Link Centre Dictionary

insane

in·sane

UK/ɪnˈseɪn/ US/ˌɪˈnseɪn/ common informal slang

adjective

1.

afflicted with or characteristic of mental derangement

  • “was declared insane”
  • “insane laughter”
2.

very foolish

  • “harebrained ideas”
  • “took insane risks behind the wheel”
  • “a completely mad scheme to build a bridge between two mountains”
Similar

Origin

From Latin īnsānus (“unsound in mind; mad, insane”), from in- + sānus (“sound, sane”), equivalent to in- + sane.

Phrases

  • a few clowns short of a circus
  • a half bubble off plumb
  • a kangaroo loose in the top paddock
  • drive someone insane
  • general paralysis of the insane
  • general paresis of the insane
  • insane asylum
  • insane in the membrane

Related words

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.