bedlam English · revision 146

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈbɛdləm/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ From [[enm|Bedlem]], a form of ''Bethlehem'',^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) applied to the Hospital of St Mary of Bethlehem in London.^(AHD)^(OED 1989) Founded as a priory in 1247, it is mentioned as a hospital in 1330 and as a hospital for lunatics in 1402;^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) in 1547 it was incorporated as a royal foundation for the reception of lunatics.^(OED 1989) ''Bethlehem'' itself is from [[grc|Βηθλεέμ]], from [[hbo|בֵּית לֶחֶם|tr=bêṯ leḥem|t=house of bread]].^(Wiktionary)

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The town of Bethlehem itself: ''Betleem'' is recorded as a spelling of Bethlehem in Judea from 971.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The spelling ''Bedlem'' is found in a will of 1418.^(Etymonline) From the early 16th century the word meant a madman, especially an inmate of the London hospital,^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989) and later any lunatic asylum^(OED 1989) or madness itself.^(OED 1989) The sense “scene of mad confusion” dates from the 1660s.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 971 – ''Betleem'', Bethlehem in Judea.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1247 – the London priory founded.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1402 – recorded as a hospital for lunatics.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1522 – “a madman, a lunatic”.^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1598 – “madness, lunacy”.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1663 – any lunatic asylum.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1660s – “a scene of mad confusion”.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A place or situation of noisy uproar and confusion.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(archaic)'' A lunatic asylum.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' A madman.^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[bedlamite]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Bethlehem]]

+ * [[pandemonium]]

+ * [[tumult]]