abbr. mutually assured destruction |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
adj. mad·der, mad·dest 2. a. Mentally deranged: "afflicted with hypochondria, depression, and fear of going mad" (Carla Cantor). b. Characteristic of mental derangement: mad laughter. c. Temporarily or apparently deranged by violent sensations, emotions, or ideas: was mad with jealousy. 3. a. Lacking restraint or reason; foolish: I was mad to have hired her in the first place. b. Feeling or showing strong liking or enthusiasm: mad about sports. c. Marked by a lack of restraint, especially by extreme excitement, confusion, or agitation: a mad scramble for the bus. 4. Exhibiting uncharacteristic aggressiveness, especially as a result of rabies, spongiform encephalopathy, or another neurological disease. Used of animals: a mad dog; a mad cow. 5. Slang a. Excellent; wonderful: It's really mad that they can come. b. Abundant; great: mad respect. tr. & intr.v. mad·ded, mad·ding, mads To make or become mad; madden. adv. Idioms: Slang Extremely; very: This place is mad cool. like mad Informal 1. Wildly; impetuously: drove like mad. 2. To an intense degree or great extent: worked like mad; snowing like mad. mad as a hatter/March hare Crazy; mentally deranged. [Middle English, mentally deranged, rabid, angry, from Old English gemǣdde, past participle of *gemǣdan, to derange mentally, madden, from gemād, mentally deranged; see mei-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] maddish adj. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.