In British English, the word “mad” has a few different meanings depending on the context. At its core, “mad” means “insane” or “mentally ill.” However, the word is also used informally to mean “angry,” “enthusiastic,” or “impressive.”
Mad Meaning Insane or Mentally Ill
The primary definition of “mad” in British English is to describe someone who is mentally ill, unstable, or deranged. For example:
- “He has gone completely mad”
- “She was declared mad and locked up in an asylum”
- “The madman was wandering the streets talking to himself”
This usage of mad refers to people who have lost touch with reality or suffer from delusions. It is a rather old-fashioned and insensitive way to describe mental illness. More sensitive modern terms are “mentally ill” or “mentally unstable.”
Madness in British History
The term “mad” to mean insane dates back centuries in British culture. In the Middle Ages and Renaissance era, some wealthy families would lock up mentally ill relatives in attics or towers, keeping them out of sight from society. These people were known as “mad” relatives.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, insane asylums and madhouses were established to house people diagnosed as “mad” or insane. These institutions were often in horrible conditions and treated patients very poorly.
By the Victorian era in the 19th century, insane asylums tried to improve conditions and care for patients. However, treatment was still very primitive compared to modern psychiatry and mental healthcare. The term “mad” continued being used to label patients.
Is Mad Offensive?
Nowadays, calling someone “mad” to mean mentally ill is generally offensive and derogatory. It implies that mental health conditions are freakish or something to be ashamed of. However, the word “mad” is still sometimes used in phrases like “gone mad” or “driving me mad.”
It’s best avoid calling individuals “mad” for mental health reasons. If you need to describe someone as mentally unwell, use terms like “mentally ill”, “has a mental health condition”, “is unstable”, etc. Be sensitive about language regarding mental health.
Mad Meaning Angry
Another common meaning of “mad” in British slang is to describe someone who is angry or upset. For example:
- “My boss will be mad when he sees I’m late again”
- “She got really mad and stormed out of the room”
- “I was mad at my brother for borrowing my clothes without asking”
This use of mad is informal. It describes temporary anger or annoyance, rather than actual insanity. If someone is “raving mad” it means they are extremely angry to the point of ranting.
Origin of Mad for Angry
Using “mad” to mean angry originated in the 1920s in American English. However, it became popular in British English by the 1950s. It may have developed from the phrase “hopping mad” meaning very angry and agitated.
This usage compares someone’s anger to the irrationality and loss of control seen in an insane person. When people are very angry, they act in ways reminiscent of mental instability.
Mad Meaning Enthusiastic
In British slang, if someone is “mad about” or “mad for” something, it means they are extremely enthusiastic and passionate about it. For example:
- “He is mad about football and plays every weekend”
- “She was mad for the new band and went to all their concerts”
- “I’m mad for chocolate and could eat it every day”
This usage of mad conveys how the person is almost obsessed and fanatical about the subject. Their enthusiasm is so extreme it borders on irrational.
Origin of Mad for Enthusiastic
This meaning of “mad” originated around the 1960s from the earlier slang phrase “like mad” which meant “excessively.” If someone liked something “like mad” it indicated their extreme attachment. Eventually it was shortened to just saying someone is “mad” about something.
Mad Meaning Impressive
In British slang, “mad” can also mean extremely impressive or excellent. This usage is often found in phrases like:
- “That was a mad party last night!”
- “He has mad football skills”
- “She danced mad well in the competition”
Here mad conveys how the speaker is awed or amazed at something. The party, football skills, or dancing are so good that it’s described as “mad.”
Origin of Mad for Impressive
This slang use of mad developed in the 1980s from the earlier “like mad” phrase. The extreme and excessive qualities of something “mad” made it a good intensifier for impressiveness. It became popular in hip hop culture to use “mad” to describe rapping, dancing, or other skills.
Other Usages of Mad in British Slang
The word “mad” has some other informal meanings in British slang, including:
- Crazy: “My friend has a mad hairstyle” or “He wears the maddest clothes.”
- Weird/Eccentric: “She’s quite mad – she wears costumes and reenacts movie scenes in public!”
- Funny: “The comedian told a mad joke about his mother-in-law.”
In these cases, “mad” means outside the norm or unconventional in an amusing and harmless way.
Using Mad in a Playful Way
Today in the UK, younger generations often use “mad” in a playful manner. Both positive and negative meanings can be implied based on context and tone. For example:
- “You went to Dave’s mad party last night? Nice!” (positive connotation)
- “Mate, quit being mad and chill out.” (negative connotation)
This flexible usage shows how “mad” has become a catch-all slang term among British youth and young adults.
Regional Differences in Mad
“Mad” is popular slang across most of Britain. However, it may be used slightly more frequently in southern England compared to northern regions.
Some linguists theorize the origins of using “mad” for impressive/excellent originated in London or other southern urban areas in the 1980s before spreading nationwide.
Mad vs Bonkers, Mental, and Other British Slang
While “mad” is common British slang, some similar alternatives include:
- Bonkers – Silly, crazy, or irrational. “My uncle Jerry is quite bonkers – he tried to build a rocket from scratch in his backyard.”
- Mental – Insane or unhinged. “Don’t listen to my mental Aunt Betty’s conspiracy theories.”
- Nutty – Eccentric or mad. “I have a nutty professor who wears costumes to each lecture.”
- Barmy – Crazy or foolish. “You’re barmy if you think I’ll lend you £500.”
However, “mad” remains the most ubiquitous and flexible slang term to describe eccentric, angry, or impressive things in British English.
Conclusion
Although “mad” originally described insanity, it now has many informal uses in British slang:
- Angry (“My boss will be mad!”)
- Enthusiastic (“I’m mad for chocolate.”)
- Impressive (“That was a mad party last night!”)
- Eccentric/weird (“She wears mad costumes in public.”)
Younger Brits especially use “mad” flexibly for positive and negative meaning based on context. It’s best to avoid calling individuals “mad” for mental health reasons. But “mad” remains a colorful bit of British slang for everyday informal situations among friends.