mad
mad — 形容詞
1. a label from earlier times for someone whose thinking or behaviour was severely
瘋癲的
舊時對精神病患的貶稱，現屬冒犯用語
a label from earlier times for someone whose thinking or behaviour was severely disturbed by a health problem; in modern use, applying this word to a real person with a mental health condition is considered deeply disrespectful.
The old hospital file described the patient as 'mad,' a label that doctors would never use today.
那份舊病歷將患者描述為「mad」，這個標籤是今日醫生絕對不會使用的。
historical context: describes outdated medical usage
In the 1800s, women who refused to obey their husbands were sometimes called mad and sent away to asylums.
在十九世紀，不順從丈夫的女性有時被稱為mad，並被送往精神病院。
Calling a person with depression 'mad' is deeply offensive and shows a lack of understanding about mental health.
稱呼患有憂鬱症的人為mad是非常冒犯的，顯示出對心理健康缺乏理解。
The school ran a workshop on why words like mad should not be used to describe mental health conditions.
學校舉辦了一場工作坊，說明為何不該用mad這類詞來描述心理健康狀況。
- mentally ill
the neutral, modern term; preferred in clinical and polite contexts
- insane
stronger and also potentially offensive; used more in legal contexts (insanity defense) than in everyday speech
- deranged
literary or dramatic; suggests extreme disturbance
文法句型
mad + noun
be + mad
用法筆記
This sense is now considered offensive when used about a real person. Use 'has a mental health condition,' 'is mentally ill,' or name the specific condition (e.g. 'has schizophrenia') instead. The word remains acceptable in fixed historical or metaphorical contexts (e.g. 'mad as a hatter' in literature).
常見錯誤
2. so unreasonable or lacking in good sense that other people cannot understand you
愚蠢的
非常不理智或荒謬的
so unreasonable or lacking in good sense that other people cannot understand your thinking or actions.
You would be mad to walk home alone through that park at three in the morning.
凌晨三點獨自穿過那座公園回家，你簡直是瘋了。
be + mad + to-infinitive for describing unwise actions
Caio thought it was a mad idea to quit his job without any savings in the bank.
Caio 認為在沒有任何積蓄的情況下辭掉工作是個愚蠢的想法。
The whole team is going skydiving next weekend, which sounds absolutely mad to me.
整個團隊下週末要去跳傘，這在我聽起來完全荒謬至極。
It is completely mad to pay five thousand dollars for a bicycle, no matter how good it is.
花五千美元買一輛自行車，不管它有多好，都完全不合常理。
Leo told his sister she was mad to lend money to someone she had only met twice.
Leo 告訴妹妹，她把錢借給只見過兩次面的人，實在太傻了。
- crazy
very similar in meaning and register; 'crazy' is slightly more common in American English for this sense
- stupid
stronger and more direct; less playful than 'mad'
- absurd
more formal; emphasises the lack of logic in the situation
- ridiculous
suggests something is laughably unreasonable
- sensible
showing good judgment and reason
- reasonable
based on good sense and logic
文法句型
be + mad + to-infinitive
be + mad + that-clause
it + be + mad + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Common in both British and American English, but in British English this 'foolish' sense is more frequent than the 'angry' sense. Often used in exclamations: 'Are you mad?!'
常見錯誤
3. feeling strong displeasure or irritation toward someone or because of something
生氣的
感到非常憤怒或惱火
feeling strong displeasure or irritation toward someone or because of something that happened.
Roya was mad at her brother for borrowing her laptop without asking permission first.
Roya 對弟弟很生氣，因為他沒先問就借走了她的筆記型電腦。
mad + at + person for + reason
The customers got mad when the store ran out of the discounted items before midday.
顧客們非常不滿，因為商店在中午之前就把折扣商品賣完了。
Are you still mad about what happened at the dinner party last Saturday night?
你還在上週六晚宴上發生的事情生氣嗎？
The coach was so mad after the loss that he made the whole team run extra laps around the field.
教練在輸球後非常惱火，讓整支球隊在操場上多跑了好幾圈。
It makes me mad when people throw rubbish on the beach instead of using the bins provided.
