Meaning & use
to the gills
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Meanings
phrasefixed phraseinformal
completely full or packed; often used to describe a place or container that is extremely crowded or filled.
Grammar: Used after a verb like 'be', 'pack', or 'stuff'. It is not used before a noun.
Patterns
- be packed to the gills
- be stuffed to the gills
The theater was packed to the gills for the opening night.
She stuffed her suitcase to the gills with souvenirs.
phrasefixed phraseinformal
extremely tired of or fed up with something; used with 'fed up'.
Grammar: Usually appears in the phrase 'fed up to the gills'.
Patterns
- fed up to the gills with something
I'm fed up to the gills with all these delays.
He was fed up to the gills with their constant complaints.
Common combinations
- packed to the gills
- The train was packed to the gills during rush hour.
- stuffed to the gills
- After Thanksgiving dinner, we were all stuffed to the gills.
- fed up to the gills
- She was fed up to the gills with his excuses.
Synonyms and how they differ
- full
- A general word meaning containing as much as possible; 'to the gills' is more informal and emphatic.
- packed
- Means crowded or filled tightly; often used with 'to the gills' for extra emphasis.
Opposites
Commonly confused: to the gills or gills?
to the gills vs gills
The plural noun 'gills' refers to the organs fish use to breathe; 'to the gills' is an idiom meaning completely.
Practice
Choose the correct completion: 'The bus was ___ to the gills with passengers.'
Choose one answer.
'Packed to the gills' is a common fixed phrase meaning extremely full. While 'stuffed' is also used, 'packed' is the most typical with 'bus' and passengers.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “to the gills”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.