All 4 Uses of
hysteria
in
Lord of the Flies
- He went on scrambling and the laughter rose to a gale of hysteria.
p. 72.3 *hysteria = a state of excessive, uncontrollable laughter
- The sound of mock hunting, hysterical laughter and real terror came from the beach.†
p. 92.2hysterical = exceedingly funny (resulting in uncontrollable laughter); or exhibiting excessive, uncontrollable emotion
- They worked therefore with great energy and cheerfulness, though as time crept by there was a suggestion of panic in the energy and hysteria in the cheerfulness.
p. 130.5hysteria = excessive, uncontrollable emotion
- He began to pound the mouth below him, using his clenched fist as a hammer; he hit with more and more passionate hysteria as the face became slippery.
p. 167.4
Definition:
a state of excessive, uncontrollable emotion
In addition to being the adjective form of hysteria, the form hysterical can also indicate that something is exceedingly funny (leading to uncontrollable laughter)