madding

1. archaicAffected with madness; raging; furious.

   The madding wheels of brazen chariots raged.

   1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

   2 more examples

   Check thy self, thou Air-monger; that with a madding thought, thus chasest fleeting shadows.

   1670, Owen Feltham, Resolves: Divine, Moral, Political, 9th edition, page 26

   Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife.

   1750 June 12 (date written; published 1751), T[homas] Gray, “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard”, in Designs by Mr. R[ichard] Bentley, for Six Poems by Mr. T. Gray, London: […] R[obert] Dodsley, […], published 1753, →OCLC

1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of mad

plural Maddings

1. A surname.