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# madness

noun (madness — uncountable; madnesses — rare)

«madness» 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. Very foolish or dangerous behaviour: It would be madness to swim in that storm. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madness/#m1)
2. (old-fashioned) Serious mental illness. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madness/#m2)
3. Wild excitement or confusion: the madness of the January sales. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madness/#m3)
4. Great anger (old use). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madness/#m4)
5. In old tales, madness can also be a name for rabies, a deadly illness of dogs that can spread to people. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madness/#m5)

### In the lessons

In everyday talk «It's madness!» means a plan is silly or dangerous. In stories madness can describe chaos (Black Friday madness, March Madness for US basketball). The old sense for mental illness is now unkind — say «mental illness» instead.

### Examples

- It's madness to cycle on the motorway. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madness/#x1)
- The shops were pure madness before the holidays. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madness/#x2)
- «This is madness!» shouted the captain as the waves rose. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madness/#x3)
- There's method in his madness — his odd plan worked. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madness/#x4)
- The madness of the crowd scared the little boy. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madness/#x5)
- Leaving the gate open with the dog outside was madness. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madness/#x6)
- We call it hydrophobia, but they call it dewanee--the madness--and run. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/madness/#x7)

### Note

Uncountable. From mad + -ness. «Method in the madness» = a hidden sensible reason. Using «madness» about real illness is old-fashioned and can be hurtful.

## In Jewish tradition

It means loss of reason, sent as a punishment in the warnings about breaking the covenant. In Ecclesiastes it means wild folly, set beside wisdom, which the writer tested and found only a striving after wind.

**Interpretation.** Tradition reads these warnings as a call to keep the commandments, which protect people's lives and minds. Ecclesiastes is read as a search that shows the limits of human wisdom without fear of God.

### Examples

- The LORD will smite thee with madness, and with blindness, and with astonishment of heart. (Torah DEU.28.28, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/madness/#x1)
- The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is grievous madness. (Writings ECC.10.13, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/madness/#x2)
- And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly — I perceived that this also was a striving after wind. (Writings ECC.1.17, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/madness/#x3)
- And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness and folly; for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done. (Writings ECC.2.12, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/madness/#x4)

### Note

Uncountable. From mad + -ness. «Method in the madness» = a hidden sensible reason. Using «madness» about real illness is old-fashioned and can be hurtful.

## On Mova

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