mad
Pronounced:
/ˈmæd/
Function:
adjectiveInflected forms:
mad·der; mad·destMeaning:
1 not used before a noun chiefly US informal : very angry ▪ If you keep teasing that dog, you'll make/get him mad. ▪ She's mad at me. = (less commonly) She's mad with me. ▪ What are you so mad about? ▪ That guy makes me so mad! ▪ She was mad at me for being late. = She was mad that I was late. = She was mad about my being late. ▪ She was hopping mad. [=extremely angry] —see also fighting mad at 1fight
2 a : having or showing severe mental illness : insane ▪ (chiefly Brit) The man in the park was clearly mad. ▪ a movie about a mad scientist ▪ He was stark raving mad. [=completely insane] = (Brit) He was barking mad. b : unable to think in a clear or sensible way ▪ He was mad [=insane] with jealousy/anger. ▪ (chiefly Brit) They must have been mad [=crazy] to buy that house. ▪ a power-mad prosecutor c : very foolish ▪ (chiefly Brit) He made a mad decision to drive home in the storm.
3 chiefly Brit informal : liking someone or something very much : very fond of or enthusiastic about someone or something ▪ She's mad for a cute boy in her class. ▪ He's mad keen on sailing. —often + about ▪ She's mad [=wild] about dancing. ▪ He's mad [=crazy] about her.
4 always used before a noun : wild and uncontrolled ▪ There was a mad [=frantic] rush when the store opened. ▪ a mad scramble
2 a : having or showing severe mental illness : insane ▪ (chiefly Brit) The man in the park was clearly mad. ▪ a movie about a mad scientist ▪ He was stark raving mad. [=completely insane] = (Brit) He was barking mad. b : unable to think in a clear or sensible way ▪ He was mad [=insane] with jealousy/anger. ▪ (chiefly Brit) They must have been mad [=crazy] to buy that house. ▪ a power-mad prosecutor c : very foolish ▪ (chiefly Brit) He made a mad decision to drive home in the storm.
3 chiefly Brit informal : liking someone or something very much : very fond of or enthusiastic about someone or something ▪ She's mad for a cute boy in her class. ▪ He's mad keen on sailing. —often + about ▪ She's mad [=wild] about dancing. ▪ He's mad [=crazy] about her.
4 always used before a noun : wild and uncontrolled ▪ There was a mad [=frantic] rush when the store opened. ▪ a mad scramble
drive (someone) mad
1 : to cause (someone) to become mentally ill ▪ Years alone in the jungle had driven him mad.
2 : to annoy or bother (someone) very much. ▪ That noise is driving me mad!
2 : to annoy or bother (someone) very much. ▪ That noise is driving me mad!
go mad
1 : to become mentally ill ▪ Sometimes I think the whole world has gone mad! ▪ He had gone mad after years alone in the jungle.
2 : to act in a way that is out of control : to act wildly ▪ The crowd went mad [=went crazy] when the team won the championship.
2 : to act in a way that is out of control : to act wildly ▪ The crowd went mad [=went crazy] when the team won the championship.
like mad
informal 1 : with a lot of energy and speed ▪ We've been working like mad [=like crazy] to get done on time.
2 : very quickly ▪ Cars were selling like mad. ▪ He's been spending money like mad.
3 : very much ▪ She started shivering like mad.
2 : very quickly ▪ Cars were selling like mad. ▪ He's been spending money like mad.
3 : very much ▪ She started shivering like mad.
mad as a hatter —see hatter