by the thousands

In huge quantities, presumably numbering several thousand. When the potato famine hit Ireland, the Irish began emigrating—especially to America—by the thousands.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
AnasztÁZia	-	Hungarian
Danny	DAN-ee	English
TamÁS	TAW-mahsh	Hungarian
Faustine	-	French
BÁRbara	-	Portuguese, Spanish
Berry (1)	BER-ee	English