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insane

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in⋅sane

[in-seyn]
–adjective
1. not sane; not of sound mind; mentally deranged.
2. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a person who is mentally deranged: insane actions; an insane asylum.
3. utterly senseless: an insane plan.

Origin:
1550–60; < L insānus. See in- 3 , sane


in⋅sane⋅ly, adverb
in⋅sane⋅ness, noun


1. demented; lunatic, crazed, crazy; maniacal. 3. foolish, irrational. See mad.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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in·sane   (ĭn-sān')   
adj.  
    1. Of, exhibiting, or afflicted with insanity.

    2. Characteristic of or associated with persons afflicted with insanity: an insane laugh; insane babbling.

    3. Intended for use by such persons: an insane asylum.

  1. Immoderate; wild: insane jealousy.

  2. Very foolish; absurd: took insane risks behind the wheel.


[Latin īnsānus : in-, not; see in-1 + sānus, sane, healthy.]
in·sane'ly adv., in·sane'ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

insane 
1560, from L. insanus "mad, insane, outrageous, excessive, extravagant," from in- "not" + sanus (see sane). Originally only of persons; of actions, from 1842. Cf. lunatic; and It. pazzo "insane," originally a euphemism, from L. patiens "suffering." Ger. verrückt, lit. pp. of verrücken "to displace," "applied to the brain as to a clock that is 'out of order' " [Buck].
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: in·sane
Function: adjective
: affected with insanity
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: in·sane
Pronunciation: (')in-'sAn
Function: adjective
1 : mentally disordered : exhibiting insanity
2 : used by, typical of, or intended for insane persons insane asylum> —in·sane·ly adverb
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

insane in·sane (ĭn-sān')
adj.
Of, exhibiting, or afflicted with insanity.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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