berserk

Etymology

unearthed in Sweden and dated to c. 6th or 7th century C.E., which were used as dies for producing decorative hammered foils. This plate is believed to depict, on the right, a berserk or berserker wearing a wolfskin.]] The noun is borrowed from Old Norse berserkr (“Norse warrior who fights in a frenzy”), probably from bjǫrn (“bear”) + serkr (“coat; shirt”), referring to the bearskins which the warriors wore. Bjǫrn is possibly ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH- (“brown”); and serkr from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“to bind, tie together; thread”). Alternatively, it has been suggested that the first element of the word is from berr (“bare, naked”), referring to warriors who went into battle without armour, but this is now thought unlikely. Doublet of berserker. The adjective is derived from the noun. The verb might partly be a back-formation from berserker, analyzed as containing the suffix -er. cognates * Icelandic berserkur * Norwegian Bokmål berserk * Norwegian Nynorsk berserk * Swedish bärsärk

noun

1. (historical) Synonym of berserker (“a Norse warrior who fought in a frenzy”)

adj

1. Furiously, injuriously, or maniacally violent or out of control.
   After seeing his sister stabbed to death, he went berserk and attacked the killer like a wild animal.
2. (by extension)
   1. Bizarre; weird.
      [T]he writer conjured up a dystopian fantasy more berserk than anything you might find yourself listening to in the small hours at the Stone Circle. 26 June 2017, Alexis Petridis, “Glastonbury 2017 verdict: Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Lorde, Stormzy and more”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2022-03-30
   2. (rare, dialectal, slang) Wildly joyous; ecstatic.
      In amongst the strife, Scott McTominay, whose stoppage-time winner against Israel sent Hampden berserk, and Ryan Christie offered signs of an attacking pulse. 12 October 2021, Jamie Lyall, “Faroe Islands 0 – 1 Scotland”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 2022-07-24

