fever pitch

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈfiːvə pɪtʃ/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈfivɚ pɪtʃ/

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: fe‧ver pitch

fever pitch (uncountable)

1. (idiomatic) Extreme excitement.
   • 1837, J. G. Lockhart, Memoirs of the Life of Sir Water Scott, Bart.‎, volume i, Philadelphia: Carey, Lea & Blanchard, page 312:

     [T]here was a wonderful exhilaration about it all: my blood was kept at fever-pitch

   • 2013 November 3, Delme Parfitt, “Cardiff City 1 – 0 Swansea City: Steven Caulker heads Bluebirds to South Wales derby win”, in Wales Online:

     After all the hype, all the fever pitch build-up, the encounter never really lived up to expectations – as is so often the case with derbies – and the atmosphere was even a little subdued at times.