mad

¹

[ mad ]

adjective

comparative: madder [mad, -er],superlative: maddest [mad, -ist].

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: unsafe, perilous, dangerous, 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)

, mad·ded, mad·ding.

1. Archaic. to make mad.

verb (used without object)

, mad·ded, mad·ding.

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

MAD

²

[ mad ]

noun

1. Mutual Assured Destruction.

mad.

³

abbreviation for

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. foll byabout, on, or over; often postpositive 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. of animals
   1. unusually ferocious

      a mad buffalo

   2. afflicted with rabies
8. like mad informal.
   with great energy, enthusiasm, or haste; wildly
9. mad as a hatter
   crazily eccentric

verb

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

MAD

²

/ mæd /

acronym for

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 Note

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.

Derived Forms

• ˈmaddish, adjective

Other Words From

• half-mad adjective
• half-mad·ly adverb
• half-mad·ness noun
• qua·si-mad adjective
• qua·si-mad·ly adverb
• un·mad adjective
• un·mad·ded 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. have a mad on, Informal. 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.

2. like mad, Informal. with great haste, impulsiveness, energy, or enthusiasm:

   She ran like mad to catch the bus.

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

“When Martha gets mad about an old magazine article and she says that she’s glad the journalist who wrote it is dead, that is brat,” the pop star said.

From Salon

"Martha gets mad about an old magazine article and she says that she's glad the journalist who wrote it is dead - that is brat," she said.

From BBC

"If those critics want to be mad at someone then be mad at Mike Tyson because he's the one still wanting to do this fight - he wanted it to be a pro fight," Paul responds.

From BBC

"It's been a bit bonkers and a bit mad," he continued.

From BBC

There are powerful moments, to be sure, surrounding the human drama, but, though moral questions are duly considered, the political drama registers less intensely — apart from it all seeming more than a little mad.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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