frenzy
Appearance
English
[edit]Alternative forms
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From Middle English frensy, frenesie, from Old French frenesie, from Latin phrenesis, from Ancient Greek *φρένησις (*phrénēsis), a later equivalent of φρενῖτις (phrenîtis, “inflammation of the brain”): see frantic and frenetic. Doublet of phrenesis.
Pronunciation
[edit]Noun
[edit]frenzy (countable and uncountable, plural frenzies)
- A state of wild activity or panic.
- She went into a cleaning frenzy to prepare for the unexpected guests.
- 1983, Richard Ellis, The Book of Sharks, Knopf, →ISBN, page 170:
- It is during these frenzies that sharks have been known to bite everything in sight, including other sharks engaged in the same activity.
- 1999, Linda Flavell, Roger Flavell, “1066[:] The Normans Begin to Erect Castles”, in dictionary of english down through the ages[:] words & phrases born out of historical events great & small, 2005 edition, London: Kyle Cathie Limited, →ISBN, page 17:
- The early years of Norman occupation saw a frenzy of castle building.
- A violent agitation of the mind approaching madness; rage.
- 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii, page 1:
- All else is towering frenzy and distraction.
- c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
- The poet's eye in a fine frenzy rolling.
Derived terms
[edit]Related terms
[edit]Translations
[edit]state of wild activity or panic
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Adjective
[edit]frenzy (comparative more frenzy, superlative most frenzy)
- (obsolete) Mad; frantic.
- 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress:
- They thought that some frenzy distemper had got into his head.
Verb
[edit]frenzy (third-person singular simple present frenzies, present participle frenzying, simple past and past participle frenzied)
- (uncommon) To render frantic.
- (rare) To exhibit a frenzy, such as a feeding frenzy.
Further reading
[edit]- “frenzy”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “frenzy”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- “frenzy”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
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