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. Doublet of phrenesis.
Meanings
(obsolete) Mad; frantic.
They thought that some frenzy distemper had got into his head. 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress:
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. Doublet of phrenesis.
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) A state of wild activity or panic.
The early years of Norman occupation saw a frenzy of castle building. 1999, Linda Flavell, Roger Flavell, “1066[:] The Normans Begin to Erect Castles”, in dictionary of english down through the ages[:] words & phrases born out of historical events great & small, 2005 edition, London: Kyle Cathie Limited, →ISBN, page 17:
It is during these frenzies that sharks have been known to bite everything in sight, including other sharks engaged in the same activity. 1983, Richard Ellis, The Book of Sharks, Knopf, →ISBN, page 170:
international media frenzy
She went into a cleaning frenzy to prepare for the unexpected guests.
At the very end of the Middle Ages, Breughel depicted country folk wrapped up in fits of mass hysteria, and the historical accounts of these rural frenzies have explained the delirium in terms of the slender diet on which the poor had to subsist during the hungry gap. 1999, Robert Lacey, Danny Danziger, The Year 1000: What life was like at the turn of The First Millennium, London: Abacus, published 2000, page 102:
(countable, uncountable) A violent agitation of the mind approaching madness; rage.
The poet's eye in a fine frenzy rolling. 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, [Act V, scene i]:
He proffered a pact to Satan, calling upon the Fiend and working himself into a frenzy - but his infernal majesty failed to respond. 1965, Attila Zohar, Kings Cross Black Magic, Sydney: Horwitz Publications, page 119:
All else is towering frenzy and distraction. 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act II, scene i, page 18:
da raseri (state of wild activity or panic) · te వీరావేశము (state of wild activity or panic) · es desenfreno (state of wild activity or panic) · ru помеша́тельство (a violent agitation of the mind approaching madness; rage) · ru остервенение (a violent agitation of the mind approaching madness; rage) · ca frenesí (state of wild activity or panic) · pt frenesim (state of wild activity or panic) · ja 逆上 (state of wild activity or panic) · ru энтузиазм (state of wild activity or panic) · bg ярост (state of wild activity or panic) · de Wut (state of wild activity or panic) · mi hōkeka (state of wild activity or panic) · it frenesia (state of wild activity or panic) · bg безумие (state of wild activity or panic) · es frenesí (state of wild activity or panic) · es desfrenamiento (state of wild activity or panic) · da vanvid (state of wild activity or panic) · es paroxismo (state of wild activity or panic) · uk шаленість (state of wild activity or panic) · ru неи́стовство (a violent agitation of the mind approaching madness; rage) · es desenfrenamiento (state of wild activity or panic) · gl guinada (state of wild activity or panic) · de Rausch (state of wild activity or panic) · ru безу́мие (a violent agitation of the mind approaching madness; rage) · ru сумасше́ствие (a violent agitation of the mind approaching madness; rage) · lv trakums (state of wild activity or panic) · hy կատաղություն (state of wild activity or panic) · scn sdilliriu (state of wild activity or panic) · ko 광란 (state of wild activity or panic) · bcl labulabo (state of wild activity or panic) · pl amok (state of wild activity or panic) · ko 발광 (state of wild activity or panic) · scn smania (state of wild activity or panic) · es manía (state of wild activity or panic) · fi paniikki (state of wild activity or panic) · gl farnesía (state of wild activity or panic) · scn sbentu (state of wild activity or panic) · nl razernij (state of wild activity or panic) · la furia (state of wild activity or panic) · ru истерия (a violent agitation of the mind approaching madness; rage) · fi kiihko (state of wild activity or panic) · fi vimma (state of wild activity or panic) · uk божевілля (state of wild activity or panic) · de Wahn (state of wild activity or panic) · scn furia (state of wild activity or panic) · pt frenesi (state of wild activity or panic) · scn frinisìa (state of wild activity or panic) · gl frenesí (a violent agitation of the mind approaching madness; rage) · cmn 發狂 /发狂 (state of wild activity or panic) · cmn 狂熱 /狂热 (state of wild activity or panic) · pdt Wonsenn (state of wild activity or panic) · el φρενίτιδα (state of wild activity or panic) · fr frénésie (state of wild activity or panic) · uk шаленство (state of wild activity or panic) · ru исступление (a violent agitation of the mind approaching madness; rage) · ro frenezie (state of wild activity or panic) · pl szał (state of wild activity or panic)
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. Doublet of phrenesis.
Meanings
(uncommon) To render frantic.
Both goaded on to strife by frenzying hate. 1833, James Anthony Froude, Fraser's Magazine - Volume 7, page 456:
Then there is the absorbing, not to say frenzying, interest, which attends our important elections. 1865, Gerrit Smith, Speeches and Letters of Gerrit Smith, page 14:
(rare) To exhibit a frenzy, such as a feeding frenzy.
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. 2009, Louise Southerden, Surf's Up: The Girl's Guide to Surfing, →ISBN: