madding

UK: /ˈmædɪŋ/ US: /ˈmædɪŋ/ ,(mad′ing)

From the verb mad: (⇒ conjugate)

madding is: ⓘ

v pres p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

mad•ding /ˈmædɪŋ/   adj. [before a noun]

1. noisy;
   tumultuous:
   far from the madding crowd.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

mad•ding  (mad′ing), adj. 

1. acting madly or senselessly;
   insane;
   frenzied:
   a quiet place far from the madding crowd.
2. making mad:
   a madding grief.

• Middle English. See mad (verb, verbal), -ing² 1300–50

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

madding / ˈmædɪŋ/ adjective

1. acting or behaving as if mad: the madding crowd
2. making mad; maddening

ˈmaddingly adverb

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

mad /mæd/   adj., mad•der, mad•dest. 

1. Psychiatry mentally disturbed or mentally ill;
   deranged.
2. angry;
   greatly irritated;
   enraged:
   [be + ~] He's really mad at his daughter.
3. affected with rabies;
   rabid:
   a mad dog.
4. extremely foolish:
   a mad scheme.
   [be + ~ + to + verb]
   You're mad to go out in such weather.
5. very hurried and disorganized:
   [before a noun] mad haste.
6. full of enthusiasm;
   infatuated:
   [be + ~] He's mad about opera.
7. wildly fun-loving;
   hilarious:
   [before a noun] a mad time at the party.

Idioms

8. drive someone mad, to cause someone to be furious or irritated:
   Rush hour traffic always drives her mad.
9. like mad, at a furious pace:
   rushing around like mad.

mad•ly, adv. 

: madly in love with her.

mad•ness, n. 

[uncountable] suffering from madness.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

mad  (mad), adj., mad•der, mad•dest, n., v., mad•ded, mad•ding. 
adj. 

1. Psychiatry mentally disturbed;
   deranged;
   insane;
   demented.
2. enraged;
   greatly provoked or irritated;
   angry.
3. (of animals)
   • abnormally furious;
     ferocious:
     a mad bull.
   • affected with rabies;
     rabid:
     a mad dog.
4. extremely foolish or unwise;
   imprudent;
   irrational:
   a mad scheme to invade France.
5. wildly excited or confused: frantic:
   mad haste.
6. overcome by desire, eagerness, enthusiasm, etc.;
   excessively or uncontrollably fond;
   infatuated:
   He's mad about the opera.
7. wildly gay or merry;
   enjoyably hilarious:
   to have a mad time at the Mardi Gras.
8. (of wind, storms, etc.) furious in violence:
   A mad gale swept across the channel.
9. Idioms, Informal Terms like mad, [Informal.] with great haste, impulsiveness, energy, or enthusiasm:
   She ran like mad to catch the bus.
10. Idioms mad as a hatter, completely insane.

n. 

11. an angry or ill-tempered period, mood, or spell:
    The last time he had a mad on, it lasted for days.

v.t. 

12. [Archaic.] to make mad.

v.i. 

13. [Archaic.] to be, become, or act mad.

• bef. 900; Middle English mad (adjective, adjectival), madden (intrans. verb, verbal, derivative of the adjective, adjectival); Old English gemǣd(e)d, past participle of *gemǣdan to make mad, akin to gemād mad, foolish; cognate with Old Saxon gemēd, Old High German gimeit foolish

Synonyms

• 1. lunatic, maniacal, crazed, crazy.
• 2. furious, exasperated, raging, wrathful, irate.
• 4. ill-advised; unsafe, dangerous, perilous.
  Mad, crazy, insane are used to characterize wildly impractical or foolish ideas, actions, etc.
  Mad suggests senselessness and excess:
  The scheme of buying the bridge was absolutely mad.
  In informal usage,
  crazy suggests recklessness and impracticality:
  a crazy young couple.
  Insane is used with some opprobrium to express unsoundness and possible harmfulness:
  The new traffic system is simply insane.
• 5. frenzied.

Antonyms

• 4. sensible, practical; sound, safe.

Usage

Mad meaning "enraged, angry'' has been used since 1300, and this sense is a very common one. Because some teachers and usage critics insist that the only correct meaning of mad is "mentally disturbed, insane,'' mad is often replaced by angry in formal contexts:
The President is angry at Congress for overriding his veto.

MAD  (mad), n. 

1. Military, Government See Mutual Assured Destruction. 

mad., 

1. madam.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

mad / mæd/ adjective (madder, maddest)

1. severely mentally ill, so that normal thinking and behaviour is impossible
2. senseless; foolish: a mad idea
3. (often followed by at) angry; resentful
4. followed by about, on, or over; often postpositive: wildly enthusiastic (about) or fond (of): mad about football, football-mad
5. extremely excited or confused; frantic: a mad rush
6. temporarily overpowered by violent reactions, emotions, etc: mad with grief
7. (of animals) unusually ferocious: a mad buffalo
8. afflicted with rabies
9. like mad ⇒ with great energy, enthusiasm, or haste; wildly
10. mad as a hatter ⇒ crazily eccentric

verb (mads, madding, madded)

1. to make or become mad; act or cause to act as if mad

Etymology: Old English gemǣded, past participle of gemǣdan to render insane; related to gemād insane, and to Old High German gimeit silly, crazy, Old Norse meitha to hurt, damage