maniac, a. and n.
(ˈmeɪnɪæk)
Forms: 7 maniacque, 7–8 maniack, 8– maniac.
[ad. late L. maniac-us (as if a. Gr. *µανιακ-ός), f. µανία mania. Cf. F. maniaque.]
A. adj.
1. Affected with mania; raving with madness.
| 1604 R. Cawdrey Table Alph., Maniacque, mad, braine sick. 1817 Shelley Rev. Islam x. xlii, So, she scourged forth the maniac multitude To rear this pyramid. 1825 Scott Talism. xviii, My words shall be those of the maniac outcast which I am. |
| transf. 1856 Bryant Serenade x, The maniac winds, divorcing The turtle from his mate. |
2. Of, pertaining to, or characterized by mania; belonging to or characteristic of a maniac.
| 1727 Kinneir in Phil. Trans. XXXV. 347, I..us'd Camphire in Maniac Disorders. 1817 Byron Lament Tasso iii, The..maniac cry Of minds and bodies in captivity. 1850 Robertson Serm. Ser. iii. iii. (1872) 35 Like maniac ravings. 1879 Geo. Eliot Coll. Breakf. P. 236 To gaze with maniac stare. |
b. Characterized by wild excitement; frantic.
| 1809 Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 127 In the present maniac state of Europe. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop xxxiv, The performance of a maniac hornpipe. 1862 R. Vaughan Nonconformity 320 To the government this maniac proceeding was a godsend. |
B. n. One who is affected with mania.
| a 1763 Shenstone Eleg. xvi. xxvi, Scornful she spoke, and, heedless of reply The lovely maniac bounded o'er the plain. 1775 H. Farmer Demoniacs N.T. i. viii. 143 All their [sc. demoniacs'] symptoms agree with those of epileptics and maniacs, who fancied they had evil spirits within them. 1784 Cowper Task ii. 663 And 'tis a fearful spectacle to see So many maniacs dancing in their chains. 1828 Scott F. M. Perth xxix, His eye rolled like that of a maniac in his fever fit. 1877 Black Green Past. xxxvi, As though he half expected this maniac to turn and bite him. |
b. attrib. and
Comb., as in
maniac-like adv.; also appositively as in
maniac-maiden.
| 1821 Shelley Prometh. Unb. iv. 470, I, a most enamoured maiden..Maniac-like around thee move. 1845 G. Murray Islaford 149 The maniac-maiden singeth aye Of love. |