verb

1. (intransitive) To be or become berserk.
   When great champions went berserking and were angry, they lost their human nature and went mad like dogs. 1899 April, G[ranville] Stanley Hall, “A Study of Anger”, in The American Journal of Psychology, volume X, number 3, Worcester, Mass.: Clark University, […] Louis N. Wilson,[…], page 522
   I suppose losing one hand made Stack especially sensitive to the possible loss of another. The wound was superficial, but he berserked. He killed the native with a riot gun, then turned it on the rest of them. A lieutenant had to bludgeon him into unconsciousness before he could be stopped. 1958 December, Finn O’Donnevan [pseudonym; Robert Sheckley], “Join Now”, in Galaxy Magazine, volume 17, number 2, New York, N.Y.: Galaxy Publishing Corporation, page 28, column 1
   The oncoming horde berserked through the mine field, York field pieces going off in all directions. 1959, Francis Leary, “Rene and Marguerite d’Anjou: the tragic geste”, in The Golden Longing, London: John Murray[…], published 1960, page 186
   Last night we drove through suddenly warring weather. Wind and lightning havocked, berserked in wires, trees. 1966, Robert Hayden, “Electrical Storm”, in Selected Poems, New York, N.Y.: October House Inc., →LCCN, page 13
   You grew cool faster when danger lurked, / Yeah, learned a new yearn when senses berserked. 1980, Krishna Srinivas, Winds, Madras: Poets Press India, →OCLC, page 59
   But the blood was in Mym’s mouth, and his berserker rage was coming upon him. No mortal man could match the reflexes and power of a berserker; the fact that Mym’s rage was controlled did not change that. “Isn’t that quaint,” Satan said. “He berserks. Perhaps this will be at least minimally entertaining.” He thrust with the spear again, and Mym dodged aside again, but the miss was narrow. 1986, Piers Anthony, “Revolt”, in Wielding a Red Sword (Incarnations of Immortality; book four), New York, N.Y.: Del Rey Books, page 246
   The American held his serve to love, and by way of a flourish sent one of the balls up to his opponent with a courtesy ace. He followed this with a pretended prayer of thanks and a self-deprecating gesture. The crowd berserked. The camera, sneaking another quick look at the chanteuse, was rewarded with the flicker of a smile. 1996, Sarah Harrison, Life after Lunch, London: Sceptre, page 9
   The vengeance stalk flashed, more fighting. Rage unleashed until he berserked. The cold FirstFamilies Guildhall. Judging eyes. Pride. Anger. Triumph. 2001, Robin D. Owens, HeartMate, New York, N.Y.: Jove Books, page 153
   His enemy was France, but he destroyed his own people to be certain of their allegiance. I watched him charge against a helpless countryside. He berserks, slashes, burns—oh, he’s formidable when he wants a piece of ground. Now he covets Aquitaine. 2002, Pamela Kaufman, The Book of Eleanor: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Three Rivers Press, page 240
   I berserked / on my loving dog’s / puppies / Poor Molly / I killed her babies / […] / I berserked in New Hampshire / axing my children’s / chickens to death / in a complete rage / I went berserk / and attacked / the chicken coop 2009, Janice Josephine Carney, “My Darkness”, in Mantras from the Great Void, Xlibris
   First I see of the Wasters is when they berserk through the rubble. 2011, John Trevillian, The A-Men Return, Matador, page 35
   For example, one year after Omega Man’s release Welcome Home, Soldier Boys (Richard Compton, 1972) depicts scenes of soldiers “berserking,” and Skyjacked (John Guillermin, 1972) pits an airline pilot (played by Heston as well) against a berserk Vietnam veteran hijacking a commercial airplane. 2012, Claire Sisco King, “Unhinged Heroes and Alpha Traumas”, in Washed in Blood: Male Sacrifice, Trauma, and the Cinema, New Brunswick, N.J., London: Rutgers University Press, page 51
   She came to a stop before Vaegar and Gaea, eyes darting to Fenris. “I’m sorry. Am I disturbing something? Were you about to berserk the fuck out?” she asked just as casually as she would inquire about the weather. 2014, Mya Lairis, A Guardian’s Passion, Loose Id LLC / Lightning Source, Inc., published 2015, page 158
   “I was expecting an ax-wielding berserker at the very least.” “You would,” Grace retorts, but she’s trying not to laugh. “I only berserk on Sundays.” Charity chokes on her cocktail, and Grace leans over and pats her back. “You don’t berserk at all.” 2017, Christina Phillips, Hooked, Entangled Publishing, LLC
   Billy was by all accounts to be a Viking. Six feet four inches tall with a blond beard down to his chest, blue grey eyes that seem to never blink when looking at you. Billy was ready to berserk on a moment’s notice and people sensed it. 2020, JD Erickson, The Adventures of the Few and Sometimes Stan, AuthorHouse
   He loves toying with his victims before he mutilates them. He berserks out when there’s copious amounts of blood. 2020, Trish Brown, The Girl in the Mirror, Dorrance Publishing Co, page 139
   Defying musket and cannon blast, they berserk preemptively against the Tlaxcaltecah. 2023, David Bowles, Guadalupe García McCall, Secret of the Moon Conch, Bloomsbury YA
2. (transitive) To make berserk.
   He neither knows himself nor his outriders; he berserks a fearful dimension and dismounts, miraculously, in bed! 1937, Djuna Barnes, Nightwood, New Directions Publishing, published 2006, page 87
   O holy Virgin, whereabout / Were you when all the swinish rout / Berserked the town? Those legions of the dead / Move only at the lash of lust. / Pray for us, or we die to trust— / Charred matchwood cursing Christ, who also bled. 1981, Roy Bennett, Images of Summer, Sutton, Surrey: Hippopotamus Press, page 76
   After a quote from Miller, calling Bukowski the “poet satyr of today’s underground,” and another from Bukowski, “Sexual intercourse is kicking death in the ass while singing,” Jon worked to lure an audience to see the “world famous poet, critic and storyteller whose Notes of a Dirty Old Man so far has sold 250,000 copies & whose All the Assholes in the World & Mine berserked the establishment to billy-club screams of outrage.” 2007, Jeff Weddle, Bohemian New Orleans: The Story of the Outsider and Loujon Press, University Press of Mississippi, page 148
   It can use Slash to physically attack one character or Wrath to berserk the party. 2016, Bravely Second: End Layer, Strategy Guide, Gamer Guides