Meaning
Extremely angry, wildly agitated or behaving in an uncontrolled way. Very informal. It usually describes anger or commotion, not a medical condition. Regional use: Australia.
Origin
Australian evidence includes mad as a snake from around 1900, with the more vivid cut-snake form developing later. An injured snake's violent movement and defensive striking provide the evident comparison, but no single bush incident can be identified as the coinage. In Australian usage mad can mean angry as well as irrational.
Research Sources
References used to check this entry’s meaning, history, or documented forms.
Variants
- Go off like a cut snake
- Mad as a snake
- Wild as a cut snake
Usage Examples
- The farmer was mad as a cut snake when he found the gate open again.
- Touch that radio dial and Dad will go off like a cut snake.