raving



stark raving mad

Cliché totally insane; completely crazy; out of control. (Often an exaggeration.) When she heard about what happened at the office, she went stark raving mad. You must be start raving mad if you think I would trust you with my car!
See also: mad, raving, stark

be stark raving mad

  (British, American & Australian) also be stark staring mad (British)
to be completely crazy She looked at me as though she thought I was stark raving mad.
See also: mad, raving, stark

stark raving mad

Totally crazy, as in The constant uncertainty over his job is making him stark raving mad. This term, meaning "completely wildly insane," is used both hyperbolically and literally. Versions of this expression appear to have sprung from the minds of great literary figures. Stark mad was first recorded by poet John Skelton in 1489; stark raving was first recorded by playwright John Beaumont in 1648; stark staring mad was first used by John Dryden in 1693. The current wording, stark raving mad, first appeared in Henry Fielding's The Intriguing Chambermaid in 1734.
See also: mad, raving, stark

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
MiaMEE-ah (Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, German), MEE-ə (English)Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, German, English
June[dʒu:n]
Turlough-Irish
Gyda-Danish
Gorman['gɔ:mən]
Traherne-Welsh