看到有人把垃圾丟在海灘上而不使用垃圾桶，我就一肚子火。
文法句型
mad + at + person/thing
mad + about + situation
get + mad
make + someone + mad
用法筆記
Predominantly American English. In British English, 'mad' more often means 'foolish' (sense 2); to express anger, British speakers typically use 'angry', 'cross', or 'furious'. 'Mad at' is the standard preposition pattern in American English; 'mad about' is also common for situations.
常見錯誤
4. full of fast, uncontrolled activity or excitement, often because there is too mu
狂亂的
因匆忙興奮而行為失控
full of fast, uncontrolled activity or excitement, often because there is too much to do or too many people in one place.
There was a mad rush to finish the report before the five o'clock deadline on Friday.
為了趕上星期五下午五點的死線，大家一陣瘋狂趕工。
collocation: mad rush
Amihan made a mad dash through the airport to catch her connecting flight to Manila.
Amihan 在機場一陣狂奔，才趕上她轉往馬尼拉的班機。
The shopping centre was absolutely mad with crowds on the last Saturday before Christmas.
聖誕節前的最後一個星期六，購物中心被人潮擠得亂成一團。
The office turned into a mad scene when the fire alarm went off during the quarterly presentation.
火災警報在季度簡報時響起，辦公室頓時陷入一片混亂。
Small children ran around in a mad frenzy at the birthday party after eating too much cake.
小孩子在生日派對上吃了太多蛋糕後，發了瘋似地到處亂跑。
文法句型
mad + noun (rush, dash, scramble)
mad + with + noun (crowds, excitement)
用法筆記
Often used as an intensifier before nouns describing activity: 'mad rush', 'mad dash', 'mad scramble', 'mad panic'. The focus is on frenetic chaos rather than simple speed.
5. feeling extremely strong liking or enthusiasm for a particular activity, interes
狂熱的
對某人某物極度喜愛著迷
feeling extremely strong liking or enthusiasm for a particular activity, interest, or person to the point where it occupies much of your thoughts and time.
Eri is absolutely mad about Japanese animation and watches at least one film every evening.
Eri 對日本動畫非常狂熱，每天晚上至少看一部。
mad + about + noun phrase
Little Nila is mad about horses and spends every single weekend at the riding stable near her home.
小 Nila 對馬匹極度著迷，每個週末都待在她家附近的馬術場。
Christopher is mad about vintage cars and owns three old Ford models from the nineteen sixties.
Christopher 對老式汽車非常狂熱，擁有三輛一九六零年代的福特汽車。
Adisa has been mad about football since he was five years old and can name every player in the league.
Adisa 從五歲起就瘋狂熱愛足球，能說出聯賽中每一位球員的名字。
Jiwoo is mad about Korean baking shows and tries every new recipe she watches.
Jiwoo 對韓國烘焙節目非常著迷，她看過的每一個新食譜都會試做。
- crazy about
identical in meaning and register; very common in informal speech
- wild about
similar intensity but less common in modern usage
- keen on
chiefly British; milder than 'mad about'; covers general interest
- into
very informal; 'He is really into photography'
文法句型
mad + about + noun/gerund
mad + on + noun/gerund (British)
mad + for + noun
用法筆記
Followed by 'about' (most common in all varieties) or 'on' (chiefly British). The structure is 'be mad about + noun/gerund'. This sense is always about something you already engage with and enjoy, not about something you want but lack (see sense 6).
常見錯誤
6. feeling an intense longing or craving for someone or something that you do not c
渴望的
極度想要但目前尚未擁有
feeling an intense longing or craving for someone or something that you do not currently have, to the point that it fills your thoughts.
Inès was mad for a chance to study art in Paris and applied to three different schools there.
Inès 極度渴望有機會到巴黎學藝術，於是她申請了三所當地的學校。
mad + for + noun expressing strong desire
The team is mad for a championship win this season after losing every single match last year.
這支球隊非常渴望在本季贏得冠軍，因為去年他們每場比賽都輸了。
Teenagers in the nineteen sixties were mad for tickets to see the Beatles and would queue all night long.
一九六零年代的青少年瘋狂渴望披頭四的門票，願意排一整晚的隊。
Élise was mad to get the new video game console and checked the store website every morning.
