pleased as punch

Very happy, contented, and satisfied. The phrase refers to the titular character from "Punch and Judy," a 17th-century comedic puppet show. He walked out of the exam as pleased as punch, confident that he'd gotten at least an A. I am pleased as punch that you two were able to come to the party after all! Well, you look pleased as punch! I guess the job interview went well.

delighted; very pleased. (*Also: as ~.) (This refers to Punch from the "Punch and Judy" shows.) Child: Do you think Grandma will like the picture I'm making for her? Father: I think she'll be as pleased as Punch. Fred was pleased as Punch to discover that Ellen was making lemon pie, his favorite, for dessert.

Delighted, as in We were pleased as Punch when they asked us to be god-parents. This term alludes to the character Punch in Punch and Judy shows, who is always very happy when his evil deeds succeed. [Mid-1800s]

If someone is as pleased as punch about something, they are very pleased about it. He's obviously as pleased as punch about buying this timber firm. Branfoot announced he was as pleased as punch with his team's performance. Note: `Punch' is a character from traditional `Punch and Judy' puppet shows, who enjoys making trouble for people. The puppet usually has a big grin.

Delighted. In the Punch-and-Judy shows of old, the character Punch is always enormously satisfied with the success of his evil deeds. The simile, first recorded in the late 1700s, was in common use for any kind of extreme satisfaction by the mid-nineteenth century. Dickens used it in Hard Times (1854): “When Sissy got into the school . . . her father was pleased as Punch.”