shitlessadv.

1924 G. Stragnell in Psychoanalytic Rev. 11 320 Vulgar figures of speech often embody truths expressed with dynamic accuracy... ‘I knocked the shit out of him.’ ‘I will scare him shitless.’

1936 L. Durrell Let. in Spirit of Place (1969) 42 We're scared shitless because if there's any place Benito wants more than Ethiopia it's Corfu.

1937 J. T. Farrell Can all this Grandeur Perish 216 Bellows was jus' about scared shitless.

1957 W. S. Burroughs Let. 28 Jan. (1993) 352 But they got this Union, it's not healthy to buck them and The Minaret is scared shitless to run an editorial on these foul abuses.

1964 L. Auchincloss Rector of Justin x. 158 You're scared shitless this little affair will do you out of old Tanager's dough, aren't you?

1971 B. Malamud Tenants 62 On my first solo gig I was..beaten shitless, and dumped in jail.

1976 New Musical Express 12 Feb. 24/1 The self-appointed custodians of public morality who campaign against pornography because they're simply scared shitless by it.

1979 Easyriders Dec. 6 He would be tickled shitless.

1991 D. Simon Homicide (1993) 340 What else are you gonna do with yourself? You'd be bored shitless.

1996 D. Greenwalt in Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Script Bk. (2000) 1st Season I. 201 (stage direct.) Everyone except Buffy (in hot dress, out of breath) is scared shitless, giving the monster a wide berth.

2002 G. P. Pelecanos Cleaning Up (TV shooting script) 38 in Wire (O.E.D. Archive) Whatever you're doing, you scared my boss shitless.