fren·zy

[fren-zee] noun, plural fren·zies, verb, fren·zied, fren·zy·ing.
noun
1.
extreme mental agitation; wild excitement or derangement.
2.
a fit or spell of violent mental excitement; a paroxysm characteristic of or resulting from a mania: He is subject to these frenzies several times a year.
verb (used with object)
3.
to drive to frenzy; make frantic: She was frenzied by fear when she smelled the smoke.

Origin:
1300–50; Middle English frenesie < Old French < Late Latin phrenēsis < Late Greek, for Greek phrenîtis; see phrenitis

fren·zi·ly, adverb


2. madness, insanity, lunacy, aberration; rage, fury, raving.


1. calm. 2. sanity.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To frenzy
00:10
Frenzy is one of our favorite verbs.
So is subtilize. Does it mean:
to introduce subtleties into or argue subtly about.
to flee; abscond:
Collins
World English Dictionary
frenzy (ˈfrɛnzɪ) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n , pl -zies
1.  violent mental derangement
2.  wild excitement or agitation; distraction
3.  a bout of wild or agitated activity: a frenzy of preparations
 
vb , -zies, -zies, -zying, -zied
4.  (tr) to make frantic; drive into a frenzy
 
[C14: from Old French frenesie, from Late Latin phrēnēsis madness, delirium, from Late Greek, ultimately from Greek phrēn mind; compare frenetic]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

frenzy
mid-14c., from O.Fr. frenesie, from M.L. phrenesia, from phrenesis, back formation from L. phreneticus "delirious" (see frenetic). Related: Frenzied.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Follow along as a small army of employees whirls behind the scenes in a frenzy
  of activity surrounding a major state dinner.
Follow the frenzy of activity as a small army of employees whirls behind the
  scenes of a major state dinner.
There's a frenzy of activity throughout the picture, which convincingly depicts
  the chaos of a film set thrown into anarchy.
It's a suitable day trip for those looking to escape the frenzy of the city.
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT