See madcap in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
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"_dis1": "0 0 0",
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"text": "Near-synonyms: mad lad, madlad"
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"text": "Come-on you mad-cap: Ile to the Ale-houſe vvith you preſently; […]",
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"ref": "1599, I. Haywarde [i.e., John Hayward], The First Part of the Life and Raigne of King Henrie the IIII. […], London: […] by [Edward Allde and T. Judson for] Iohn Wolfe, […], →OCLC, page 19:",
"text": "There vvas then in preſence, a certaine old Knight, called Sir Hugh Linne, a good ſouldier, but a very mad-cap, & one that liued chiefely vpon the liberalitie of noble men; […]",
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"ref": "1667 March 12 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), John Dryden, Secret-Love, or The Maiden-Queen: […], London: […] Henry Herringman, […], published 1668, →OCLC, Act III, page 34:",
"text": "Lord, that ſuch a Mad-Cap as I ſhould ever live to be jealous!",
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"ref": "1861 November, W[illiam] M[akepeace] Thackeray, “George the First”, in The Four Georges: Sketches of Manners, Morals, Court, and Town Life, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], →OCLC, pages 34–35:",
"text": "I should like to have seen that noble old madcap Peterborough in his boots (he actually had the audacity to walk about Bath in boots!), with his blue ribbon and stars, and a cabbage under each arm, and a chicken in his hand, which he had been cheapening for his dinner.",
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"sense": "person who acts in a capricious, impulsive, or reckless manner",
"word": "huimapää"
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"masculine"
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"word": "сумасбро́д"
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"text": "[R]un around as he commands. He is a madcap and we must learn to live with him. We are in his hands.",
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"word": "tubelight"
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"text": "VVhy vvhat a mad-cap hath heauen lent vs here?",
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"text": "Bel[lamont]. […] [W]hat place is this? / May[bery]. Bedlam iſt not? / Bel. VVhere theſe mad-men are, I neuer vvas amongſt them, as you loue me Gentlemen, lets ſee vvhat Greekes are vvithin. / […] / Bell. Pray beſtovv your name ſir vpon vs. / Full. My name is Full-moone. / Bell. You vvell deſerue this office good maiſter Full-moone: and vvhat mad-caps haue you in your houſe.",
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{
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"word": "crack"
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{
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"tags": [
"British",
"dated"
],
"word": "ha'p'orth"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "Homer Simpson"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "ignoramus"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "imbecile"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "jamoke"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
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"US"
],
"word": "jerk"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
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"US",
"vulgar"
],
"word": "jerkoff"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "jolterhead"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "jolthead"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "juggins"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "jughead"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "knucklehead"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "lamebrain"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "mameluke (US (Italian-American)"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "slang)"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "maroon"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "meathead"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"tags": [
"British",
"vulgar"
],
"word": "mong"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "moron"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"tags": [
"British"
],
"word": "mug"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"tags": [
"British"
],
"word": "muggins"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "mushhead"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "nimrod"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"tags": [
"dated"
],
"word": "nincompoop"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "nit"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "nitwit"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "not the sharpest knife in the drawer"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "numskull"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
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"obsolete"
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"word": "numps"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "numpty"
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"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
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"obsolete"
],
"word": "nupson"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "oaf"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"tags": [
"Australian",
"British",
"Irish",
"New-Zealand"
],
"word": "pillock"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "pinhead"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"tags": [
"British"
],
"word": "plonker"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"tags": [
"British"
],
"word": "prat"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "retard"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"tags": [
"vulgar"
],
"word": "shit for brains"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"tags": [
"vulgar"
],
"word": "shithead"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
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"word": "shitwit"
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{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "schmo"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
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"word": "schmuck"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "snapperhead"
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{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "softhead"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"tags": [
"dated"
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"word": "sot"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "stupid"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "sucker"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "thickhead"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"tags": [
"British"
],
"word": "tonto"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"tags": [
"Australian"
],
"word": "tool"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"tags": [
"British",
"vulgar"
],
"word": "tosser"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "tosspot"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
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"derogatory",
"slang"
],
"word": "tubelight"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"tags": [
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"vulgar"
],
"word": "twat"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "twerp"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "twit"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
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],
"word": "wally"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"word": "wantwit"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
"tags": [
"British",
"Irish"
],
"word": "wazzock"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:fool",
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"word": "yampy"
}
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"text": "VVhy vvhat a mad-cap hath heauen lent vs here?",
