mishegoss

• mishegaas, mishegas, mishegass, mishegos, mishigas

Borrowed from Yiddish משוגעת (meshugas), from משוגע (meshuge, “crazy”), from Hebrew משוגע (meshugga`, “crazy”), from שׁוּגַּע (shugga‘, “be driven mad”), שִׁיגַּע (shigga‘, “drive mad”).

• IPA^(key): /ˌmɪʃəˈɡɒs/

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mishegoss (uncountable)

1. (slang) Madness; silliness.
   • 2007 February 11, William Safire, “Culpa for Mayor”, in New York Times‎:

     On the contrary, the Michigander’s mishegoss is driven by my choice of the on-guard anticipate when he thinks I should have used the more general, all-purpose verb expect.

   • 2011 Allen Gregory, "Pilot" (season 1, episode 1):

     Allen Gregory DeLongpre: You know what? Let's forget all the mishegoss and try to enjoy our lunch, huh? Take the edge off.

   • 2018: "Green Lantern No. 76 Was the Moment Superhero Comics Got Woke" by Abraham Riesman, Vulture

     Appropriately shamed, Hal agrees to help Oliver in taking down the landlord, which they eventually do after some crime-fighting mishegoss.

   • 2021 January 21, 24:25 from the start, in The Rachel Maddow Show, spoken by Rachel Maddow:

     ...new allegations that young Mr. Ellis may have mishandled classified information as part of whatever mishegoss they were trying to pull off there.