crazy English · revision 3355

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1570s|origins=enm crasen}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈkreɪ.zi/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|en|craze|-y]],^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)^(MWU 2024)^(Klein 1966) and the verb [[craze]] originally meant “to break in pieces, shatter”, so a crazy person has had their sanity shattered.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ “Diseased, sickly”: 1576^(OED 1989) or the 1570s,^(Etymonline) a sense now obsolete.^(Etymonline) Merriam-Webster dates the adjective to 1566.^(MWU 2024)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ “Full of cracks or flaws, broken, unsound” is from 1583^(OED 1989) or the 1580s.^(Etymonline) “Frail, infirm” is from 1601, and “ruined, bankrupt” from 1700.^(OED 1989) “Of unsound mind, mad” is from 1617^(OED 1989) or the 1610s,^(Etymonline) often used as an exaggeration.^(OED 1989) ''Crazy bone'', for the funny bone, is from 1853,^(Etymonline) and ''crazy quilt'' from 1886 keeps the old sense “broken in pieces”.^(Etymonline) The noun, a mad or eccentric person, is from 1867,^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) and the adverb, “extremely”, from 1887.^(OED 1989) ''To drive someone crazy'' is by 1873, ''like crazy'' “with great energy” by 1905 in Etymonline^(Etymonline) or 1924, originally American, in the OED.^(OED 1989) The jazz-slang sense “cool, exciting” is by 1927,^(Etymonline) and ''crazy like a fox'' by 1935.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1576 – sickly.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1583 – full of cracks.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1617 – insane.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1853 – ''crazy bone''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1867 – noun, a mad person.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1886 – ''crazy quilt''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1887 – adverb, extremely.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1927 – jazz slang, exciting.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Mentally ill; [[insane]].^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Foolish or impractical: ''a crazy idea''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # Very enthusiastic or infatuated: ''crazy about her''.^(AHD)

+ # Wild or very excited.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(archaic)'' Full of cracks; unsound or frail.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(informal)'' A person who is or seems insane.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # ''(informal)'' Extremely.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[crazily]]

+ * [[craziness]]

+ * [[crazyweed]]

+ * [[stir-crazy]]

+ * [[crazy bone]]

+ * [[crazy eights]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[craze]]

+ * [[crazed]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}