EXCITEMENT
beside oneself (with something)
excited; disturbed; emotionally uncontrolled.He was beside himself with grief.She laughed and laughed until she was beside herself.
bring the house down
to excite a theatrical audience to laughter or applause or both.This is a great joke. The last time I told it, it brought the house down.It didn't bring down the house; it emptied it.
charged up
excited; enthusiastic.The crowd was really charged up.Tom is so tired that he cannot get charged up about anything.
charge someone up
to get someone excited and enthusiastic.The speaker charged up the crowd to go out and raise money.Mrs. Smith tried to charge her husband up about getting a job.
flip one's wig and flip one's lid
to suddenly become angry, crazy, or enthusiastic. (Slang.)Whenever anyone mentions taxes, Mr. Jones absolutely flips his wig.Stop whistling. You're going to make me flip my lid.When I saw that brand-new car and learned it was mine, I just flipped my wig.
get a charge out of sb or sth and get a bang out of sb or sth: get a kick out of sb or sth
to receive special pleasure from someone or something. (Informal.)Tom is really funny. I always get a kick out of his jokes.Bill really got a bang out of the present we gave him.Mary got a charge out of Bob's visit.
get carried away
to be overcome by emotion or enthusiasm (in one's thinking or actions).Calm down, Jane. Don't get carried away.Here, Bill. Take this money and go to the candy store, but don't get carried away.
give someone a bang and give someone a charge; give someone a kick
to give someone a bit of excitement. (Informal.)John always gives me a bang.The whole afternoon, with all its silliness, gave me a charge anyway.
go ape (over someone or something)
to become very excited and enthusiastic about someone or something. (Slang.)I really go ape over chocolate ice cream.Tom really goes ape over Mary.
go into orbit
to get very excited; to be in ecstasy. (Slang.)When I got a letter from my boyfriend in England, I almost went into orbit.Tom goes into orbit every time the football team scores.
have one's heart stand still
to have one's heart (figuratively) stops beating because one is feeling strong emotions.I had my heart stand still once when I was overcome with joy.Lovers—at least the ones in love songs—usually have their hearts stand still.
have the time of one's life
to have a very good time; to have the most exciting time in one's life.What a great party! I had the time of my life.We went to Florida last winter and had the time of our lives.
hopped up
excited; enthusiastic.What are you hopped up about now? You're certainly cheery.I always get hopped up when I think of mountain climbing.
in a lather
flustered; excited and agitated.Now, calm down. Don't be in a lather.I always get in a lather when I'm late.I get into a lather easily.
in orbit
ecstatic; thrilled; emotionally high. (Slang.)Jane is in orbit about her new job.John went into orbit when he got the check in the mail.
jazz something up
to make something more exciting, colorful, or lively. (Slang. Said especially of music.)When we play the music this time, let's jazz it up a bit.I think we need to jazz up this room. It looks so drab.
kick up one's heels
to act frisky; to be lively and have fun. (Informal.)I like to go to an old-fashioned square dance and really kick up my heels.For an old man, your uncle is really kicking up his heels.
let oneself go
to become less constrained; to get excited and have a good time.I love to dance and just let myself go.Let yourself go, John. Learn to enjoy life.
set the world on fire
to do exciting things that bring fame and glory. (Frequently negative.)I'm not very ambitious. I don't want to set the world on fire.You don't have to set the world on fire. Just do a good job.
stir someone up
to make someone angry or excited; to make someone get active.I need a cup of hot coffee to stir me up in the morning.Reading the newspaper always stirs up my father.
thrilled to death and thrilled to pieces
very excited; very pleased.She was thrilled to death to get the flowers.I'm just thrilled to pieces to have you visit me.
thrill someone to pieces and thrill someone to death
to please or excite someone very much. (Informal.)John sent flowers to Ann and thrilled her to pieces.Your wonderful comments thrilled me to death.
turn someone on
to excite someone; to excite someone sexually. (Informal.)Sally said she preferred not to watch movies that attempted to turn people on.The lecture was very good. It turned on the whole class.
vim and vigor
energy and enthusiasm. (Fixed order.)I just don t seem to have the vim and vigor that I had a few years ago.Alice appeared with all the vim and vigor of youth, and began to help carry in the packages.
action
n. excitement; activity in general; whatever is happening.This place is dull. I want some action.How do I find out where the action is in this town?
(all) shook up
mod. excited; disturbed; upset.She stole my heart, and I'm all shook up.They were pretty shook up after the accident.
all the way live
mod. very exciting; excellent. (California.)Man, this place is all the way live.Oh, Tiffany is just, like, all the way live!
belt
n. a kick or a thrill.We all got quite a belt from your jokes.Kelly gets a belt from roller coasters.
charge
n. a thrill.Seeing my kid up there on that stage was a real charge.I got a tremendous charge out of your last letter.
charged (up)
mod. excited.The audience was charged up and ready for the star to come out.The charged-up quarterback made some wonderful plays.
fired up
mod. excited; enthusiastic.How can you be so fired up at this time of the morning?It's impossible to get Martin fired up at all.
fire someone or something up
tr. to motivate someone; to make someone enthusiastic.See if you can fire John up and get him to paint the house.I have to fire up the electorate if I want them to vote for me.
fireworks
n. excitement.When the fireworks are over, come in and we'll talk.What're all the fireworks about around here?
get it up
tr. to get excited about something. (Other taboo meanings, also.)I just couldn't get it up about going off to college.Paul just couldn't get it up about life in general.
get someone going
tr. to get someone excited; to get someone talking excitedly.I guess I really got him going on the subject of politics.The whole business really makes me mad. Don't get me going.
