Thrill

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /θɹɪl/

Definitions

1. A sudden feeling of excitement and pleasure, often mixed with a sense of danger or risk
2. An intense surge of excitement or joy often accompanied by a sense of exhilaration or danger
3. A powerful and exciting emotional response that can come from risky situations or joyful experiences

Etymology: Before "thrill" meant a shiver of excitement, it meant to pierce. Its Old English ancestor, "þȳrlian," meant "to pierce," and it was formed from "þȳrel," meaning "hole." The older English verb "thirl," meaning to bore through, is the same word in a different form. Such pairs are called doublets: two forms of one ancestor that reached modern English by different routes. The piercing sense also gave rise to a technical use. In manufacturing, to thrill has meant to cut the spiral of a screw thread, and this use is credited as a blend of "thread" and "drill," two verbs that both describe cutting into material. The sense of a sudden, sharp feeling that the modern word carries is a separate development from this.

Synonyms: excitement, joy, rush, elation, intensity

Antonyms: boredom, apathy, disinterest, indifference, calm