mayhem

American  

[mey-hem, mey-uhm] / ˈmeɪ hɛm, ˈmeɪ əm /

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 British  

/ 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

---

Etymology

Origin of mayhem

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

Example Sentences

Despite the mayhem there are things that can be planned for.

From BBC

Somehow, that mayhem may have been topped in Detroit’s 29-24 loss.

From The Wall Street Journal

But it doesn’t fly without an actor of Seyfried’s caliber, who can summon unpredictable mayhem from her fingertips.

From Los Angeles Times

She’s still not sure how they found each other in the mayhem.

From The Wall Street Journal

There was still time for Root and Archer to flay the weary Australia attack in 44 balls of mayhem before the close.

From BBC

Related Words

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