I. noun
or phren·sy -zē, -zi
( -es )
Etymology: Middle English frenesie, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin phrenesia, alteration of Latin phrenesis, from phreneticus, after such pairs as Latin poeticus poetic: poesis poetry, poesy
1.
a. : a temporary madness or insane derangement : a paroxysm from a mania
was generally docile but became uncontrollable in his frenzies
in a rage amounting to a frenzy
b. : a strong mental disturbance resembling such a derangement and usually resulting in a violent passion
the old man's drunken frenzies and the way his mulatto brood ran shrieking … when he turned on them with a horsewhip — Ellen Glasgow
c. : a violent mental or emotional agitation : abnormal or unusual excitement
a disturbing air of frenzy about his writing
a frenzy of delight
the sexual frenzy — E.A.Armstrong
a frenzy of resentment — American Guide Series: Oregon
a frenzy of mystical exaltation — C.S.Kilby
2.
a. : the activity of one that is frenzied
a frenzy of skiing
small watercourses race in a white-capped frenzy down mountain and forest slope — American Guide Series: Oregon
especially : intense persistent usually wild and often disorderly compulsive or agitated activity
the wild frenzy of religious camp meetings — J.T.Adams
the frenzy of the geysers — Margaret Clarke
b. : an activity of this kind
until the imagination is tortured into a frenzy of baffled guessing — J.W.Beach
a frenzy of high living — Arnold Bennett
the frenzy of wartime production — American Guide Series: Michigan
a frenzy of abuse
c. : intensity of effort
in order to wrest a living from the soil … had to toil with a frenzy approaching desperation — D.L.Cohn
Synonyms: see mania
II. adjective
( -er/-est )
dialect England : angry
III. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
: to affect with frenzy : drive to madness
the sport which frenzies our colleges each autumn — Frederic Morton