| 释义 |
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.
1604R. Cawdrey Table Alph., Maniacque, mad, braine sick. 1817Shelley Rev. Islam x. xlii, So, she scourged forth the maniac multitude To rear this pyramid. 1825Scott Talism. xviii, My words shall be those of the maniac outcast which I am.
transf.1856Bryant 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.
1727Kinneir in Phil. Trans. XXXV. 347, I..us'd Camphire in Maniac Disorders. 1817Byron Lament Tasso iii, The..maniac cry Of minds and bodies in captivity. 1850Robertson Serm. Ser. iii. iii. (1872) 35 Like maniac ravings. 1879Geo. Eliot Coll. Breakf. P. 236 To gaze with maniac stare.
b. Characterized by wild excitement; frantic.
1809Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 127 In the present maniac state of Europe. 1840Dickens Old C. Shop xxxiv, The performance of a maniac hornpipe. 1862R. Vaughan Nonconformity 320 To the government this maniac proceeding was a godsend.
B. n. One who is affected with mania.
a1763Shenstone Eleg. xvi. xxvi, Scornful she spoke, and, heedless of reply The lovely maniac bounded o'er the plain. 1775H. 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. 1784Cowper Task ii. 663 And 'tis a fearful spectacle to see So many maniacs dancing in their chains. 1828Scott F. M. Perth xxix, His eye rolled like that of a maniac in his fever fit. 1877Black 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.
1821Shelley Prometh. Unb. iv. 470, I, a most enamoured maiden..Maniac-like around thee move. 1845G. Murray Islaford 149 The maniac-maiden singeth aye Of love. |