/ mæd; NAmE / adjective ( mad·der , mad·dest )
1.
( especially BrE ) having a mind that does not work normally; mentally ill :
They realized that he had gone mad .
Inventors are not mad scientists.
I'll go mad if I have to wait much longer.
She seemed to have gone stark raving mad .
—see also barking mad
2.
( informal , especially BrE ) very stupid; not at all sensible :
You must be mad to risk it.
It was a mad idea.
'I'm going to buy some new clothes.' 'Well, don't go mad (= spend more than is sensible) .'
3.
[ not before noun ] mad (at / with sb) | mad (about sth) ( informal , especially NAmE ) very angry :
He got mad and walked out.
She's mad at me for being late.
( BrE )
That noise is driving me mad .
( BrE )
He'll go mad when he sees the damage.
➡ note at angry
4.
[ not usually before noun ] mad (about / on sth/sb) ( BrE , informal ) liking sth/sb very much; very interested in sth :
to be mad on tennis
He's always been mad about kids.
football-mad boys
She's completely power-mad.
5.
mad (with sth) ( especially BrE ) done without thought or control; wild and excited :
The crowd made a mad rush for the exit.
Only a mad dash got them to the meeting on time.
to be mad with anger / excitement / grief / love
The team won and the fans went mad .
—compare crazy
•
IDIOMS
- be mad for sb/sth
- like crazy / mad
- (as) mad as a hatter / a March hare
- mad keen (on sth/sb)
—more at hopping adverb
••
SYNONYMS
mad
crazy ♦ nuts ♦ batty ♦ out of your mind ♦ (not) in your right mind
These are all informal words that describe sb who has a mind that does not work normally.
mad
( informal , especially BrE ) having a mind that does not work normally:
I thought I'd go mad if I stayed any longer.
NOTE
Mad is an informal word used to suggest that sb's behaviour is very strange, often because of extreme emotional pressure. It is offensive if used to describe sb suffering from a real mental illness; use mentally ill instead. Mad is not usually used in this meaning in North American English; use crazy instead.
crazy
( informal , especially NAmE ) having a mind that does not work normally:
A crazy old woman rented the upstairs room.
NOTE
Like mad , crazy is offensive if used to describe sb suffering from a real mental illness.
nuts
[not before noun] ( informal ) mad:
That noise is driving me nuts!
•
You guys are nuts!
batty
( informal , especially BrE ) slightly mad, in a harmless way:
Her mum's completely batty.
out of your mind
( informal ) unable to think or behave normally, especially because of extreme shock or anxiety:
She was out of her mind with grief.
(not) in your right mind
( informal ) (not) mentally normal:
No one in their right mind would choose to work there.
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS :
to be mad / crazy / nuts / out of your mind / not in your right mind to do sth
to go mad / crazy / nuts / batty / out of your mind
to drive sb mad / crazy / nuts / batty / out of their mind
absolutely / completely mad / crazy / nuts / batty / out of your mind
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English gemǣd(e)d maddened , participial form related to gemād mad , of Germanic origin.