Madling

From mad + -ling.

Full definition of madling

Noun

1. A mad creature; one who acts wildly or foolishly.
• 1881, Benjamin Preston, Dialect and other poems, with glossary of the local words:A madling acts in opposition to common sense. He is an owd madling whose reason has become childish by the lapse of years.
• 2006, Jacqueline Carey, Godslayer: Volume II of The Sundering:A madling was speaking to them; a woman. Dani stopped with a mind to retreat.
• 2010, George R. R. Martin, Gardner Dozois, Songs of the Dying Earth:The madling—he had appeared today in the form of Austeri-Pranz, one of Vespanus' instructors at Roë, an intimidating man with bulging, rolling eyes and a formidable overbite—gave the question his consideration.

Either from attributive use of madling (see above), or for maddling, present participle of maddle ("to be mad"). More at maddle.

Adjective

1. Mad; insane; crazy.
• 1881, Benjamin Preston, Dialect and other poems, with glossary of the local words:To be madling is to have our ideas confused.
• 2006, Jacqueline Carey, Godslayer: Volume II of The Sundering:The madling woman snatched the tray from his hands, giving it to the Fjeltroll to inspect.