mayhem

[ mey-hem, mey-uhm ]

noun

1. Law. the crime of willfully inflicting a bodily injury on another so as to make the victim less capable of self-defense or, under modern statutes, so as to cripple or mutilate the victim.
2. random or deliberate violence or damage.
3. a state of rowdy disorder:

   Antagonisms between the various factions at the meeting finally boiled over, and mayhem ensued.

mayhem

/ ˈmeɪhɛm /

noun

1. law the wilful and unlawful infliction of injury upon a person, esp (formerly) the injuring or removing of a limb rendering him less capable of defending himself against attack
2. any violent destruction or confusion

Word History and Origins

Origin of mayhem¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English maheym, maim, from Anglo-French mahe(i)m, mahaim, from Germanic; akin to Middle High German meidem “gelding,” Old Norse meitha “to injure”; maim

Word History and Origins

Origin of mayhem¹

C15: from Anglo-French mahem injury, from Germanic; related to Icelandic meitha to hurt. See maim

Example Sentences

One police officer died as a result of the mayhem and others were seriously injured.

From Washington Post

Yields on Treasury bonds, which are typically in demand at times of turmoil, barely registered in the mayhem.

From Quartz

It was fast-paced mayhem and I caught myself laughing, hard, as if I were Outside with Friends.

From MIT Technology Review

“Some people would like to cause mayhem and trouble,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said.

From Fortune

Athletes live-tweeted from the golf course and wore microphones throughout the match, creating mayhem on the platform.

From Digiday

He has been going to crime scenes since 1991, and began chronicling Chicago street mayhem on Twitter about four years ago.

From The Daily Beast

Trevor Austin, CEO of Finna Rage, denied responsibility for the mayhem in Keene.

From The Daily Beast

Ex-MMA fighter Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller live-tweeted a standoff with police over domestic violence charges.

From The Daily Beast

Rwanda and Ethiopia, symbols in the past of death and mayhem, are now among the fastest-growing economies in the world.

From The Daily Beast

On the outskirts of the partisan mayhem, a smaller crowd gathered as a heavy-set man strode up to a podium in front of them.

From The Daily Beast

Maybe he cant do as much for the Galaxy in the long run as Mayhem can, but dont you see, man, hes a figurehead.

From Project Gutenberg

Right now hes the most important man in the Galaxy, and if we could talk to him Im sure Mayhem would agree.

From Project Gutenberg

Frowning with his new and as yet unseen face, Johnny Mayhem propelled himself to the floor.

From Project Gutenberg

Using the dignity of the dead Sirian, whose body he wore like other people wear clothing, Johnny Mayhem ignored them.

From Project Gutenberg

Mayhem found a tiny capsule in the pocket of his Sirian jumper, and popped it in his mouth.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• anarchy
• commotion
• destruction
• fracas
• havoc
• pandemonium
• violence