fever pitch
8
5.3
- noun
- /ˈfiːvər pɪtʃ/
- Informal
:
punto de ebullición
- The crowd's energy was at fever pitch as the concert began.
- reached a fever pitch
After everything reached a fever pitch, calmness instantly descended.
- After everything reached a fever pitch, calmness instantly descended.
- There's a fire starting in my heart reaching a fever pitch, and it's bringing me out the dark.
- Oh yeah, no, it's, it is at a fever pitch at the moment.
- Campaign rallies for candidates as disparate as Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders reach fever pitch when their candidates bash free trade.
- That's, you know, at least a couple of weeks at a fever pitch with the whole team, and it ain't happening here.
- So when the red flags are coming at us at a fever pitch, we're socialized and told, oh, don't look at that doughnut hole, look at that doughnut.
- And he is screaming fever pitch at the top of his lines.
Examples
-
Serbian nationalism reached a fever pitch during the run-up to the dissolution of Yugoslavia.
Academic text (2007) -
And we need answers, and we need 'em now, or the state of unrest throughout this city is going to reach a fever pitch.
-
Oh yeah, no, it's, it is at a fever pitch at the moment.
-
Who among us can maintain such fever pitch?
Fiction book (1991) -
I would say that the excitement is at fever pitch, Bill.
-
Everything rises to a fever pitch.
Fiction book (1998) -
However, as 1998, the year for new elections, approached, tensions between the two parties rose to fever pitch.
Academic text (2002) -
By 2012, anti-Obama fervor reached fever pitch in many parts of the US.
Blog text (15) -
The situation is reaching fever pitch at the Sensata factory in Freeport, Illinois.
Blog text (5) -
The Tiger faithful packed the DCHS campus, and the excitement was at a fever pitch by kickoff.
Blog text (26)
Synonyms
82
6.1
An extreme, uncontrolled feeling of fear or excitement
70
6.6
A time of very strong excitement and busy activity
24
6.6
A strong, often sudden interest in something like a toy or hobby that many people like
4
4.4
A moment when anger or stress becomes so strong that someone shows it
1
3.1
A strong feeling of joy and energy that makes you unable to sit still
1
9.9
A very strong feeling of excitement or dizziness
A state of very strong, nervous eagerness and energy about something
A state of strong excitement and restless activity
Antonyms
How Agitated
82
6.1
- Informal
8
5.3
136
4.9
- Literature
9
4.6
80
4.2
434
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
fever + pitch
The phrase combines 'fever' (an intense state) with 'pitch' (a level or degree), so the meaning 'an extremely high level of excitement' is directly derivable from the constituents. Although 'pitch' has several senses, the 'degree/level' sense is common and the metaphor is straightforward, making the expression compositionally transparent to learners who know both words.
Etymology
Fever pitch may come from the image of a high fever and a high musical pitch rising together. Both images show something getting very strong, so the phrase means 'very intense excitement or agitation'.