Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
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name
A hamlet in Clint cum Hamlets parish, Harrogate borough, North Yorkshire, England (OS grid ref SE2661).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
A hamlet in Bitterley parish, south Shropshire, England (OS grid ref SO5877).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
A hamlet in Great Elm parish, Mendip district, Somerset, England (OS grid ref ST7549).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
Bethlem Royal Hospital, a famous psychiatric hospital, now located in Bromley, South London.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A place or situation of chaotic uproar, and where confusion prevails.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: madhouse, pandemonium
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An insane person; a lunatic; a madman.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A lunatic asylum; a madhouse.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
pejorative terms for an insane asylum
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: booby hatch, crazy house, cuckoo's nest, funny farm, funny house, loony bin, madhouse, nut house, nuthouse, sanatorium, snake pit
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: mental hospital, psychiatric hospital, mental institution, institution, mental home, insane asylum, asylum
noun
a state of extreme confusion and disorder
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: chaos, pandemonium, topsy-turvydom, topsy-turvyness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: confusion
Narrower terms: balagan
History
From Bedlam, alternative name of the English lunatic asylum, Bethlem Royal Hospital (royal hospital from 1375, mental hospital from 1403) (earlier St Mary of Bethlehem outside Bishopsgate, hospice in existence from 1329, priory established 1247), since used to mean “a place or situation of madness and chaos”. Bedlam as name of hospital attested 1450. Phonologically, corruption of Bethlem, itself a corruption of Bethlehem (the Biblical town), from Ancient Greek Βηθλεέμ (Bēthleém) from Biblical Hebrew בֵּית לֶחֶם (bêṯ leḥem, literally “house of bread”). However, also compare Spanish belén (“confusion, disorder; a place characteristic of such”).
Across languages
34 source translations are retained for this English entry.
