a. [ Compar. Madder superl. Maddest ] [ AS. gem&unr_;d, gemād, mad; akin to OS. gem&unr_;d foolish, OHG. gameit, Icel. mei&unr_;a to hurt, Goth. gamáids weak, broken. &unr_;. ] 1. Disordered in intellect; crazy; insane. [ 1913 Webster ] I have heard my grandsire say full oft, Extremity of griefs would make men mad. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. Excited beyond self-control or the restraint of reason; inflamed by violent or uncontrollable desire, passion, or appetite; as, to be mad with terror, lust, or hatred; mad against political reform. [ 1913 Webster ] It is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols. Jer. 1. 88. [ 1913 Webster ] And being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities. Acts xxvi. 11. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. Proceeding from, or indicating, madness; expressing distraction; prompted by infatuation, fury, or extreme rashness. “Mad demeanor.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ] Mad wars destroy in one year the works of many years of peace. Franklin. [ 1913 Webster ] The mad promise of Cleon was fulfilled. Jowett (Thucyd.). [ 1913 Webster ] 4. Extravagant; immoderate. “Be mad and merry.” Shak. “Fetching mad bounds.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] 5. Furious with rage, terror, or disease; -- said of the lower animals; as, a mad bull; esp., having hydrophobia; rabid; as, a mad dog. [ 1913 Webster ] 6. Angry; out of patience; vexed; as, to get mad at a person. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ] 7. Having impaired polarity; -- applied to a compass needle. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ] Like mad, like a mad person; in a furious manner; as, to run like mad. L'Estrange. -- To run mad. (a) To become wild with excitement. (b) To run wildly about under the influence of hydrophobia; to become affected with hydrophobia. -- To run mad after, to pursue under the influence of infatuation or immoderate desire. “The world is running mad after farce.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]
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