Rage (rāj), n. [F., fr. L.
rabies, fr. rabere to rave; cf. Skr. rabh to
seize, rabhas violence. Cf. Rabid, Rabies,
Rave.] 1. Violent excitement; eager
passion; extreme vehemence of desire, emotion, or suffering, mastering
the will. "In great rage of pain." Bacon.
He appeased the rage of hunger with some scraps
of broken meat.
Macaulay.
Convulsed with a rage of grief.
Hawthorne.
2. Especially, anger accompanied with raving;
overmastering wrath; violent anger; fury.
Torment, and loud lament, and furious
rage.
Milton.
3. A violent or raging wind. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
4. The subject of eager desire; that which is
sought after, or prosecuted, with unreasonable or excessive passion;
as, to be all the rage.
Syn. -- Anger; vehemence; excitement; passion; fury. See
Anger.
Rage, v. i. [imp. & p.
p. Raged (rājd); p. pr. & vb.
n. Raging (rā"jĭng).] [OF.
ragier. See Rage, n.]
1. To be furious with anger; to be exasperated
to fury; to be violently agitated with passion. "Whereat he inly
raged." Milton.
When one so great begins to rage, he is
hunted
Even to falling.
Shak.
2. To be violent and tumultuous; to be
violently driven or agitated; to act or move furiously; as, the
raging sea or winds.
Why do the heathen rage?
Ps. ii.
1.
The madding wheels
Of brazen chariots raged; dire was the noise.
Milton.
3. To ravage; to prevail without restraint, or
with destruction or fatal effect; as, the plague raged in
Cairo.
4. To toy or act wantonly; to sport.
[Obs.] Chaucer.
Syn. -- To storm; fret; chafe; fume.
Rage, v. t. To enrage. [Obs.]
Shak.