Élise 非常想買到新的遊戲主機，每天早上都去查看商店網站。
- dying for
stronger and more emotional; 'I am dying for a cup of tea'
- desperate for
suggests urgency and need; slightly more formal
- craving
usually for food, drink, or specific experiences
文法句型
mad + for + noun
mad + to + verb
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 5 (MAD ABOUT): sense 5 describes enjoyment of something you already have; sense 6 describes a yearning for something you lack. 'Mad for' typically signals this craving sense, while 'mad about' signals enthusiasm.
7. so completely focused on getting or keeping something—especially power, money, o
著魔的
為某事執著到不計後果
so completely focused on getting or keeping something—especially power, money, or status—that normal limits of right and wrong no longer guide your behaviour.
The dictator had become power-mad and refused to listen to any of his advisors or generals.
那位獨裁者變得權力薰心，拒絕聽取任何顧問或將領的意見。
compound: power-mad
Darius was so money-mad that he cheated his own business partner out of half a million dollars.
他對金錢走火入魔，連自己的生意夥伴都騙走了五十萬美元。
A power-mad manager can destroy team morale very quickly by ignoring everyone else's input.
一個權力薰心的主管很容易摧毀團隊士氣，因為他完全無視他人的意見。
The media described the politician as ambition-mad after she campaigned eighteen hours a day for months.
媒體形容那位政治人物野心勃勃到走火入魔的地步，她每天競選長達十八個小時。
- obsessed
strong; can be neutral or negative depending on context
- consumed by
suggests the obsession has taken over someone's entire being
- addicted to
suggests a compulsive, habit-forming attachment
文法句型
power-mad
money-mad
sex-mad
ambition-mad
greed-mad
用法筆記
Almost always used in compounds (power-mad, money-mad, sex-mad, ambition-mad). The compound form carries a strong negative judgment, suggesting the person has lost moral perspective. This is stronger and more critical than sense 5 (enthusiasm) or sense 6 (desire).
常見錯誤
8. used before nouns to emphasise that something happens in great amount, at very h
極度的
數量或程度上很大的
used before nouns to emphasise that something happens in great amount, at very high speed, or with a lot of force or energy.
There was a mad scramble for tickets when the popular band announced their world tour dates.
那個受歡迎的樂團宣布世界巡迴日期後，大家瘋狂搶購門票。
collocation: mad scramble
The team put in a mad effort to turn the game around in the final ten minutes of play.
球隊在比賽最後十分鐘拼了命地努力，試圖扭轉局勢。
We had a mad amount of paperwork to finish before the auditors arrived from head office.
在稽核人員從總公司抵達之前，我們有一大堆文書作業要完成。
My grandmother was working at a mad pace in the kitchen, preparing food for thirty dinner guests.
我的祖母在廚房裡以極快的速度忙個不停，準備三十位晚餐客人的食物。
文法句型
mad + noun (effort, amount, dash)
adjective + mad (stone mad, stark mad)
用法筆記
Unlike other senses, this sense modifies nouns rather than describing people's feelings. Typical nouns: rush, dash, scramble, panic, pace, effort, amount. British English also uses 'stark staring mad' and 'stone mad' as fixed intensifying phrases.
9. used after a noun to describe someone who is extremely and enthusiastically inte
迷...的
對某事物極感興趣的後綴
used after a noun to describe someone who is extremely and enthusiastically interested in that thing, often spending a lot of time or money on it.
Rohan is completely football-mad and watches every single match his favourite team plays.
Rohan 是個超級足球迷，他喜歡的球隊每一場比賽他都會看。
suffix: football-mad
My younger brother is train-mad and can name every locomotive model that has ever been built.
我弟弟是個火車迷，能說出每一種曾經建造過的火車頭型號。
Yael is clothes-mad and spends most of her part-time salary on new outfits every single month.
她是個衣服狂，每個月都把兼職薪水的大部分花在新衣服上。
Japan is famous for having gadget-mad consumers who love to buy the latest electronic devices.
