The [1749 Cleland "freak out"] and friends

[Victor Steinbok]

  On 10/3/2010 9:58 AM, Joel S. Berson wrote:
> ...
> But the following from 1852 does seem to fit with "freak-out" = "An
> intense emotional experience", and with the Cleland quote:
>
> "I accordingly waited until he had his freak out, when I found that
> he became more placid in his temper,"
>
> "Freak n[1] sense 1 is "A sudden causeless change or turn of the
> mind; a capricious humour, notion, whim, or vagary."
>
> Thus this quote likely is "I accordingly waited until *his excessive
> emotion was over*.
> ...

In my amateur musings, I think, you're overanalyzing.

I see this exactly as the preceding quote, with the analysis "had [his
freak] out". In fact, the meaning would not change if you replaced "had"
with "let". What I don not see is "had his [freak out]". Or did I
misintepret your interpretation?

     VS-)

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