Definition of rampage

The origin of the word "rampage" can be traced back to the early 16th century, when it appeared in English texts with different spellings such as "rampege," "rampeyg," and "rampegg." At that time, it referred to a wild and unrestrained horse that refused to be controlled or guided, as if it were "ramping" or moving in a frenzied manner. The word's association with horses gradually evolved to describe the behavior of other animals that exhibited similar uncontrollable or destructive actions. An example of this usage can be found in an old hunting manual from the late 1500s, which described how a wild boar could go on a "rampeyge" or a wild and violent rampage through the forest, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. From there, "rampage" began to take on a broader meaning, depicting any chaotic and rampaging event, including violent and destructive actions by humans. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) lists the first verified use of the word in this context as appearing in a newspaper article from 1785, where it described troops that were "going mad with impunity, and indulging in the grossest sorts of rapine and cruelty, in a furious, desperate, and lawless rampage." Today, "rampage" is commonly used to refer to acts of senseless violence, destruction, or wild parties, epitomizing a full-scale assault on societal norms.