craze
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.something that is extremely popular for a short time.
n.a temporary fashion, notion, or enthusiasm followed by a large number of people.
Simple“The new fitness craze has everyone buying expensive jumping shoes this summer.”
In context“Social media platforms often accelerate the lifecycle of a fashion craze, taking it from niche interest to global ubiquity in a matter of weeks.”
- 02 C2 Proficiency
n.a tiny crack in the surface of a bowl or plate.
n.a fine crack in the glaze or enamel of pottery or porcelain, often caused by heat stress.
Simple“If you look closely at the antique vase, you can see a tiny craze in the glaze.”
In context“Collectors often distinguish between intentional decorative crackle and a natural craze resulting from the uneven cooling of the kiln.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
v.to get small cracks on the surface of something.
v.to produce or develop a network of fine cracks on a surface, such as glaze or paint.
Simple“The old painting started to craze after years of hanging in the sun.”
In context“Exposure to extreme temperature fluctuations caused the protective coating on the exterior panels to craze and eventually flake off.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
v.to make someone lose their mind or become very confused.
v.to derange the intellect or render someone insane.
Simple“The constant noise from the construction site was enough to craze the residents.”
In context“In the gothic novel, the protagonist is slowly crazed by the isolation of the desolate moorland estate.”
From Middle English crasen (“to crush, break, break to pieces, shatter, craze”), from Old Norse *krasa (“to shatter”), ultimately imitative. Cognate with Scots krass (“to crush, squeeze, wrinkle”), Icelandic krasa (“to crackle”), Norwegian krasa (“to shatter, crush”), Swedish krasa (“to crack, crackle”), Danish krase (“to crack, crackle”), Faroese kras (“small pieces”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.