frenzy

English[edit]

English Wikipedia has articles on:

frenzied and frenzy (disambiguation)

From Middle English frensy, frenesie, from Old French frenesie, from Latin phrenesis, from Ancient Greek *φρένησις (*phrénēsis), a later equivalent of φρενῖτις (phrenîtis, “inflammation of the brain”): see frantic and frenetic.

frenzy (countable and uncountable, plural frenzies)

A state of wild activity or panic.
She went into a cleaning frenzy to prepare for the unexpected guests.
- 1983, Richard Ellis, The Book of Sharks, Knopf, →ISBN, page 170:
  It is during these frenzies that sharks have been known to bite everything in sight, including other sharks engaged in the same activity.
A violent agitation of the mind approaching madness; rage.
- 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, OCLC 79426475, Act I, scene ii, page 1:
  All else is towering frenzy and distraction.
- c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act V, scene i]:
  The poet's eye in a fine frenzy rolling.

state of wild activity or panic

frenzy (comparative more frenzy, superlative most frenzy)

(obsolete) Mad; frantic.
- 1678 John Bunyan The Pilgrim's Progress:
  They thought that some frenzy distemper had got into his head.

frenzy (third-person singular simple present frenzies, present participle frenzying, simple past and past participle frenzied)

(uncommon) To render frantic.
- 1833, James Anthony Froude, Fraser's Magazine - Volume 7‎^[1], page 456:
  
  Both goaded on to strife by frenzying hate.
- 1865, Gerrit Smith, Speeches and Letters of Gerrit Smith‎^[2], page 14:
  
  Then there is the absorbing, not to say frenzying, interest, which attends our important elections.
(rare) To exhibit a frenzy, such as a feeding frenzy.
- 2009, Louise Southerden, Surf's Up: The Girl's Guide to Surfing‎^[3], →ISBN:
  
  The fresh smell of salt air, the sound of the crashing swell, the soothing immersion in the water, the sight of dolphins playing and fish frenzying beneath my board.