freak 1
/freek/ , n.
1. any abnormal phenomenon or product or unusual object; anomaly; aberration.
2. a person or animal on exhibition as an example of a strange deviation from nature; monster.
3. a sudden and apparently causeless change or turn of events, the mind, etc.; an apparently capricious notion, occurrence, etc.: That kind of sudden storm is a freak.
4. Numis. an imperfect coin, undetected at the mint and put into circulation.
5. Philately. a stamp differing from others of the same printing because of creases, dirty engraving plates, etc. Cf. error (def. 8), variety (def. 8).
6. Slang.
a. a person who has withdrawn from normal, rational behavior and activities to pursue one interest or obsession: a drug freak.
b. a devoted fan or follower; enthusiast: a baseball freak. c . a hippie.
7. Archaic. capriciousness; whimsicality.
adj.
8. unusual; odd; irregular: a freak epidemic.
v.i. , v.t.
9. to become or make frightened, nervous, or wildly excited: The loud noise caused the horse to freak.
10. freak out , Slang.
a. to enter into or cause a period of irrational behavior or emotional instability, as under the influence of a drug: to be freaked out on LSD.
b. to lose or cause to lose emotional control from extreme excitement, shock, fear, joy, despair, etc.: Seeing the dead body freaked him out.
[ 1555-65; 1965-70 for def. 6; perh. akin to OE frician to dance ]
Syn. 3. vagary, quirk, crotchet.
freak 2
/freek/ , v.t.
1. to fleck, streak, or variegate: great splashes of color freaking the sky.
n.
2. a fleck or streak of color.
[ appar. introduced by Milton in Lycidas (1637), perh. as b. freck to mark with spots (perh. back formation from FRECKLE) and STREAK ]