berserk

plural berserks · alternative beserk · alternative berzerk

1. historicalSynonym of berserker (“a Norse warrior who fought in a frenzy”).

   The Professor, with his face flushed, his nostrils dilated, and his beard bristling, was now in a proper Berserk mood.

   1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, “‘‘Question!’’”, in The Lost World […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC, page 76

   1 more example

   She had heard of his profligacy, his bursts of fierce Berserk-madness; and yet now these very faults, instead of repelling, seemed to attract her, and intensify her longing to save him.

   1848, [Charles Kingsley], “New Actors, and a New Stage”, in Yeast: A Problem. […], London: John W[illiam] Parker, […], published 1851, →OCLC, page 40

   Synonyms: berserker

comparative more berserk · superlative most berserk

1. Furiously, injuriously, or maniacally violent or out of control.

   After seeing his sister stabbed to death, he went berserk and attacked the killer like a wild animal.

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   'You went Berserk. I've read all about it in Hypatia.' […] 'You've gone Berserk and pretty soon you'll go to sleep. But you'll probably be liable to fits of it all your life,' Beetle concluded.

   1908 (date written), Rudyard Kipling, “Regulus”, in A Diversity of Creatures, London: Macmillan and Co., […], published 1917, →OCLC, page 264

2. broadlyBizarre; weird.

   [T]he writer conjured up a dystopian fantasy more berserk than anything you might find yourself listening to in the small hours at the Stone Circle.

   2017 June 26, Alexis Petridis, “Glastonbury 2017 verdict: Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Lorde, Stormzy and more”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 30 Mar 2022

3. broadlydialectalrareslangWildly joyous; ecstatic.

   In amongst the strife, Scott McTominay, whose stoppage-time winner against Israel sent Hampden berserk, and Ryan Christie offered signs of an attacking pulse.

   2021 October 12, Jamie Lyall, “Faroe Islands 0 – 1 Scotland”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 24 Jul 2022

   Synonyms: blissed out, blithe, buoyant, chirpy, blithesome, bonnie, bright, cheerful

present singular third person berserks · participle present berserking · participle past berserked · past berserked

1. intransitiveTo be or become berserk.

   You grew cool faster when danger lurked, / Yeah, learned a new yearn when senses berserked.

   1980, Krishna Srinivas, Winds, Madras: Poets Press India, →OCLC, page 59

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   When great champions went berserking and were angry, they lost their human nature and went mad like dogs.

   1899 April, G[ranville] Stanley Hall, “A Study of Anger”, in The American Journal of Psychology, volume X, number 3, Worcester, Mass.: Clark University, […] Louis N. Wilson, […], page 522

   I suppose losing one hand made Stack especially sensitive to the possible loss of another. The wound was superficial, but he berserked. He killed the native with a riot gun, then turned it on the rest of them. A lieutenant had to bludgeon him into unconsciousness before he could be stopped.

   1958 December, Finn O’Donnevan [pseudonym; Robert Sheckley], “Join Now”, in Galaxy Magazine, volume 17, number 2, New York, N.Y.: Galaxy Publishing Corporation, page 28, column 1

   The oncoming horde berserked through the mine field, York field pieces going off in all directions.

   1959, Francis Leary, “Rene and Marguerite d’Anjou: the tragic geste”, in The Golden Longing, London: John Murray […], published 1960, page 186

   Last night we drove through suddenly warring weather. Wind and lightning havocked, berserked in wires, trees.

   1966, Robert Hayden, “Electrical Storm”, in Selected Poems, New York, N.Y.: October House Inc., →LCCN, page 13

   But the blood was in Mym’s mouth, and his berserker rage was coming upon him. No mortal man could match the reflexes and power of a berserker; the fact that Mym’s rage was controlled did not change that. “Isn’t that quaint,” Satan said. “He berserks. Perhaps this will be at least minimally entertaining.” He thrust with the spear again, and Mym dodged aside again, but the miss was narrow.

   1986, Piers Anthony, “Revolt”, in Wielding a Red Sword (Incarnations of Immortality; book four), New York, N.Y.: Del Rey Books, →ISBN, page 246

   Synonyms: go berserk

2. transitiveTo make berserk.

   It can use Slash to physically attack one character or Wrath to berserk the party.

   2016, Bravely Second: End Layer, Strategy Guide, Gamer Guides, →ISBN

   3 more examples

   He neither knows himself nor his outriders; he berserks a fearful dimension and dismounts, miraculously, in bed!

   1937, Djuna Barnes, Nightwood, New Directions Publishing, published 2006, →ISBN, page 87

   O holy Virgin, whereabout / Were you when all the swinish rout / Berserked the town? Those legions of the dead / Move only at the lash of lust. / Pray for us, or we die to trust— / Charred matchwood cursing Christ, who also bled.

   1981, Roy Bennett, Images of Summer, Sutton, Surrey: Hippopotamus Press, →ISBN, page 76

   After a quote from Miller, calling Bukowski the “poet satyr of today’s underground,” and another from Bukowski, “Sexual intercourse is kicking death in the ass while singing,” Jon worked to lure an audience to see the “world famous poet, critic and storyteller whose Notes of a Dirty Old Man so far has sold 250,000 copies & whose All the Assholes in the World & Mine berserked the establishment to billy-club screams of outrage.”

   2007, Jeff Weddle, Bohemian New Orleans: The Story of the Outsider and Loujon Press, University Press of Mississippi, →ISBN, page 148