madhouse
/ˈmædhaʊs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmædhaʊs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmad-ˌhau̇s/ (ame, mw)
madhouse — noun
- madhousesingular
- madhousesplural
1. a place that feels wildly noisy and out of control, with people rushing around i
a place that feels wildly noisy and out of control, with people rushing around in a confused way
The station turned into a madhouse after two trains were suddenly canceled.
turn into a madhouse: become chaotic very quickly
By noon, the toy shop was a madhouse with crying kids everywhere.
Our kitchen becomes a madhouse when three cousins need lunch at once.
The emergency room felt like a madhouse during the storm last night.
Outside the arena, vendors and fans made the street a madhouse.
文法句型
a madhouse
turn into a madhouse
be a madhouse
用法筆記
This figurative sense is informal and usually appears with the article 'a'. Distinguish from sense 2: here the word describes any place that is noisy and disorderly, not an actual hospital.
常見錯誤
2. a dated and insulting word for a hospital that treats people with severe mental
a dated and insulting word for a hospital that treats people with severe mental illness
In the old film, the family threatens to send Ignacio to the madhouse.
send someone to the madhouse: dated, offensive wording
A 1930 newspaper called the hospital a madhouse, but the word is insulting.
historical quotation of an offensive label
In the novel, Soraya whispers that her uncle died in a madhouse.
The guide explains that 'madhouse' was once used for mental hospitals.
- psychiatric hospital
the neutral modern term used in present-day English
- mental hospital
understandable and less insulting, though less current than psychiatric hospital
- asylum
historical term for an institution of this kind; now sounds dated
文法句型
the madhouse
send someone to the madhouse
用法筆記
You mainly see this sense in older writing, quoted historical speech, or discussion of past institutions. In present-day English it sounds offensive; people usually say 'psychiatric hospital' or 'mental health hospital' instead. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense names a real institution, not a busy or chaotic place.