madman
/'mædmən/
Definition
- Noun:
- An insane person: A person who is severely mentally ill, particularly one whose behavior is extremely foolish, irrational, or dangerous.
- A wildly foolish or reckless person: Used to describe someone who acts in a very foolish, impulsive, or uncontrolled way.
Usage
- The word "madman" is a countable noun. It is often used in a hyperbolic or figurative sense to criticize extreme or reckless behavior, not just clinical insanity.
- It can be considered offensive when used to describe someone with a genuine mental health condition. More neutral terms like "person with a mental illness" are preferred in formal or sensitive contexts.
- Typically used with articles: , .
Examples
- The villagers were terrified of the madman who lived in the old house on the hill.
- He drove through the storm like a madman, ignoring all warnings.
- Only a madman would attempt to climb that mountain without proper equipment.
Advanced Usage
- "Like a madman": An adverbial phrase meaning with extreme intensity, speed, or lack of control.
- He was working like a madman to finish the project on time.
- "The method in his madness": A reference to the idea that even seemingly irrational behavior may have a logical purpose. This phrase originates from Shakespeare's .
- His plan seems chaotic, but there's a method in his madness.
Variants and Related Words
- Mad (adj): Insane; very angry. (e.g., )
- Madness (n): The state of being mad; insanity; extreme foolishness. (e.g., )
- Madwoman (n): A female insane person. (e.g., )
Synonyms
- Lunatic: An outdated term for an insane person, now also used figuratively for a foolish person.
- Maniac: A person exhibiting extreme symptoms of wild behavior, often violent.
- Psychotic: A clinical term for a person experiencing psychosis, characterized by a loss of contact with reality.
Idioms and Phrases
- "A madman's bargain": A deal or agreement that is foolish, risky, or doomed to fail.
- Signing that contract without reading it was a madman's bargain.
Noun
-
an insane person