What Does "To the Gills" Mean?
"To the gills" is an English idiom. It means "completely full or packed to capacity; often used to describe a crowded or overloaded situation."Examples in Sentences
Here are three examples of the idiom "to the gills" used in a sentence:- The concert venue was filled to the gills with enthusiastic fans, eager to see their favourite band.
- The highway was to the gills with traffic during the holiday weekend, causing long delays.
- The event's guest list was to the gills, with celebrities and dignitaries from around the world.

What Is an Idiom?
An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "To the Gills" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.
A Quick Test
You now know what "to the gills" means, but are you good at English idioms? Let's see!
Gold

Silver

Bronze
- This test has questions.
- A correct answer is worth 5 points.
- You can get up to 5 bonus points for a speedy answer.
- Some questions demand more than one answer. You must get every part right.
- Beware! Wrong answers score 0 points.
- 🏆 If you beat one of the top 3 scores, you will be invited to apply for the Hall of Fame.
Scoring System
Guru (+)
Hero (+)
Captain (+)
Sergeant (+)
Recruit (+)
Guru (+)
Hero (+)
Captain (+)
Sergeant (+)
Recruit (+)
- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?