bedlam

5 definitions found

bedlam - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Bethlehem \Beth"le*hem\, n. [Heb. b[=e]th-lekhem house of food;
     b[=e]th house + lekhem food, l[=a]kham to eat. Formerly the
     name of a hospital for the insane, in London, which had been
     the priory of St. Mary of Bethlehem. Cf. Bedlam.]
     1. A hospital for lunatics; -- corrupted into bedlam.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Arch.) In the Ethiopic church, a small building attached
        to a church edifice, in which the bread for the eucharist
        is made. --Audsley.
        [1913 Webster] Bethlehemite

  Bedlam \Bed"lam\, n. [See Bethlehem.]
     1. A place appropriated to the confinement and care of the
        insane; a madhouse. --Abp. Tillotson.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. An insane person; a lunatic; a madman. [Obs.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Let's get the bedlam to lead him.     --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Any place where uproar and confusion prevail.
        [1913 Webster]

  Bedlam \Bed"lam\, a.
     Belonging to, or fit for, a madhouse. "The bedlam, brainsick
     duchess." --Shak.
     [1913 Webster]

bedlam - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  bedlam
      n 1: a state of extreme confusion and disorder [syn: chaos,
           pandemonium, bedlam, topsy-turvydom, topsy- turvyness
           ]
      2: pejorative terms for an insane asylum [syn: Bedlam, booby   hatch
         , crazy house, cuckoo's nest, funny farm, funny   house
         , loony bin, madhouse, nut house, nuthouse,
         sanatorium, snake pit]

bedlam - Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 :

  67 Moby Thesaurus words for "bedlam":
     Babel, Bedlam let loose, asylum, blast, bobbery, brawl, brouhaha,
     bughouse, cacophony, chaos, charivari, chirm, clamor, clangor,
     clap, clatter, commotion, confusion, confusion of tongues, din,
     discord, donnybrook, drunken brawl, dustup, flap, fracas,
     free-for-all, hell, hell broke loose, howl, hubbub, hue and cry,
     hullabaloo, insane asylum, jangle, loud noise, lunatic asylum,
     madhouse, mental home, mental hospital, mental institution, noise,
     noise and shouting, nuthouse, outcry, padded cell, pandemonium,
     psychiatric ward, psychopathic hospital, racket, rattle, rhubarb,
     roar, row, ruckus, ruction, rumble, rumpus, shindy, shivaree,
     static, thunder, thunderclap, tintamarre, tumult, turmoil,
     uproar