madness — ODE

madness /ˈmadnəs

▸ noun [mass noun]

1 extremely foolish, irrational, or reckless behaviour:

it is madness to allow children to roam around after dark

[count noun] the new laws are a madness.

▪ a state of wild or chaotic activity:

at midnight it's absolute madness in here.

2 the state of having a serious mental health condition (not in technical use):

in his madness he destroyed the work of years.

– ORIGIN late Middle English: from mad + -ness.