Etymology From Middle English rage, from Anglo-Norman rage, from Late Latin rabia, from Classical Latin rabiēs (“anger, fury”). Doublet of rabies. Displaced native Middle English wode, from Old English wōd ("madness, fury, rage"; compare Modern dialectal English wood (“mad, insane, furious, raging”)); and Middle English hotherte (“anger”), from Old English hātheort (“fury, anger, wrath, rage”).
1
Violent uncontrolled anger.
Heav'n has no Rage, like Love to Hatred turn'd, / Nor Hell a Fury, like a Woman ſcorn'd.1697, [William] Congreve, The Mourning Bride, a Tragedy. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, Act III, page 39:
They burned the old gun that used to stand in the dark corner up in the garret, close to the stuffed fox that always grinned so fiercely. Perhaps the reason why he seemed in such a ghastly rage was that he did not come by his death fairly. Otherwise his pelt would not have been so perfect. And why else was he put away up there out of sight?—and so magnificent a brush as he had too.1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:
1 more example
[…] rage is not only impotent by definition, it is the mode in which impotence becomes active in its last stage of final despair.1963, Hannah Arendt, On Revolution, →ISBN, page 101:
2
A current fashion or fad.
Miniskirts were all the rage back then.
But the rage of travelling is a symptom of a deeper unsoundness affecting the whole intellectual action.1841, Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Self-Reliance”, in Essays: First Series:
3 more examples
This rage for boulevardizing has destroyed the quaint, queer, pestilential streets of old Paris, through which it was our pleasure to wander many years since.1864, Samuel Greatheed, Daniel Parken, Theophilus Williams, The Eclectic Review (volume 7? volume 120? page 130)
Here and there were certain unmistakable derniers cris, some of them undoubtedly destined - had the world pursued its expected course - to become the rage of tomorrow; others, I would say, a dead loss from their very inception.1951, John Wyndham, The Day of the Triffids, Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, published 1954, page 82:
‘She has big breasts’, Chuck said. ‘Who? Patty? Oh yes.’ Hentman nodded. ‘Well, it’s that operation they give in Hollywood and New York. It’s more the rage now than the dilation, and she’s had that done, too.’1964, Philip K. Dick, “TWELVE”, in Clans of the Alphane Moon, United States: Ace Books, →OCLC; republished London: HarperCollinsPublishers, 1996, →ISBN, page 173:
That evening, Felix and Trish Homer invited me to the Sundancer for "a bit of a rage."2013, Larry M. Edwards, Dare I Call It Murder?: A Memoir of Violent Loss, San Diego, C.A.: Wigeon Publishing, →ISBN, page 95:
4
Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music A subgenre of trap music originating in the United States in the 2020s, characterized by 808s and aggressive, distorted synths.
Tripp At Knight feels like a Carti homage, but while it certainly gestures towards the rage sound, Trippie’s imitation of Carti is largely rooted in 2019 rather than 2021.2021 December 24, Vivian Medithi, “Playboi Carti 'Whole Lotta Red' Is The Sound Of 2021 Whether You Like It Or Not”, in HipHopDX, archived from the original on 25 Dec 2021:
The list of rappers affiliated with rage has exploded in the subsequent 18 months, and several seem poised to break out in 2023.2023 February 3, Elias Leight, “These Rising Rappers Are Pushing Rage Music Into the Mainstream”, in Billboard, archived from the original on 19 Mar 2025:
1 more example
OK produced the bulk of Jump Out, and the pair succeeded in crafting a sound that, while sonically linked to the forbearers of the underground — maximalist drums in the spirit of so-called “rage” rap along with melodic flourishes of early Playboi Carti — the Charlotte, North Carolina born producer manages to tread new terrain, constructing a sonic identity that feels deliriously right now.2025 February 18, Jeff Ihaza, “Meet OsamaSon, an Architect for the Next Generation of Rap Music”, in Rolling Stone, archived from the original on 03 Apr 2025:
And your true rights be termed a poet's rage1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet XVII”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:
in great rage of pain1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:
2 more examples
convulsed with a rage of grief1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne, chapter 6, in The Scarlet Letter, a Romance, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, →OCLC:
He appeased the rage of hunger with some scraps of broken meat.1856 December, [Thomas Babington] Macaulay, “Samuel Johnson”, in T[homas] F[lower] E[llis], editor, The Miscellaneous Writings and Speeches of Lord Macaulay, new edition, London: Longman, Green, Reader, & Dyer, published 1871, →OCLC:
Etymology From Middle English ragen, from Old French rager, ragier, from the noun (see above). Displaced native Middle English weden (“to rage with anger”), from Old English wēdan (“to rage”), and Old English iersian, among other synonyms.
1
To act or speak in heightened anger.
When a Muslim politician held a 50th birthday party, he [Zaharan Hashim] raged about how Western infidel traditions were poisoning his hometown, Kattankudy.2019 April 25, Hannah Beech, “Sri Lankan Accused of Leading Attacks Preached Slaughter. Many Dismissed Him.”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 24 Jan 2023:
2
Figuratively, Sometimes To move with great violence, as a storm etc.
Horrible diſcord, and the madding Wheeles / Of brazen Chariots rag'd; dire was the noiſe / Of conflict; over head the diſmal hiſs / Of fiery Darts in flaming volies flew, / And flying vaulted either Hoſt with fire.1674, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], 2nd edition, London: […] S[amuel] Simmons […], →OCLC, page 152:
The desert storm was riding in its strength; the travellers lay beneath the mastery of the fell simoom.[…]Roaring, leaping, pouncing, the tempest raged about the wanderers, drowning and blotting out their forms with sandy spume.1892, James Yoxall, chapter 5, in The Lonely Pyramid:
4 more examples
The two women murmured over the spirit-lamp, plotting the eternal conspiracy of hush and clean bottles while the wind raged and gave a sudden wrench at the cheap fastenings.1922 October 26, Virginia Woolf, chapter 1, in Jacob’s Room, Richmond, London: […] Leonard & Virginia Woolf at the Hogarth Press, →OCLC; republished London: The Hogarth Press, 1960, →OCLC, page 11:
Though the storm raged up the East Coast, it has become increasingly apparent that New Jersey took the brunt of it.2012 November 1, David M. Halbfinger, “New Jersey Continues to Cope With Hurricane Sandy”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 04 Apr 2023:
Debate has raged over whether Glass and smartglasses like it have any viable real-world use cases for consumers, or are more interesting to businesses where workers need hands-free access to information.2014 June 24, Samuel Gibbs, “Google Glass go on sale in the UK for £1,000”, in The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 24 Oct 2022:
As the storm raged, more than 85 million people—or more than one in every four Americans—were covered by some kind of blizzard or winter-storm advisory on Friday, according to weather.com.2016 January 25, Marina Koren, “The East Coast Digs Out”, in The Atlantic, Washington, D.C.: The Atlantic Monthly Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 24 Jul 2021:
These events are all about raging hard, getting as fucked up as you can. Not necessarily even about dancing, just being a face in this giant extravaganza.2012 August 2, Simon Reynolds, quoting Nathan Messer, “How rave music conquered America”, in The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 13 Feb 2023:
The King is come, deale mildly with his youth, / For young hot Colts, being rag'd, do rage the more.1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act 2, scene 1], page 28, column 2: