c.1369, probably from O.N. *krasa "shatter," perhaps via an O.Fr. form. Originally "to shatter;" now-obsolete metaphoric use for "break down in health" (1476) led to n. sense of "mental breakdown." Extension to "mania, fad," is first recorded 1813. Original sense preserved in crazy quilt pattern. Crazy is from 1576 as "sickly;" from 1617 as "insane;" and from 1927 in jazz slang for "cool, exciting." Phrase crazy like a fox recorded from 1935.
A*crase"\, Acraze \A*craze"\, v. t. [Pref. a- + crase; or cf. F. ['e]craser to crush. See Crase, Craze.]1. To craze. [Obs.] --Grafton. 2. To impair; to destroy. [Obs.] --Hacket.
Crash\ (kr?sh>), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Crashed (kr?sht); p. pr. & vb. n. Crashing.] [OE. crashen, the same word as crasen to break, E. craze. See Craze.] To break in pieces violently; to dash together with noise and violence. [R.] He shakt his head, and crasht his teeth for ire. --Fairfax.
Craze\ (kr[=a]z), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Crazed (kr[=a]zd); p. pr. & vb. n. Crazing.] [OE. crasen to break, fr. Scand., perh. through OF.; cf. Sw. krasa to crackle, sl[*a] i kras, to break to pieces, F. ['e]craser to crush, fr. the Scand. Cf. Crash.]1. To break into pieces; to crush; to grind to powder. See Crase. God, looking forth, will trouble all his host, And craze their chariot wheels. --Milton. 2. To weaken; to impair; to render decrepit. [Obs.] Till length of years, And sedentary numbness, craze my limbs. --Milton. 3. To derange the intellect of; to render insane. Any man . . . that is crazed and out of his wits. --Tilloston. Grief hath crazed my wits. --Shak.
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