Wanton

Wanton
Wanton Wan"ton, a. [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see {Wane}, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of te['o]n to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See {Tug}, v. t.] [1913 Webster] 1. Untrained; undisciplined; unrestrained; hence, loose; free; luxuriant; roving; sportive. ``In woods and wanton wilderness.'' --Spenser. ``A wild and wanton herd.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]

A wanton and a merry [friar]. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

[She] her unadorned golden tresses wore Disheveled, but in wanton ringlets waved. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

How does your tongue grow wanton in her praise! --Addison. [1913 Webster]

2. Wandering from moral rectitude; perverse; dissolute. ``Men grown wanton by prosperity.'' --Roscommon. [1913 Webster]

3. Specifically: Deviating from the rules of chastity; lewd; lustful; lascivious; libidinous; lecherous. [1913 Webster]

Not with wanton looking of folly. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

[Thou art] froward by nature, enemy to peace, Lascivious, wanton. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

4. Reckless; heedless; as, wanton mischief. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • wanton — wan·ton / wänt ən, wȯnt / adj: manifesting extreme indifference to a risk of injury to another that is known or should have been known: characterized by knowledge of and utter disregard for probability of resulting harm a wanton act by such… …   Law dictionary

  • wanton — [wänt′ n] adj. [ME wantowen, var. of wantogen, wanton, irregular < OE wan , used as negative prefix < wan, lacking, deficient (see WANE) + togen, pp. of teon, to draw, educate, bring up (see TOW1)] 1. Obs. undisciplined; unmanageable [a… …   English World dictionary

  • Wanton — may refer to:* Joseph Wanton Morrison (1783 1826), British soldier * Wanton noodle, a Cantonese noodle dishPeople with the surname Wanton:* George H. Wanton (1868 1940), Buffalo Soldier in the United States Army * Joseph Wanton (1705 1780),… …   Wikipedia

  • wanton — [adj1] extravagant, lustful abandoned, fast*, lax, lewd, libertine, libidinous, licentious, outrageous, profligate, promiscuous, shameless, speedy*, unprincipled, unscrupulous, wayward, X rated*; concepts 372,401,545 Ant. clean, decent, moral,… …   New thesaurus

  • Wanton — Wan ton, n. 1. A roving, frolicsome thing; a trifler; used rarely as a term of endearment. [1913 Webster] I am afeard you make a wanton of me. Shak. [1913 Webster] Peace, my wantons; he will do More than you can aim unto. B. Jonson. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Wanton — Wan ton, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Wantoned}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Wantoning}.] [1913 Webster] 1. To rove and ramble without restraint, rule, or limit; to revel; to play loosely; to frolic. [1913 Webster] Nature here wantoned as in her prime. Milton.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Wanton — Wan ton, v. t. To cause to become wanton; also, to waste in wantonness. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • wanton — 1 *licentious, libertine, lewd, lustful, lascivious, libidinous, lecherous Analogous words: *immoral, unmoral, amoral: *abandoned, profligate, dissolute, reprobate Antonyms: chaste Contrasted words: pure, modest, decent (see CHASTE): virtuous, * …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • wanton — ► ADJECTIVE 1) (of a cruel or violent action) deliberate and unprovoked. 2) sexually immodest or promiscuous. 3) literary growing profusely; luxuriant. ► NOUN archaic ▪ a sexually immodest or promiscuous woman. DERIVATIVES wantonly adverb …   English terms dictionary

  • wanton — Reckless, heedless, malicious; characterized by extreme recklessness or foolhardiness; recklessly disregardful of the rights or safety of others or of consequences. In re Wegner, C.C.A.I11., 88 F.2d 899, 902. Means undisciplined, unruly, marked… …   Black's law dictionary

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