by the thousands
by the thousands
In huge quantities, presumably numbering several thousand. When the potato famine hit Ireland, the Irish began emigrating—especially to America—by the thousands.
See also: by, thousand
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
- by the thousand
- by the handful
- handful
- like a ton of bricks, (come down)
- potato soup
- leave out in the cold, to
- increment by
- number in
- out of the frying pan (and) into the fire
- out of the frying pan into the fire