frantic Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective satellite excessively agitated; distraught with fear or other violent emotion
    frenetic; phrenetic; frenzied.
    • frantic with anger and frustration
    • frenetic screams followed the accident
    • a frenzied look in his eye
  2. adjective satellite marked by uncontrolled excitement or emotion
    unrestrained; mad; excited; delirious.
    • a crowd of delirious baseball fans
    • something frantic in their gaiety
    • a mad whirl of pleasure

WordNet

Fran"tic adjective
Etymology
OE. frentik, frenetik, F. frentique, L. phreneticus, from Gr. . See Frenzy, and cf. Frenetic, Phrenetic.
Definitions
  1. Mad; raving; furious; violent; wild and disorderly; distracted.
    Die, frantic wretch, for this accursed deed! Shak.
    Torrents of frantic abuse. Macaulay.
    -- Fran"tic*al*ly adv. -- Fran"tic*ly adv. Shak. -- Fran"tic*ness, n. Johnson.

Webster 1913