Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(orig. US) a person who is never satisfied unless he or she is in absolute control of a situation; also as adj.

1977		(con. 1969) M. Herr Dispatches 13: Control freak [...] one of those people who always thought they had to know what was coming next.
1998		Observer 27 Dec. 32: James Ferman, the former control-freak censor.
1999		Guardian Rev. 20 Aug. 4: Camille [...] is the control-freak director.
1999		Indep. Rev. 19 Oct. 10: Some gardeners are control freaks. Edging and cutting back and tying in are always in the front of their minds.
2000		Observer mag. 9 Jan. 62: When it comes down to what he wants – he’s an absolute control freak.
2001		K. Sampson Outlaws (ms.) 96: He’s half a fucking control freak, he is.
2022		A. Kirzman Giuliani 220: The famed control freak was delegating more, trusting decisions to consultants he barely knew .

1. of inanimate as well as animate objects, extreme, excessive, extremely good or extremely bad.

1987		Eble Campus Sl. Spring 6: out of control – abnormal [...] That girl’s shirt is out of control (It’s ugly).
1992		Eble Campus Sl. Apr. 7: outta control – showing excessive behaviour.
2004		Eble Campus Sl. Apr. 5: out of control – wild, crazy.

2. of people, drunk, intoxicated.

1987		Eble Campus Sl. Spring.
1996		Eble Sl. and Sociability 127: Slang terms for drunkenness from just the two school years 1990–92 show great linguistic energy: [...] out of control.