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# mad

adjective (mad, madder, maddest)

«mad» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (informal, especially USA) Angry. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mad/#m1)
2. (UK and elsewhere, informal) Very silly or foolish; crazy. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mad/#m2)
3. mad about/on: liking something very much. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mad/#m3)
4. (old or offensive) Mentally ill; avoid this use about real people. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mad/#m4)
5. (slang) Very, or very great: "mad skills". [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mad/#m5)

### In the lessons

In everyday talk: "Mum was mad at me" (angry, mostly USA), "you're mad to swim in winter" (crazy, UK). Phrases: mad at, mad about, go mad, drive someone mad, like mad, mad as a hatter.

### Examples

- Mum was mad at me for being late. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mad/#x1)
- You're mad to go swimming in this cold! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mad/#x2)
- She's mad about horses. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mad/#x3)
- The noise is driving me mad. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mad/#x4)
- We ran like mad to catch the bus. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mad/#x5)
- The crowd went mad when we scored. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mad/#x6)
- (slang) He's got mad skills on the skateboard. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mad/#x7)
- "Den Brer Possum git mighty mad. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mad/#x8)

### Note

Comparison: madder, maddest (double d). "Mad" meaning angry is more American; in the UK people more often mean "crazy". Calling a real person "mad" for illness is unkind. "Like mad" means very fast or very hard.

## In Jewish tradition

In the Torah it means driven out of one's wits by terrible suffering, as a curse that falls on those who break the covenant. The prophets and Ecclesiastes also use it for wild, senseless behaviour, as a "mad flight" or mad laughter, and Hosea says the people scorn the prophet as mad.

**Interpretation.** Tradition reads such curses as a warning of what happens when people turn away from God's commands. Hosea's verse is read as showing how the people mocked true prophets.

### Examples

- so that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. (Torah DEU.28.34, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/mad/#x1)
- Madmenah is in mad flight; the inhabitants of Gebim flee to cover. (Prophets ISA.10.31, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/mad/#x2)
- The prophet is a fool, the man of the spirit is mad! (Prophets HOS.9.7, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/mad/#x3)
- I said of laughter: 'It is mad'; and of mirth: 'What doth it accomplish?' (Writings ECC.2.2, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/mad/#x4)

### Note

Comparison: madder, maddest (double d). "Mad" meaning angry is more American; in the UK people more often mean "crazy". Calling a real person "mad" for illness is unkind. "Like mad" means very fast or very hard.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «mad» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mad/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«mad» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/mad.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «mad» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/mad/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«mad» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/mad.html) on Mova free.