bedlam
pronunciation
How to pronounce bedlam in British English:
UK [ˈbedləm]
How to pronounce bedlam in American English:
US [ˈbɛdləm]
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- Noun:
- a state of extreme confusion and disorder
Word Origin
- bedlam
- bedlam: [15] The word bedlam is a contraction of Bethlehem. It comes from the Hospital of St Mary of Bethlehem founded in 1247 by Simon FitzMary, Sheriff of London, as the Priory of St Mary Bethlehem. Situated outside Bishopsgate, in the City of London, the hospital began to admit mental patients in the late 14th century. In the 16th century it officially became a lunatic asylum. The word bedlam came to be used for any ‘madhouse’, and by extension for a ‘scene of noisy confusion’, in the 17th century.
- bedlam (n.)
- "scene of mad confusion," 1660s, from colloquial pronunciation of "Hospital of Saint Mary of Bethlehem" in London, founded 1247 as a priory, mentioned as a hospital 1330 and as a lunatic hospital 1402; converted to a state lunatic asylum on dissolution of the monasteries in 1547. It was spelled Bedlem in a will from 1418, and Betleem is recorded as a spelling of Bethlehem in Judea from 971.
Example
- 1. Hat tip to bernanke-sponsored bedlam with a big assist from our central-planning fed overlords .
- 2. Bedlam is bound to bring a shiver to your evenings .
- 3. Operation bedlam is dead ! Do you understand , 007 ?
- 4. By the way , his name 's not really bedlam .
- 5. So this bedlam guy , he 's like your arch nemesis or something ?