franticfran‧tic /ˈfræntɪk/ ●○○ adjective 
There was still no news of Jill, and her parents were getting frantic.frantic with Your mother’s been frantic with worry wondering where you’ve been.2extremely hurried and using a lot of energy, but not very organized SYN hectic: I spent three frantic days trying to get everything ready.frantic effort/attempt Despite our frantic efforts, we were unable to save the boy’s life.frantic pace/rush/haste etc There was a frantic rush to escape from the building. a day of frantic activity a frantic search for her father—frantically /-kli/ adverb: He frantically searched for the key.
WORD ORIGINfrantic
Origin:
1500-1600 freneticEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- A frantic note had crept into Jane's voice.
- Before the game there was a frantic rush to get the last few remaining tickets.
- Her eyes were frantic with fear, and she couldn't keep still.
- I spent three frantic days getting everything ready for Christmas.
- Inspector Grimes was used to dealing with frantic parents.
- People were frantic, trying to call relatives after the earthquake.
- The dog's barking grew frantic as I approached.
- The knocking on the door and shouts became frantic.
- The staff spent three frantic days trying to get everything ready.
- There is still no news of the missing child and her parents are getting frantic.
- Throughout the night, everyone mopped floors and washed wall in a frantic effort to clean the place up for the inspectors.
- A stupendous cinema epic, reduced to a sort of frantic scurrying in a goldfish bowl, might merely seem ridiculous.
- Hannah was a little less apt to become frantic in busy places, such as shopping malls and grocery stores.
- I would have called, but the last few weeks have been frantic.
- It has to be here already, thought Fenella, trying to quiet the frantic thudding of her heart.
- Some time ago I received a frantic telephone call from Carol, who had undergone successful hypnotic treatment about two years earlier.
- There are vague, frantic movements inside the car, which is sinking faster now.
Longman Language Activatordone quickly because you are hurrying
done very quickly because you are in a hurry: · After a hurried dinner, the boys do their homework or watch TV.· They made a hurried search for the missing letters, but they couldn't find them.· Her handwriting looked shaky and hurried.
a quick look, meal, visit, decision etc is done very quickly, because you do not have much time: · Do I have time for a quick shower?· Could I just make a quick phone call?· The house is priced for a quick sale.
something that is rushed is done very quickly, often too quickly to do it carefully or properly; someone who is rushed does things very quickly, often so that it is not done carefully or properly: · People have complained that the doctors seem rushed, with too many patients to see in a day.· The actors' performances were needlessly rushed.
done very quickly and without much care or attention, because you have very little time: · He only had time for a hasty glance at the papers.· "I have to go now,'' said Alex, bidding them a hasty goodbye.
in a frantic situation, people are rushing around in a confused way, especially because they are worried that they will not have time to do something or get something: · Before the game there was a frantic rush to get the last few remaining tickets.· The staff spent three frantic days trying to get everything ready.· Throughout the night, everyone mopped floors and washed walls in a frantic effort to clean the place up for the inspectors.
: feverish activity/preparations/ haste etc when people are hurrying to finish something, in an excited way, and when there is not much time to do it in: · The show was about to begin and behind the stage there were scenes of feverish activity.· Feverish preparations were being made for the arrival of the President.
informal a piece of work that is done too quickly and therefore not as well as it should be done, especially because there is not enough time: · I don't want a rush job. I want this work done right.· Getting back into condition after a serious injury can't be a rush job.
to feel worried about something · My husband worries when I'm late home from work.· Don't worry, there's plenty of time.· Mom, stop worrying. I'll be fine.worry (that) · He began to worry he might lose his job.· I was worried that Shannon was too small, but the doctor says she's fine.worry about · I was really worried about it at the time.· I don't know what you're worrying about.
to worry a lot about something, especially something that is not very serious: · She worries and frets all the time -- I think it's because she's got no one to talk to about her problems.fret about/over: · I'd sit in meetings, fretting about what was happening at home.· There's no point in fretting over it now.fret that: · Opponents fret that the system might not provide enough help in times of rural economic crisis.
to keep thinking about and worrying about a problem for a long time after it has happened: · There's no point in brooding -- forget about her.· Dad alternately brooded and raged, and Mum wasn't much better.brood about/over/on: · Don't sit at home brooding about how badly you've been treated.· Achilles sits in his tent, brooding over the wrongs done to him.
