that way madness lies

English

Alternative forms

  • that way lies madness

Etymology

From The Tragedy of King Lear (c. 1606), see quotations.

Phrase

that way madness lies

  1. (hyperbolic) The mentioned activity, line of inquiry, etc., should not be pursued because it will cause frustration, anger, etc., and lead to no good.
    • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv], page 297, column 2:
      Your old kind Father, whoſe franke heart gaue all, / O that way madneſſe lies, let me ſhun that: / No more of that.
    • 1994 September 16, Roger Ebert, “Timecop”, in Chicago Sunday Times‎[1], archived from the original on 13 November 2005:
      You see what we're up against here. "Timecop," a low-rent "Terminator," is the kind of movie that is best not thought about at all, for that way madness lies.

Further reading

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