ecstasy









ecstasy


noun, plural ec·sta·sies.

  1. rapturous delight.
  2. an overpowering emotion or exaltation; a state of sudden, intense feeling.
  3. the frenzy of poetic inspiration.
  4. mental transport or rapture from the contemplation of divine things.

noun plural -sies

  1. (often plural) a state of exalted delight, joy, etc; rapture
  2. intense emotion of any kindan ecstasy of rage
  3. psychol overpowering emotion characterized by loss of self-control and sometimes a temporary loss of consciousness: often associated with orgasm, religious mysticism, and the use of certain drugs
  4. archaic a state of prophetic inspiration, esp of poetic rapture
  5. slang 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine; MDMA: a powerful drug that acts as a stimulant and can produce hallucinations
n.

late 14c., “in a frenzy or stupor, fearful, excited,” from Old French estaise “ecstasy, rapture,” from Late Latin extasis, from Greek ekstasis “entrancement, astonishment; any displacement,” in New Testament “a trance,” from existanai “displace, put out of place,” also “drive out of one’s mind” (existanai phrenon), from ek “out” (see ex-) + histanai “to place, cause to stand,” from PIE root *sta- “to stand” (see stet).

Used by 17c. mystical writers for “a state of rapture that stupefied the body while the soul contemplated divine things,” which probably helped the meaning shift to “exalted state of good feeling” (1610s). Slang use for the drug 3,4-methylendioxymethamphetamine dates from 1985.

n.

  1. MDMA.
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