to be very worried and upset about something: · Where were you last night? I was worried sick.be worried sick about: · She's worried sick about the possibility of losing her job.· I'm worried sick about Sandy. I haven't heard from her for days. worry yourself sick: · Jenny had worried herself sick trying to think of a way to pay back the money.
extremely worried and frightened about a situation and unable to think or behave calmly: · Inspector Grimes was used to dealing with frantic parents.get/grow/become frantic: · The knocking on the door and shouts became frantic.· There is still no news of the missing child and her parents are getting frantic.· The dog's barking grew frantic as I approached.frantic with worry/fear: · Her eyes were frantic with fear, and she couldn't keep still.
to be very worried about a problem, especially something that has been happening for a long time that you feel you cannot deal with any longer: · I don't know what I can do to keep our marriage together -- I'm at my wits' end!· It was two days before the baby was due, and Robert was at his wits' end.
to be worried that something you are going to do might be morally wrong: · Few so-called animal lovers have qualms when they purchase meat from supermarkets.· Despite my qualms, I accepted the job.have qualms about: · Shareholders seem to have few qualms about companies sponsoring overseas abortion programs.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY There was still no news of Jill, and her parents were getting frantic. Despite our frantic efforts, we were unable to save the boy’s life. There was a frantic rush to escape from the building. a day of frantic activity a frantic search for her father He frantically searched for the key.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1extremely worried and frightened about a situation, so that you cannot control your feelingsget/become frantic There was still no news of Jill, and her parents were getting frantic. Despite our frantic efforts, we were unable to save the boy’s life. There was a frantic rush to escape from the building. a day of frantic activity a frantic search for her father He frantically searched for the key. (=very fast, usually because you are worried about something)· ‘Something’s burning’, she said, making a mad dash for the kitchen.
(=a very fast and hurried speed)· We worked at a hectic pace.
· After the war, many people returned to rural areas in a desperate search for food.
· The girl's mother was sick with worry over her missing daughter.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· And a more frantic presence was trapped behind the skirting board.· Urquhart's muffled groans became more frantic.· Voices, music, sirens, horns were louder, brasher, more frantic.· Next morning, Mildred was jolted awake by the bell ringing in a much more frantic way than usual.· Her passivity only made him more frantic.· The night was getting more and more frantic.
NOUN· After a month's frantic activity we now had an office, but we needed some one to run it.· The previous day had been one of frantic activity.· Much of the frantic activity in the share register can be attributed to the arbitrageurs rather than the titans of the motor industry.· Sitting in the greenhouse with her seedlings, she was safe from the frantic activity in the house.· I would stop the frantic activity and just follow the leads that came my way.· In 1961 Cape Canaveral was a scene of frantic activity.
· Staff made frantic attempts to revive him but he is thought to have suffered a massive heart attack.
· Despite Zborowski's frantic efforts to sell his work, Modigliani's living was still very precarious.· But despite his frantic efforts he was unable to pull her free.· Ignoring her frantic efforts to break free, he'd tossed his charge card down on to the counter.· His body had now completely relaxed after his frantic efforts with Molly a few minutes before.· We felt like gods as we surveyed the distraught insects' frantic efforts to remove precious eggs from sight.· This afternoon frantic efforts were being made to sort out the confusion.
· It posed a problem for Charman because he could not sustain the song's frantic pace.· Change continues at a frantic pace, and many voters are waiting till the last minute to make decisions.· The fourth-round replay began at a frantic pace and burst into life after 12 minutes.· That threat set the frantic pace at Los Alamos.· The path continues to the Strid - a spectacular chasm where the Wharfe reaches a frantic pace.
· Then there would be a frantic rush to grab an armful of branches and beat out the flames.
· The frantic search for trainers past is simply a reaction against the shit trainers syndrome!· His body was erroneously producing a flood of white blood cells in a frantic search for a disease that did not exist.· The two girls decide instead to opt for a frantic search for their long-lost father.· Theatres, cinemas and restaurants in the area were also evacuated as police launched a frantic search and found the B-registration van.· Stretched on the concrete of the yard I gasped and groaned in a frantic search for breath.
There was still no news of Jill, and her parents were getting frantic.frantic with Your mother’s been frantic with worry wondering where you’ve been.2extremely hurried and using a lot of energy, but not very organized SYN hectic: I spent three frantic days trying to get everything ready.frantic effort/attempt Despite our frantic efforts, we were unable to save the boy’s life.frantic pace/rush/haste etc There was a frantic rush to escape from the building. a day of frantic activity a frantic search for her father—frantically /-kli/ adverb: He frantically searched for the key.