Mad as a March hare

Definitions

• being very angry or crazy
  To describe someone who is behaving in a wild or irrational manner

Examples of Mad as a March hare

• Sarah was mad as a March hare when she found out that her puppy had chewed up her favorite pair of shoes.

  The idiom "mad as a March hare" is used to describe someone who is acting in a wild and frenzied manner. In Sarah's case, she was extremely angry and upset when she discovered that her puppy had destroyed her shoes. March hares are known for their erratic and frenzied behavior during mating season, which is why this idiom is used to describe someone who is exhibiting similarly unpredictable and wild behavior.

• The party was mad as a March hare from start to finish.

  The idiom "mad as a March hare" can also be used to describe a situation or event that is wild and unpredictable. In this example, the party was so chaotic and uncontrolled that it could be compared to the manic behavior of a March hare during mating season.

• My friend is usually so calm and collected, but lately she's been acting mad as a March hare.

  In this example, the idiom "mad as a March hare" is being used to describe a change in behavior. The speaker's friend is typically a calm and collected person, but lately she has been exhibiting increasingly wild and unpredictable behavior, which can be compared to the manic and frenzied behavior of a March hare during mating season.

• The news cycle is driving everyone mad as a March hare these days.

  In this final example, the idiom "mad as a March hare" is being used to describe the collective behavior of a group of people in response to a situation. In this case, the constant stream of news and events can be so overwhelming and chaotic that it is driving people to exhibit wild and frenzied behavior, similar to the erratic behavior of a March hare during mating season.

• Sarah was mad as a March hare during their math class today. She kept muttering nonsensical numbers under her breath and solved every problem in a seemingly nonsensical manner.

  This expression is used to describe someone who is behaving irrationally or behaving in a manner that is unexplainable. In this case, Sarah's unusual behavior during the math class fits perfectly with the idiom phrase. The connection here is the behavior of hares during the month of March. Hares, particularly during their mating season, act in an irrational and frenzied manner, making sharp turns and leaps in the most unexpected ways. This behavior can be compared to Sarah's, who exhibited a similarly unexplained pattern of actions during the math class today.

Conclusion

The idiom "mad as a March hare" is used to describe someone who is extremely angry or acting in a crazy or irrational manner. It is often used in a light-hearted or humorous way to emphasize someone's behavior.

Origin of "Mad as a March hare"

The origin of this idiom can be traced back to the 16th century. The phrase is believed to have originated from the erratic behavior of hares during their mating season in the month of March. During this time, hares are known to exhibit wild and unpredictable behavior, which led to the association of madness with the month of March. The phrase gained popularity through its use in Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," where the March Hare is depicted as behaving in a mad and nonsensical manner. Over time, the idiom has become a well-known expression to describe someone who is acting in a crazed or irrational way.