mad

phrases

• (as) mad as a hatter

  often humorous
  extremely silly or strange, sometimes because of mental illness

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• drive someone mad

  informal
  to make someone feel extremely angry or upset

  Please stop making that banging noise – it’s driving me mad!

  He drives me mad with his constant criticizing.

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• go mad

  informal
  1. 1

     to become mentally ill

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  2. 2

     to start behaving in a dangerous uncontrolled manner

     He went mad and tried to attack someone.

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  3. 3

     to become extremely excited and happy

     The waiting crowd went mad when she stepped out of the car.

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  4. 4

     to become crazy because you are so bored, upset, etc.

     I would go mad if I had to stay in bed for three weeks.

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• like mad

  informal
  1. 1

     very quickly and with great effort

     We had to work like mad to finish the job before the weekend.

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  2. 2

     a lot

     They’ve all been practicing like mad.

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  3. 3

     in a way that you cannot control or stop

     She was blushing like mad.

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• mad about someone

  informal
  very much in love with someone

  Jack and I were mad about each other.

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• mad about something

  British informal
  very enthusiastic about something

  Charlie’s mad about motorcycles.

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• a mad dash/rush

  a situation in which you are hurrying to do something because you do not have much time

  It was a mad rush to get everything done in time.

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• mad with rage/grief/pain etc.

  unable to behave or think in a sensible or controlled way because of great anger, sadness, pain, etc.

  Mad with grief, he started smashing plates on the floor.

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• someone must be mad (to do something)

  mainly spoken
  used for saying that someone is doing something very stupid, or has done something very stupid

  You must be mad to sell that beautiful house.

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