General
like crazy
What does like crazy mean?
An intensifier meaning intensely, wildly, or to a great degree.
"The band swung like crazy all night."
Origin
Built on the beat-era filler word 'like' plus 'crazy,' which in 1950s jazz slang meant wild and wonderful. Together they formed a stock intensifier in hip speech that signaled enthusiasm and energy.
Frequently asked questions
What does like crazy mean in beatnik slang?
It's an intensifier meaning wildly or intensely — 'swinging like crazy' meant swinging a whole lot.
Where did like crazy come from?
From beat-era speech that leaned on 'like' as filler and used 'crazy' to mean wild and wonderful. Combined, they made a stock phrase for enthusiasm.
Did 'crazy' mean something good to beatniks?
Yes — in jazz and beat slang 'crazy' often meant wild and excellent, not just unhinged, which is why 'like crazy' carried positive energy.
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