TOP

Definition of mad adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

mad

adjective
 
 
/mæd/
 
/mæd/
(comparative madder, superlative maddest)
Idioms
jump to other results
  1.  
     (especially British English, informal) 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).’
    • You'd be raving mad to miss this annual music extravaganza.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • be
    • look
    • seem
    • …
    adverb
    • absolutely
    • completely
    • quite
    • …
    preposition
    • with
    See full entry
  2. (especially British English, often offensive) having a mental illness that makes somebody unable to think or behave normally It is usually considered offensive to use mad to mean ‘mentally ill’. You can use it, especially in (British English), to mean ‘not sensible’: a mad idea . You can also use it to mean angry, very enthusiastic or very excited: Why are you mad with me? • The fans went mad. note at mental health
    • 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
    Extra Examples
    • His experiences in the First World War drove him mad.
    • The local people all thought she was mad.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • be
    • look
    • seem
    • …
    adverb
    • absolutely
    • completely
    • quite
    • …
    preposition
    • with
    See full entry
  3.  
     [not before noun] (especially North American English, informal) very angry
    • He got mad and walked out.
    • mad at/with somebody (for doing something) She's mad at me for being late.
    • mad about something They're pretty mad about being lied to.
    • (British English) That noise is driving me mad.
    • (British English) He'll go mad when he sees the damage.
    Synonyms angryangrymad ▪ indignant ▪ cross ▪ irateThese words all describe people feeling and/​or showing anger.angry feeling or showing anger:
    • Please don’t be angry with me.
    • Thousands of angry demonstrators filled the square.
    mad [not before noun] (informal, especially North American English) angry:
    • He got mad and walked out.
    • She’s mad at me for being late.
    Mad is the usual word for ‘angry’ in informal American English. In British English, the phrase ‘go mad’ means ‘become very angry’: Dad’ll go mad when he sees what you’ve done. ‘Go mad’ can also mean ‘go crazy’ or ‘get very excited’.    indignant feeling or showing anger and surprise because you think that you or somebody else has been treated unfairly:
    • She was very indignant at the way she had been treated.
    cross (especially British English, rather informal) rather angry or annoyed:
    • I was quite cross with him for being late.
    This word is often used by or to children.    irate very angry:
    • irate customers
    • an irate letter
    Irate is not usually followed by a preposition: She was irate with me/​about it.     Patterns
    • angry/​mad/​indignant/​cross about/​at something
    • angry/​cross with somebody (for doing something)
    • angry/​mad/​indignant/​cross that …
    • to get angry/​mad/​cross
    • to make somebody angry/​mad/​cross
    Extra Examples
    • I get so mad when people don't take me seriously.
    • It makes me really mad when people waste food.
    • My mum's absolutely mad with me!
    • Please don't be mad with me!
    • Dad'll go mad when he sees what you've done.
    Topics Feelingsb1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • be
    • feel
    • look
    • …
    adverb
    • extremely
    • fairly
    • very
    • …
    preposition
    • at
    • with
    See full entry
  4.  
     [not usually before noun] (British English, informal) liking something/somebody very much; very interested in something
    • mad about something/somebody He's always been mad about music.
    • mad on something/somebody to be mad on tennis
    • mad for something/somebody Scott's mad for peanuts.
    • football-mad boys
    • She's completely power-mad.
    Extra Examples
    • He's absolutely mad about cars.
    • She's really mad about painting.
    Topics Preferences and decisionsb1
  5.  
     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.
    • The four companies are in a mad scramble for market share.
    • (British English) The team won and the fans went mad.
    • mad with something (British English) to be mad with anger/excitement/grief/jealousy/love/power
    • I went mad with joy and danced a little jig.
    Topics Feelingsb1
  6. (of a dog) suffering from rabies synonym rabid (3)
    • She was nearly bitten by a mad dog.
  7. (North American English, informal) great
    • Love him or hate him, the man's got mad skills.
    • I have to give mad props (= proper respect) to the camera team.
    8. compare crazy
    Word OriginOld English gemǣd(e)d ‘maddened’, participial form related to gemād ‘mad’, of Germanic origin.
Idioms
hopping mad
  1. (informal) very angryTopics Feelingsc2
More Like This Consonant-doubling adjectivesConsonant-doubling adjectives
like crazy/mad
  1. (informal) very fast, hard, much, etc.
    • I had to run like mad to catch the bus.
(as) mad as a hatter/a March hare
  1. (informal) (of a person) with crazy ideas or behaviour; very silly
    More Like This Similes in idiomsSimiles in idioms
mad keen (on something/somebody)
  1. (British English, informal) liking something/somebody very much; very interested in something
    • He's mad keen on planes.
(stark) raving mad/bonkers
  1. (informal) completely crazy
See mad in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
Check pronunciation: mad

Nearby words

dizzy
adjective
 
 
From the Topic
Health problems
C1
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day