get someone's motor running
tr. to get someone excited.What'll I have to do to get your motor running about algebra?I've got some news that'll really get your motor running.
go ape (over someone or something)
in. to become very excited over someone or something.I just go ape over chocolate.Sam went ape over Mary.
go into orbit
in. to become very excited.Wow, I thought the manager was going to go into orbit, she was so mad.The entire staff went into orbit when they got the news.
hairy-ass(ed)
mod. wild; exciting. (Potentially offensive. Use only with discretion.)We had a real hairy-ass time on the roller coaster.The last part of the climb was really hairy-assed.
have a ball
tr. to have an exciting time.I plan to have a ball while I'm there.Come on, everybody! Let's have a ball!
have a whale of a time
tr. to have an exciting time; to have a big time.We had a whale of a time at your party.Yes, we really had a whale of a time.
high on something
mod. excited or enthusiastic about something.Tom is really high on the idea of going to Yellowstone this summer.I'm not high on going, but I will.
hopped up
mod. excited.Paul is certainly hopped up about something.Why are you so hopped up?
hyped (up)
mod. excited; stimulated.They were all hyped up before the game.She said she had to get hyped before the tennis match.
hyper
1.
mod. excited; overreacting.
I'm a little hyper because of the doctor 's report.Here's another hyper patient.Now, now, don't get hyper.
2.
n. a person who is always overly excited or hyperactive.
Pat is such a hyper. Just can't seem to relax.My dad is a hyper.
jacked up and jacked
mod. excited.Don was really jacked up about the election.The gang was jacked up and ready to party.
jazz someone or something up
tr. to make someone or something more exciting or sexy; to make someone or something appeal more to contemporary and youthful tastes.Let's jazz this up a little bit.They jazzed up the old girl till she looked like a teenager.Don't jazz up the first number too much.
kicky
mod. exciting and energetic.Man, what a kicky idea!She is a real kicky gal.
knockout
mod. very exciting.It was a real knockout evening.What a knockout idea!
out of this world
mod. wonderful and exciting.This pie is out of this world.My boyfriend is just out of this world.
panic
n. a very funny or exciting person or thing.John's party was a real panic.Paul is a panic. He tells a joke a minute.
pizzazz
n. punch; glitter and excitement.Listen to the way she put pizzazz into that song!This script lacks pizzazz.
psyched (out)
mod. excited; overwhelmed; thrilled.She's really psyched out.That's great. I'm really psyched!What a psyched out way to talk!
pump (someone) up
tr. to excite someone; to make someone enthusiastic.The coach gave a pep talk to pump the players up for the big game.Tom pumped us up at the sales meeting.
revved up
mod. excited, perhaps by drugs.Max is revved up from too much dope.The kids were all revved up, ready to party.
rooting-tooting
mod. exciting; renowned; famous; illustrious. (A vague adjective of praise.)We really had a rooting-tooting time last weekend.She's a rooting-tooting dancer from Omaha.
rush
n. any excitement; any burst of good feeling.I got a real rush from helping out.The wonderful ending to the movie gave me a rush.
Schwing!
exclam. “How exciting!”; “How stimulating!”; “Wow!” (Originally said on seeing an extremely good-looking or sexually attractive girl.)Did you see her? Schwing!Nice car. Schwing!
screamer
n. someone or something very exciting or attention-getting.This guy is a real screamer! Wait'll you meet him.Her political campaign is a real screamer.
sexy
mod. neat; exciting.That's a sexy set of wheels.You play really sexy music.Your idea is real sexy.
slam-bang
mod. wild; exciting.It was a slam-bang weekend, and I loved every minute of it.Wow, did we ever have a slam-bang time!
snazz and shnazz
n. class; glitter and excitement.The curtain opened on a dazzling display of snazz and bright lights.There was lots of snazz and glitz, but no real substance.
snazz something up
tr. to make something classy or exciting.Come on, let's try to snazz this up.What can I do to snazz up my face?
spaz out
in. to overreact to something; to become overly excited about something.I knew you would spaz out! It's not that bad!Come on, don't spaz out!
steam someone up
tr. to get someone excited.Steam yourselves up and get in there and win this game!The coach can really steam up those guys.
stoked (on someone or something)
mod. excited by someone or something.We were stoked on Mary. She is the greatest.Everyone is stoked on spring.Now, don't get too stoked, you are the one who has to run.
swing
in. [for a party or other event] to be fun or exciting.This party really swings!I've never been to a gathering that swings like this one.
switched on
mod. excited.I get switched on by that kind of music.I am never switched on by raucous music.
thriller-diller
n. something like a movie, book, or television program that is thrilling.The film was a real thrillerdiller. I remember having to force myself to exhale.I can read one of these thriller-dillers in a couple of hours.
turned on
mod. made alert to what is new and exciting.I want to hire someone who's really turned on—a real comer.A young, turned-on MBA would be just right.
turn-on
n. someone or something that excites someone.The concert was a real turn-on.David can be a real turnon when he's in a good mood.
turn someone on
tr. to excite or interest someone.Fast music with a good beat turns me on.That stuff doesn't turn on anyone.
wig out
in. to have a good time at a party, etc.We wigged out at John's do.Come on, let's wig out!
wild
mod. exciting; eccentric.Things are really wild here.We had a wild time.
wild and woolly
mod. exciting.Things get a little wild and woolly on a Friday evening at Wally's place.The ride home was a little wild and woolly.
wow
n. something exciting.The game was a real wow.For a pretty good wow, try the Empire Theater 's production of Mame this weekend.