speedfreak

English

Alternative forms

• speed freak

Etymology

speed +‎ freak

Pronunciation

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Noun

speedfreak (plural speedfreaks)

1. (slang) An addict or habitual user of amphetamines, methamphetamines, or similar stimulating drugs.
2. (slang) A person who enjoys driving, riding motorcycles, etc. at high speeds.
3. (slang) A metalhead who listens to speed metal.

Quotations

• 1973, Richard Mills, Young Outsiders: A Study of Alternative Communities, Pantheon Books, published 1973, page 58:

  Jimmy: the journal of a speedfreak I have been around the West End two or three years....

• 1984, Kenneth Blum, Handbook of Abusable Drugs, Gardner Press, published 1984, page 312:

  Their level of abuse is holding steady, and the intravenous injection of large amounts, the speedfreak phenomenon noted during the 1960's, almost has disappeared.

• 2004, Carol Clerk, The Saga of Hawkwind, Omnibus Press, published 2004, page 100:

  New boy, new speedfreak, sings song in two takes.... 'The speedfreak upstart - how dare he? Why isn't it me?

References

• Eric Partridge (2005) “speedfreak”, in Tom Dalzell and Terry Victor, editors, The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, volumes 2 (J–Z), London, New York, N.Y.: Routledge, →ISBN, page 1831.