madman
madman — noun
1. a man whose actions are so unusual, wild, or violent that they seem to come from
a man whose actions are so unusual, wild, or violent that they seem to come from a loss of reason, often putting other people or himself at risk
The neighbours described the suspect as a madman who shouted at passers-by from his window.
Christopher drove through the market like a madman, knocking over fruit stalls and wooden carts.
like a madman — pattern for intensifying descriptions of reckless action
Only a madman would try to climb that frozen cliff without any safety equipment.
Journalists called the dictator a madman after he ordered bombs dropped on his own city.
The villagers thought the hermit was a madman, living alone in the woods without supplies.
- maniac
suggests frenzied, agitated energy and often violent behaviour; slightly more informal than madman
- lunatic
now sounds dated and is mostly used for informal exaggeration; derived from old beliefs about the moon causing madness
- psychopath
a specific clinical term for a personality disorder involving lack of empathy; should not be used casually for reckless behaviour
- sane person
someone who acts with reason and self-control
文法句型
like a madman
call someone a madman
brand someone a madman
用法筆記
Frequently used in comparisons ('like a madman') to intensify descriptions of behaviour that is extremely reckless, fast, or violent.
常見錯誤
2. a now-offensive label that doctors once used for a person with a serious mental
a now-offensive label that doctors once used for a person with a serious mental health condition — this clinical usage is no longer accepted and is considered hurtful today
In hospital records, Selim's great-grandfather was diagnosed as a madman and sent to an asylum.
Dr. Okafor warned his students that doctors never write madman in a clinical file.
historical medical register — no longer used in modern clinical language
When Walid called his neighbour a madman at a party, everyone fell silent and looked uncomfortable.
Reading the old file, Amira's grandmother was hurt to see her uncle called a madman.
- lunatic
carries the same historical weight and offensiveness; also derived from discredited medical theories
- insane person
archaic clinical phrasing, now considered vague and often inappropriate in formal contexts
- mental patient
outdated and potentially reductive; modern usage prefers person-first language
文法句型
describe someone as a madman (historical)
be labelled a madman (dated)
用法筆記
Considered highly offensive when used to describe someone with a mental health condition. Modern alternatives include 'person with a mental illness', 'person living with schizophrenia', or specific clinical terms. The word remains in use in historical discussions and in some literary contexts, but using it as a descriptor for a living person is stigmatising.