tickled pink

Idioms  

1. Also, tickled to death. Delighted, as in I was tickled pink when I got his autograph, or His parents were tickled to death when he decided to marry her. The first term, first recorded in 1922, alludes to one's face turning pink with laughter when one is being tickled. The variant, clearly a hyperbole, dates from about 1800.

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Example Sentences

Seattle’s progressive mayor was tickled pink about the “block-party atmosphere” and the “community garden,” saying chirpily: “We could have the Summer of Love.”

From Washington Post • Oct. 14, 2022

"When he wrote his autobiography, quite a few years ago, my grandmother was still alive and he does mention Mrs Breen's shop and she was tickled pink," she added.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2022

“She would shift a shoulder, settle her mouth, change behind the eyes. And some deep, daughterly part of me was tickled pink by it.”

From New York Times • Mar. 3, 2020

And the family is pretty sure that somewhere, Angelo is tickled pink to know that the long-time family business is up and running once again.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 17, 2018

I was tickled pink last week with the birthday gift she sent all the way from Jefferson City.

From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool