schiz

See also: schiz-

English

Alternative forms

• schitz, schizz, shitz, skitz, skiz

Etymology

Clipping of schizophrenic. Compare schizo, schizoid.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /skɪts/
• Rhymes: -ɪts

Noun

schiz (plural schizes)

1. (slang) An insane person.

   Synonyms: schizo; see also Thesaurus:mad person

   • 1973, Thomas Pynchon, Gravity's Rainbow, 1st US edition, New York: Viking Press, →ISBN, part 1: Beyond the Zero, page 131:

     At "The White Visitation" there's a long-time schiz, you know, who believes that he is World War II.

   • 1982, Philip Straker, Night Bait, New York, N.Y.: Zebra Books, →ISBN, page 104:

     "Who's he?" ¶ "Anthony Pervis, my pimp. Everyone calls him—" ¶ "Cadillac, right? I know him. He's a schizz." ¶ "Yeah, and he's the one who's been killing all these people with laced junk. I just found one of my friends...dead. Just now. I saw him give her the smack."

   • 1986, Jonathan Kellerman, Blood Test, New York, N.Y.: Signet Books, published 1987, page 23:

     His voice had taken a decidedly menacing tone. Manics could do damage when they got worked up. As bad as paranoid schizes. It was obvious that the power of persuasion wasn't going to do the trick.

   • 1991, Bruce Wagner, Force Majeure, New York, N.Y.: Random House, →ISBN, page 351:

     As they entered the room, they saw him, head resting on the makeup table, arms dangling like a real skitz.

Adjective

schiz (comparative more schiz, superlative most schiz)

1. (slang) Crazy, insane.

   Synonyms: schizzy; see also Thesaurus:insane

   to go schiz

   • 1991, Jane S[uzanne] Fancher, Groundties, New York, N.Y.: Warner Books, →ISBN, pages 150–151:

     "Why didn't you say something? Don't you know some people go totally schitz their first time out?"

   • 2008, Hag Hughes, Prank!: Taking the Joke Just a Little Too Far, Brighton, East Sussex: Pen Press Publishers Ltd, →ISBN, page 202:

     From dere, I must admit, he went a little schitz on me, running all over.

2. (psychiatry, slang) Involving or pertaining to schizophrenia (in the medical sense); schizophrenic.

   a schiz patient

   • 1997, Matthew Hall, The Art of Breaking Glass, Boston, M.A. […]: Little, Brown and Company, →ISBN, page 18:

     Taggart, and Chusid are goin' up to the schiz ward. Grein is being released on her own, pending she stays on her meds.

   • 1998, Steven Barnes, Iron Shadows, New York, N.Y.: Tor Books, →ISBN, page 207:

     "Kolla," Simon said. "She's really good. She counsels for us. You're having a little schiz break," he said.

   • 2020 October 10, u/Tactical_Salt, “That's a big big win”, in Reddit‎^[1], r/dankmemes, archived from the original on 20 January 2024:

     Go into the doctor's office. He gives you schiz meds, you take them and the doctor and his office disappear.

3. (slang, loosely, uncommon) Of a situation: odd, bizarre.

   This all sounds a little schiz to me.

Verb

schiz (third-person singular simple present schizes, present participle schizing, simple past and past participle schized)

1. (intransitive, slang) To act in an erratic and unpredictable manner; to go insane; to exhibit symptoms of schizophrenia.

   Synonyms: (slang, loosely) trip, tweak; see also Thesaurus:go crazy

   Whoa, don't schiz out on me.

   • 1988 February, Rory Harper, “Triage”, in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, volume 74, number 2, Cornwall, C.T.: Mercury Press, Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 43:

     So maybe I'm seeing them, not as they are right now, but as they will be when they die. Or maybe I'm just skitzing out. But it sure doesn't have the symptoms of any psychosis I've ever read or heard about.

   • 1989, Michael A[ustin] Stackpole, Lethal Heritage, Chicago, I.L.: FASA Corporation, →ISBN, page 115:

     "Is your computer schizing out on you?" Anika asked, apparently having the same problem with hers.

   • 2006, Beth Killian, The 310: Everything She Wants, New York, N.Y.: Pocket Books, →ISBN, page 114:

     "Why you skitzing, girl? And what's up with that raggedy hooptie?" He regarded the Goose with scorn. "Guess you don't need no ice and no billie."

   • 2008, Yxta Maya Murray, The King's Gold: An Old World Novel of Adventure, New York, N.Y.: Harper, →ISBN, page 281:

     "Sounds like a belladonna flashback," Yolanda concluded after giving Erik a close eyeballing. "Or maybe Gomara really is schizing. Whatever it is, wish I had a camcorder."

   • 2017 February 24, “Mr Skeng” (track 7), in Gang Signs & Prayer‎^[2], performed by Stormzy:

     Call me Gunshot Mike or Mr Skeng / Check one-two, man skitzed again

Usage notes

• Often used with out.

References

• “schiz, n. & adj.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
• Jonathon Green (2024) “schiz v.”, in Green’s Dictionary of Slang