日本以擁有熱愛科技產品的消費者而聞名，他們喜歡購買最新的電子設備。
文法句型
[noun] + mad (e.g. football-mad, car-mad, clothes-mad)
用法筆記
This functions as a suffix attached to nouns. Common in British and Australian English; less frequent in American English. The resulting compound adjective describes a hobby-level or lifestyle-level enthusiasm rather than the morally negative obsession of sense 7 (power-mad).
mad — 副詞
1. used before an adjective to add strong emphasis; the same as saying 'very' or 'e
非常地
非正式用法，加強形容詞程度
used before an adjective to add strong emphasis; the same as saying 'very' or 'extremely.'
The street party last night was mad fun and everyone danced until the early hours of the morning.
昨晚的街頭派對超級好玩，每個人都跳舞跳到凌晨。
mad + adjective (fun) expressing emphasis
That roller coaster was mad scary but Noa loved every second and went on it twice more.
那座雲霄飛車恐怖得要命，但 Noa 超愛每一秒，還去坐了兩次。
The young guitarist is mad talented even though he has only been playing for two years.
那位年輕的吉他手非常有才華，儘管他才學了兩年。
The queue for the new ice cream shop was mad long, so we decided to come back another day.
新開的冰淇淋店排隊排得有夠長，所以我們決定改天再來。
文法句型
mad + adjective
用法筆記
Chiefly used in informal British English. It is not standard in formal writing and is most common among younger speakers in spoken conversation and social media. Do not use this sense in academic or professional writing.
mad — 名詞
1. a military and political theory stating that if two opposing countries each have
相互保證毀滅
核威懾戰略，雙方均有足以毀滅對方的核武
a military and political theory stating that if two opposing countries each have enough nuclear weapons to destroy the other completely, neither side will start a war because doing so would mean its own destruction as well.
The Cold War policy of MAD meant neither side could attack without facing total destruction.
冷戰時期的 MAD 政策意味著任何一方發動攻擊，都將面臨徹底毀滅。
historical context: Cold War policy of MAD
During the nineteen sixties, MAD became the central idea behind nuclear strategy between the two superpowers.
一九六零年代，MAD 成為兩大超級強權之間核戰略的核心觀念。
Critics of MAD argue the theory only works when both sides behave in a fully rational way.
MAD 的批評者認為，這個理論只有在雙方都完全理性行事時才有效。
The letters M-A-D stand for 'mutual assured destruction,' a concept that shaped global politics for decades.
MAD 這幾個字母代表「相互保證毀滅」，這個概念塑造了數十年的全球政治格局。
文法句型
MAD (uncountable noun; used as a proper noun)
用法筆記
Always written in capital letters as 'MAD' when standing for the acronym. As a countable noun ('a MAD policy') it is rare. The full form 'mutually assured destruction' is spelled with either 'mutual' or 'mutually' depending on the source.
mad — 動詞
1. to make a person or animal very angry, irritated, or unable to think clearly, us
激怒
使某人非常生氣或煩躁
to make a person or animal very angry, irritated, or unable to think clearly, usually through repeated annoyance or frustration.
The constant noise from the construction site next door was starting to madden the elderly residents of the building.
隔壁建築工地持續不斷的噪音開始讓大樓裡的老年住戶感到抓狂。
transitive: madden + object (people)
It maddens me when people talk loudly on their phones during a film at the cinema.
有人在電影院裡看電影時大聲講電話，這點讓我很惱火。
it maddens + object + when-clause
The slow internet connection maddens everyone in the office, especially on busy days with deadlines.
緩慢的網路連線讓辦公室裡的每個人都很煩躁，尤其是忙碌有死線的日子。
Her constant complaining about small things would madden even the most patient person in the world.
她對小事情沒完沒了的抱怨，就算世上最有耐心的人也受不了。
- madden
the modern form of the same verb; more common than 'mad' as a verb
- infuriate
slightly stronger; suggests making someone extremely angry
- enrage
stronger still; suggests pushing someone into a state of rage
- drive crazy
informal phrasal equivalent; far more common in speech
文法句型
madden + object
it maddens + object + when/that-clause
用法筆記
This verb is rare in modern everyday speech; the noun 'maddening' (adjective) is somewhat more common ('a maddening delay'). In most contexts, speakers prefer 'drive someone crazy,' 'make someone furious,' or 'annoy.' The verb is most often found in literary writing.