amok
adverb/əˈmɒk/
/əˈmɑːk/
Word Originmid 17th cent.: via Portuguese amouco, from Malay amok ‘rushing in a frenzy’. Early use was as a noun denoting a Malay in a homicidal frenzy; the adverb use dates from the late 17th cent.
Idioms Idioms
See amok in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionaryrun amok
- to suddenly become very angry or excited and start behaving violently, especially in a public place
- The media called for an investigation into claims that the army had run amok.
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