Wordie: Bedlam: Comments

Comment by uselessness, about 1 year ago

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 09:18:53 +0000

This word has always reminded me of Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

Comment by slumry, about 1 year ago

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 22:43:51 +0000

My fifth grade teacher said to the class "It's bedlam in here." I could not have been more shocked. I thought Mrs. Wolf had said a Bad Word. Perhaps like (gasp) h-e-l-l.

Comment by reesetee, about 1 year ago

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 15:17:20 +0000

Patiomensch, I remember that I started liking this word when I learned its history. Fascinating. :-)

Comment by patiomensch, about 1 year ago

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 11:52:46 +0000

Interesting (from Google's def):

"The Bethlem Royal Hospital of London, which has been variously known as Bethlem Hospital, Bethlehem Hospital and Bedlam, is the world's oldest psychiatric hospital. Bethlehem was shortened to Bedleem and Bedlem in Middle English. The hospital was nicknamed Bedlam from early on. From the early 16th century, bedlam also came to mean `mad'. Shakespeare, in Henry 6th, speaks of "the bedlam brain-sick duchess" (1590s?). This use lasted to the early 18th century, but the late 16th century was already using bedlamite."