Going Berserk

Going Berserk is an English expression meaning pretty much getting mad, furious. However, it comes from the old Norsk word ber-serkr, meaning wearing a bear skirt! Getting berserk is originally associated with a warrior wearing Bär (bear) skins before getting to battle and getting in a state of frenzy frightening his opponents. It was reported that Bärsäker viking warriors were getting in a transe status, making them behave as their "totem" animal, the bear, and rushing into battle unaffected by any fears.