I. ˈfrēk noun
Etymology: origin unknown
Date: 1563
1.
a. : a sudden and odd or seemingly pointless idea or turn of the mind
b. : a seemingly capricious action or event
2. archaic : a whimsical quality or disposition
3. : one that is markedly unusual or abnormal: as
a. : a person or animal having a physical oddity and appearing in a circus sideshow
b. slang
(1) : a sexual deviate
(2) : a person who uses an illicit drug
c. : hippie
d. : an atypical postage stamp usually caused by a unique defect in paper (as a crease) or a unique event in the manufacturing process (as a speck of dirt on the plate) that does not produce a constant or systematic effect
4.
a. : an ardent enthusiast
film freak s
b. : a person who is obsessed with something
a control freak
II. adjective
Date: circa 1887
: having the character of a freak
a freak accident
III. verb
Date: 1964
transitive verb
1. : to make greatly distressed, astonished, or discomposed — often used with out
the news freak ed them out
2. : to put under the influence of a psychedelic drug — often used with out
intransitive verb
1. : to withdraw from reality especially by taking drugs — often used with out
2. : to experience nightmarish hallucinations as a result of taking drugs — often used with out
3.
a. : to behave irrationally or unconventionally under the influence of drugs — often used with out
b. : to react with extreme or irrational distress or discomposure — often used with out
• freaked adjective
• freaked-out adjective
IV. transitive verb
Etymology: perhaps from or akin to freckle (I)
Date: 1637
: to streak especially with color
silver and mother-of-pearl freak ing the intense azure — Robert Bridges †1930