berserk

berserk
[bə'sə:k, -z-]
adjective out of control; wild or frenzied.
noun (also berserker) an ancient Norse warrior who fought with frenzy.
Word History
Berserk was first used in English in the early 19th century, in reference to ancient Norse warriors, berserkers, who fought with furious violence. The word derives from Old Norse berserkr, probably from bjorn 'bear' + serkr 'coat'; it has been suggested that warriors performed a war dance wearing bearskins to imbue them with the bear's strength before battle. The word has also been explained as being from berr 'bare' (i.e. without armour).

English new terms dictionary. 2014.

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  • Berserk — Originaltitel ベルセルク Transkription Beruseruku …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • berserk — (adj.) 1844, from berserk (n.) Norse warrior, by 1835, an alternative form of BERSERKER (Cf. berserker) (1822), a word which was introduced by Sir Walter Scott, from O.N. berserkr (n.) raging warrior of superhuman strength; probably from *ber… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Berserk — or berzerk can refer to: * A berserker, a fierce warrior, often associated with Norsemen * Berserk (manga), a Japanese manga and, later, anime series * A status effect in a variety of role playing games, which generally causes the affected… …   Wikipedia

  • Berserk — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Berserk puede referirse a: Berserk, serie de manga y anime. Berserk, la banda de thrash metal, originaria de El Salvador. Véase también: Berserker Obtenido de Berserk Categoría: Wikipedia:Desambiguación …   Wikipedia Español

  • berserk — meaning ‘wild, frenzied’, is now mostly confined to the expression to go berserk. It is in origin a Norse word for a warrior who fought with wild fury. Berserk may be pronounced either bǝ zerk or bǝ serk, although the first is now more common …   Modern English usage

  • Berserk — Ber*serk (b[ e]r*s[ e]rk ; b[ e]r*z[ e]rk ; b[ e]r s[ e]rk) a. [See {berserk}, n.] frenzied; crazed; usually in predicate position. [PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Berserk — Ber serk, Berserker Ber serk*er, n. [Icel. berserkr.] 1. (Scand. Myth.) One of a class of legendary heroes, who fought frenzied by intoxicating liquors, and naked, regardless of wounds. Longfellow. [1913 Webster] 2. One who fights as if frenzied …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • berserk — index frenetic Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • berserk — [adj] crazed crazy, demented, deranged, insane, mad, maniacal, manic, violent; concept 403 …   New thesaurus

  • berserk — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ out of control; wild and frenzied. ► NOUN (also berserker) ▪ an ancient Norse warrior who fought with frenzy. ORIGIN Old Norse, probably from bjorn bear + serkr coat , or possibly from berr bare (i.e. without armour) …   English terms dictionary

  • berserk — [bər sʉrk′, bərzʉrk′; bəsʉrk′] n. [see BERSERKER] a berserker adj., adv. in or into a state of violent or destructive rage or frenzy …   English World dictionary

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