh- "to drink." Related: Inebriated; inebriating. Also used in 19c. English were inebriac
beatify
1530s, "to make very happy," from French béatifer, from Late Latin beatificare "make happy, make blessed," from Latin beatus "supremely happy, blessed" (past participle of beare "make happy, bless;" see Beatrice) + -ficare, combining form of facere "to make" (from PIE root *dhe-
laughing
The laughter was involuntary, but highly pleasurable, accompanied by a thrill all through me."...
charge
The slang meaning "thrill, kick" (American English) is from 1951....
pickup
also pick-up, "that which is picked up," 1848; see pick up (v.). As "act of picking up" from 1882. Meaning "capacity for acceleration" is from 1909; that of "recovery" is from 1916. In reference to a game between informal teams chosen on the spot, from 1905; as an adjective, "com
pick up
early 14c. as a verbal phrase, "lift and take with the fingers," from pick (v.) + up (adv.). From 1510s as "take or get casually, obtain or procure as opportunity offers." Meaning "take (a person found or overtaken) into a vehicle or vessel," is from 1690s, also, of persons, "mak
tremble
c. 1300, "shake from fear, cold, etc.," from Old French trembler "tremble, fear" (11c.), from Vulgar Latin *tremulare (source also of Italian tremolare, Spanish temblar), from Latin tremulus "trembling, shaking, quaking," from tremere "to tremble, shiver, quake," from PIE *trem-
rush
mid-14c. (implied in rushing), "to drive back or down," from Anglo-French russher, from Old French ruser "to dodge, repel," which is from Latin recusare "make an objection against; decline, refuse, reject; be reluctant to" (see recuse; also compare ruse). The meaning "do somethin
stir
Middle English stiren, from Old English styrian, stirian "to move, be or become active or busy, pass into motion," also transitive, "to agitate with a rotating motion (a liquid or mixture by hand or with an instrument), move, change the location of; rouse, agitate, incite, urge;"

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