mad-cap

mad-cap (plural mad-caps)

1. Alternative form of madcap.
   • c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene v], page 27, column 1:

     Come-on you mad-cap: Ile to the Ale-houſe vvith you preſently; […]

   • c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 1, column 2:

     VVhy vvhat a mad-cap hath heauen lent vs here?

   • 1599, I. Haywarde [i.e., John Hayward], The First Part of the Life and Raigne of King Henrie the IIII. […], London: […] by [Edward Allde and T. Judson for] Iohn Wolfe, […], →OCLC, page 19:

     There vvas then in preſence, a certaine old Knight, called Sir Hugh Linne, a good ſouldier, but a very mad-cap, & one that liued chiefely vpon the liberalitie of noble men; […]

   • c. 1601 (date written), Thomas Decker [i.e., Thomas Dekker]; Iohn Webster [i.e., John Webster], North-ward Hoe. […], London: […] G[eorge] Eld, published 1607, →OCLC, Act IV, signature F3, recto:

     Bel[lamont]. […] [W]hat place is this? / May[bery]. Bedlam iſt not? / Bel. VVhere theſe mad-men are, I neuer vvas amongſt them, as you loue me Gentlemen, lets ſee vvhat Greekes are vvithin. / […] / Bell. Pray beſtovv your name ſir vpon vs. / Full. My name is Full-moone. / Bell. You vvell deſerue this office good maiſter Full-moone: and vvhat mad-caps haue you in your houſe.

   • 1667 March 12 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), John Dryden, Secret-Love, or The Maiden-Queen: […], London: […] Henry Herringman, […], published 1668, →OCLC, Act III, page 34:

     Lord, that ſuch a Mad-Cap as I ſhould ever live to be jealous!

mad-cap (not comparable)

1. Alternative form of madcap.
   • 1610–1616 (date written), Iohn [i.e., John] Fletcher, Monsieur Thomas. A Comedy. […], London: […] Thomas Harper, for Iohn Waterson, […], published 1639, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, signature [C4], recto:

     [H]is mad-cap follies, / VVhich ſtill like Hydras heads grovv thicker on him.

   • 1808 January 25, [Washington Irving [et al.]], “Monday, January 25, 1808. From My Elbow-chair.”, in Salmagundi: Or, The Whim-whams and Opinions of Launcelot Langstaff, Esq. and Others, number 20, London: J[ohn] Limbird, […], published 1824, →OCLC, page 137, column 2:

     [T]hose fairy times when I was a mad-cap boy, crowding every enjoyment into the present moment; […]

   • 2021 September 15, Laura Martin, “How Talent Shows Became TV’s Most Bizarre Programmes”, in BBC Online‎^[1], archived from the original on 22 July 2025:

     With this shift in both what shows are being made, and in what viewers desire, the genre hearteningly appears to be reverting to its roots of being an entertainment spectacular, giving the space for novelty and mad-cap amusement that's presented in a warm and humorous way. After a discordant patch, it's in tune again – even if some auditionees, as ever, are not.