madman

/ˈmædmən/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmædmən/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmad-ˌman -mən/ (ame, mw)

madman — 名詞

  • madmansingular
  • madmenplural

1. a man whose actions are so unusual, wild, or violent that they seem to come from

1.名詞B2
釋義

瘋子；狂人

行為極端怪異或危險的男子

a man whose actions are so unusual, wild, or violent that they seem to come from a loss of reason, often putting other people or himself at risk

例句

The neighbours described the suspect as a madman who shouted at passers-by from his window.

鄰居形容這名嫌疑人像個瘋子，常在窗前對路人咆哮。

Christopher drove through the market like a madman, knocking over fruit stalls and wooden carts.

Christopher 像個瘋子般駕車穿過市場，撞翻了水果攤和木頭手推車。

like a madman — pattern for intensifying descriptions of reckless action

同義詞
  • maniac

    suggests frenzied, agitated energy and often violent behaviour; slightly more informal than madman

  • lunatic

    now sounds dated and is mostly used for informal exaggeration; derived from old beliefs about the moon causing madness

  • psychopath

    a specific clinical term for a personality disorder involving lack of empathy; should not be used casually for reckless behaviour

反義詞
  • sane person

    someone who acts with reason and self-control

文法句型

like a madman

call someone a madman

brand someone a madman

用法筆記

Frequently used in comparisons ('like a madman') to intensify descriptions of behaviour that is extremely reckless, fast, or violent.

常見錯誤

❌That driver is a madman because he changed lanes without signalling.
✅That driver is a madman
💡he drove the wrong way down the motorway at full speed.' — Madman implies extreme loss of reason or danger, not just a minor traffic mistake.
❌My boss is a madman for giving us Friday off.
✅My boss is a madman for making us work through the weekend with no notice.
💡The term calls for genuinely unreasonable or dangerous behaviour, not a pleasant surprise.

2. a now-offensive label that doctors once used for a person with a serious mental

2.名詞C1
釋義

瘋漢

過時且帶冒犯性的精神疾病用語

a now-offensive label that doctors once used for a person with a serious mental health condition — this clinical usage is no longer accepted and is considered hurtful today

例句

In hospital records, Selim's great-grandfather was diagnosed as a madman and sent to an asylum.

在醫院的紀錄中，Selim 的曾祖父被診斷為瘋漢，並被送往精神病院。

Dr. Okafor warned his students that doctors never write madman in a clinical file.

Okafor 醫生告誡他的學生，醫生絕不會在病歷中寫下 madman 這個詞。

historical medical register — no longer used in modern clinical language

同義詞
  • lunatic

    carries the same historical weight and offensiveness; also derived from discredited medical theories

  • insane person

    archaic clinical phrasing, now considered vague and often inappropriate in formal contexts

  • mental patient

    outdated and potentially reductive; modern usage prefers person-first language

文法句型

describe someone as a madman (historical)

be labelled a madman (dated)

用法筆記

Considered highly offensive when used to describe someone with a mental health condition. Modern alternatives include 'person with a mental illness', 'person living with schizophrenia', or specific clinical terms. The word remains in use in historical discussions and in some literary contexts, but using it as a descriptor for a living person is stigmatising.

常見錯誤

❌My cousin has bipolar disorder; he is a madman.
✅My cousin has bipolar disorder; he lives with a mental health condition.
💡Using madman for someone with a diagnosed mental illness is both inaccurate and offensive.
❌That character in the movie is a madman — the director did a great job.
✅That character in the movie is a madman
💡the actor played the role as someone losing his grip on reality.' — Even in media reviews, describing a mentally ill character as a madman can reinforce harmful stereotypes.