what does "stark raving" mean?

G'day Ohligc,

Thank you for your question.

Stark raving mad is normally the phrase although stark raving is used as an alternative. It means completely insane as in a person talking to himself or raving. Stark mad was first used by the poet John Skelton in 1489. Playwright John Beaumont first used the term stark raving in 1648 while John Dryden first described someone as stark staring mad. Henry Fielding first used the term stark raving mad in 1734.

Regards

2006-11-10 15:05:50 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋

Stark means without adornment. Raving means to be very adamant. So... when someone is said to be stark raving mad, watch out! They are considered over the edge and mentally deranged.

2006-11-10 14:19:49 · answer #2 · answered by Decoy Duck 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋

Stark means plain like naked or obvious. It's usually "Stark Raving Mad"

2006-11-10 16:18:19 · answer #3 · answered by Agnon L 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋

Stark raving mad, I always assumed it means completely nuts, out of control

2006-11-10 14:19:42 · answer #4 · answered by jam 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
what does "stark raving" mean?

2015-08-13 04:13:31 · answer #5 · answered by Malinda 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋

that was decided during the council of trent. many cardinals and bishops argued over this, it was a month long symposium. The countryside was sorely taxed, taking care of the personal needs of these great men. Several were executed in the process but in the end, nodding came to mean "yes" and the side to side motion came to mean "no". The extent of conviction was indicated by the vigorousness of the movement. If someone asked you if you wanted cream in your coffee, and you did, you were supposed to bob your head up and down rapidly, even VIOLENTLY at least eight times.

2016-03-12 21:51:19 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋

stark-extreme
raving-uncontrolable screaming and anger

2006-11-10 14:23:38 · answer #7 · answered by debbie2243 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋

Out of control.

2006-11-10 14:18:01 · answer #8 · answered by Moxie Crimefighter 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋

as in mad! Im stark-raving mad, means major pissed off angry

2006-11-10 14:37:23 · answer #9 · answered by jebbie 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋

I think we all know what raving is!

adj 1: devoid of any qualifications or disguise or adornment; "the
blunt truth"; "the crude facts"; "facing the stark
reality of the deadline" [syn: {blunt}, {crude(a)}, {stark(a)}]
2: severely simple; "a stark interior" [syn: {austere}, {severe}]
3: complete or extreme; "stark poverty"; "a stark contrast"
4: without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative)
intensifiers; "an arrant fool"; "a complete coward"; "a
consummate fool"; "a double-dyed villain"; "gross
negligence"; "a perfect idiot"; "pure folly"; "what a
sodding mess"; "stark staring mad"; "a thoroughgoing
villain"; "utter nonsense" [syn: {arrant(a)}, {complete(a)},
{consummate(a)}, {double-dyed(a)}, {everlasting(a)}, {gross(a)},
{perfect(a)}, {pure(a)}, {sodding(a)}, {stark(a)}, {staring(a)},
{thoroughgoing(a)}, {utter(a)}]
5: providing no shelter or sustenance; "bare rocky hills";
"barren lands"; "the bleak treeless regions of the high
Andes"; "the desolate surface of the moon"; "a stark
landscape" [syn: {bare}, {barren}, {bleak}, {desolate}]
adv : completely; "stark mad"; "mouth stark open"

2006-11-10 14:20:19 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋

what does "stark raving" mean?

13 answers