mad

¹

[mad]

adjective

comparative

madder ,

superlative

maddest .

1. mentally disturbed; deranged; insane; demented.

   Synonyms: crazy, crazed, maniacal, lunatic

2. enraged; greatly provoked or irritated; angry.

   Synonyms: irate, wrathful, furious

3. (of animals)

   1. abnormally furious; ferocious.

      a mad bull.

   2. affected with rabies; rabid.

      a mad dog.

4. extremely foolish or unwise; imprudent; irrational.

   a mad scheme to invade France.

   Synonyms: perilous, dangerous, unsafe, ill-advised
   Antonyms: safe, sound, practical, sensible

5. wildly excited or confused; frantic.

   mad haste.

   Synonyms: frenzied

6. overcome by desire, eagerness, enthusiasm, etc.; excessively or uncontrollably fond; infatuated.

   He's mad about the opera.

7. wildly lively and merry; enjoyably hilarious.

   to have a mad time at the Mardi Gras.

8. (of wind, storms, etc.) furious in violence.

   A mad gale swept across the channel.

9. Slang.,  much or many.

   Mad props for getting this organization off the ground.

adverb

1. Slang.,  very; extremely.

   It's mad hot in this car.

verb (used with object)

madded, madding 

1. Archaic.,  to make mad.

verb (used without object)

madded, madding 

1. Archaic.,  to be, become, or act mad.

MAD

²

[mad]

noun

1. Mutual Assured Destruction.

mad.

³

abbreviation

1. madam.

mad

¹

/ mæd /

adjective

1. mentally deranged; insane

2. senseless; foolish

   a mad idea

3. informal,  (often foll by at) angry; resentful

4. wildly enthusiastic (about) or fond (of)

   mad about football

   football-mad

5. extremely excited or confused; frantic

   a mad rush

6. temporarily overpowered by violent reactions, emotions, etc

   mad with grief

7. 1. unusually ferocious

      a mad buffalo

   2. afflicted with rabies

8. informal,  with great energy, enthusiasm, or haste; wildly

9. crazily eccentric

verb

1. archaic,  to make or become mad; act or cause to act as if mad

MAD

²

/ mæd /

acronym

1. mutual assured destruction: a theory of nuclear deterrence whereby each side in a conflict has the capacity to destroy the other in retaliation for a nuclear attack

Usage

Mad meaning “enraged, angry” has been used since 1400, and this sense is a very common one. Because some teachers and usage critics insist that the only correct meaning of mad is “mentally disturbed, insane,” mad is often replaced by angry in formal contexts: The president is angry at Congress for overriding his veto.

Other Word Forms

• maddish adjective
• half-mad adjective
• half-madly adverb
• half-madness noun
• quasi-mad adjective
• quasi-madly adverb
• unmad adjective
• unmadded adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mad¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English mad (adjective), madden (intransitive verb, derivative of the adjective); Old English gemǣd “made mad,” past participle of gemǣdan (unrecorded) “to make mad,” akin to gemād “mad, foolish”; cognate with Old Saxon gemēd, Old High German gimeit “foolish”

Word History and Origins

Origin of mad¹

Old English gemǣded, past participle of gemǣdan to render insane; related to gemād insane, and to Old High German gimeit silly, crazy, Old Norse meitha to hurt, damage

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. like mad, with great haste, impulsiveness, energy, or enthusiasm.

   She ran like mad to catch the bus.

2. have a mad on, to be angry for a period of time; be in a bad mood.

   The last time he had a mad on, it lasted for days.

3. mad as a hatter, completely insane.

More idioms and phrases containing mad

• crazy (mad) about
• drive someone crazy (mad)
• hopping mad
• like crazy (mad)
• stark raving mad

Synonym Study

Mad, crazy, insane are used to characterize wildly impractical or foolish ideas, actions, etc. Mad suggests senselessness and excess: The scheme of buying the bridge was absolutely mad. In informal usage, crazy suggests recklessness and impracticality: a crazy young couple. Insane is used with some opprobrium to express unsoundness and possible harmfulness: The new traffic system is simply insane.

Example Sentences

No foreign power would be foolish enough to challenge this new world order, or “the killers” and “mad dog” generals he pledged to put in charge of the American military.

From Salon

“It maybe made it a little easier to watch because I couldn’t get mad at any of the players,” Morales said with a laugh.

From Los Angeles Times

When I first saw the scene in “To Kill a Mockingbird” in which Atticus shoots a mad dog, I could only hope my own father would be able to do the same.

From Los Angeles Times

People laugh, people cry, people get happy, people get mad.

From Los Angeles Times

Obstacles are set up only to be overcome in a stroke of mad luck or outlandish kindness.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• crazy 
• delirious 
• demented 
• deranged 
• frantic 
• frenzied 
• insane 
• kooky 
• nutty