rage [ME] In medieval times rage could also mean ‘madness’. It goes back ultimately to Latin rabere ‘to rave’, which is also the source of rabies [M17th], and rabid [M16th]. Since the late 18th century something that is the subject of a widespread temporary enthusiasm or fashion has been described as the rage or all the rage to mean ‘very popular or fashionable’. Road rage is first recorded in 1988, since when many other kinds of rage have been reported, among them air rage, trolley rage in a supermarket, and even golf rage. Enrage dates from the late 15th century.