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"text": "Bel[lamont]. […] [W]hat place is this? / May[bery]. Bedlam iſt not? / Bel. VVhere theſe mad-men are, I neuer vvas amongſt them, as you loue me Gentlemen, lets ſee vvhat Greekes are vvithin. / […] / Bell. Pray beſtovv your name ſir vpon vs. / Full. My name is Full-moone. / Bell. You vvell deſerue this office good maiſter Full-moone: and vvhat mad-caps haue you in your houſe.",
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"word": "madhead"
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"word": "crazyhead"
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{
"word": "madman"
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{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "basket case"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"tags": [
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"word": "basket weaver"
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{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "crack"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "crackpot"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
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{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "fruit cake"
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{
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{
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"word": "fruitloop"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "head case"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "kook"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "loony"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "loony tune"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "lunatic"
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"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
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"word": "madcap"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "madhead"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "mental case"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "nut"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "nut ball"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "nutbar"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "nutburger"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "nutcase"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "nutjob"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "nutter"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "psycho"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "psychoceramic"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "schizo"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "screwball"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "space cadet"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"tags": [
"Australia"
],
"word": "space pilot"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"tags": [
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],
"word": "unconventional"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "wackadoo"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "wackadoodle"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "wacko"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "whackjob"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "whacko"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "weirdo"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "wingnut"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:mad person",
"word": "space case"
}
],
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"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈmædkæp/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
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"ipa": "/ˈmædˌkæp/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
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"text": "-"
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈmæɖˌkæp/",
"note": "Indic"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"lang_code": "bg",
"roman": "ludetina",
"sense": "person who acts in a capricious, impulsive, or reckless manner",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "лудетина"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"lang_code": "fi",
"sense": "person who acts in a capricious, impulsive, or reckless manner",
"word": "huimapää"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"lang_code": "ru",
"roman": "sumasbród",
"sense": "person who acts in a capricious, impulsive, or reckless manner",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "сумасбро́д"
}
],
"word": "madcap"
}
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"English nouns",
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"ref": "c. 1588 (date written; published 1591), [John Lyly], Endimion, the Man in the Moone. […], London: […] I[ohn] Charlewood, for the widdowe Broome, →OCLC, Act V, scene ii, signature G, verso:",
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"text": "[H]is mad-cap follies, / VVhich ſtill like Hydras heads grovv thicker on him.",
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"ref": "1808 January 25, [Washington Irving], “Monday, January 25, 1808. From My Elbow-chair.”, in Salmagundi: Or, The Whim-whams and Opinions of Launcelot Langstaff, Esq. and Others, number 20, London: J[ohn] Limbird, […], published 1824, →OCLC, page 137, column 2:",
"text": "[T]hose fairy times when I was a mad-cap boy, crowding every enjoyment into the present moment; […]",
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"ref": "1820 January 1, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “Christmas Eve”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., number V, New York, N.Y.: […] C[ornelius] S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC, page 389:",
"text": "The young Oxonian, on the contrary, had led out one of his maiden aunts, on whom the rogue played a thousand little knaveries with impunity; he was full of practical jokes, and his delight was to tease his aunts and cousins; yet, like all mad-cap youngsters, he was a universal favourite among the women.",
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"ref": "1852, William Makepeace Thackeray, “I Go Home, and Harp on the Old String”, in The History of Henry Esmond, Esq. […] , volume III, London: […] Smith, Elder, & Company, […], →OCLC, page 53:",
"text": "[T]he madcap girl ran up to her mother, put her arms round her waiſt, kiſſed her, tried to make her dance, and ſaid: \"Don't be ſilly, you kind little mamma, and cry about Frank turning Papiſt. What a figure he muſt be, with a white ſheet and a candle walking in a proceſſion barefoot!\"",
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"ref": "2020 March 25, Steve Roberts, “Parly-vous?”, in Rail, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 68:",
"text": "My madcap plan was to catch that 0456, then hang about – probably for the 0624.",
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"ref": "2021 September 15, Laura Martin, “How Talent Shows Became TV’s Most Bizarre Programmes”, in BBC Online, archived from the original on 22 Jul 2025:",
"text": "With this shift in both what shows are being made, and in what viewers desire, the genre hearteningly appears to be reverting to its roots of being an entertainment spectacular, giving the space for novelty and mad-cap amusement that's presented in a warm and humorous way. After a discordant patch, it's in tune again – even if some auditionees, as ever, are not.",
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"glosses": [
"Capricious, impulsive, or reckless; also, bizarre, crazy, zany; or foolish, idiotic."
],
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"Capricious",
"capricious"
],
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"impulsive",
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"crazy#Adjective"
],
[
"zany",
"zany#Adjective"
],
[
"foolish",
"foolish"
],
[
"idiotic",
"idiotic"
]
]
}
],
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"text": "-"
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{
"ipa": "/ˈmæɖˌkæp/",
"note": "Indic"
}
],
"word": "madcap"
}
Download raw JSONL data for madcap meaning in English (23.0kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-02-01 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-01-01 using wiktextract (f492ef9 and 9905b1f). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.