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Webster 1913 Edition


Truant

Tru′ant

,
Noun.
[F.
truand
, OF.
truant
, a vagrant, beggar; of Celtic origin; cf. W.
tru
,
truan
, wretched, miserable,
truan
a wretch, Ir.
trogha
miserable, Gael.
truaghan
a poor, distressed, or wretched creature,
truagh
wretched.]
One who stays away from business or any duty; especially, one who stays out of school without leave; an idler; a loiterer; a shirk.
Dryden.
I have a
truant
been to chivalry.
Shakespeare
To play truant
,
to stray away; to loiter; especially, to stay out of school without leave.
Sir T. Browne

Tru′ant

,
Adj.
Wandering from business or duty; loitering; idle, and shirking duty;
as, a
truant
boy
.
While
truant
Jove, in infant pride,
Played barefoot on Olympus’ side.
Trumbull.

Tru′ant

,
Verb.
I.
[Cf. F.
truander
.]
To idle away time; to loiter, or wander; to play the truant.
Shak.
By this means they lost their time and
truanted
on the fundamental grounds of saving knowledge.
Lowell.

Tru′ant

,
Verb.
T.
To idle away; to waste.
[R.]
I dare not be the author
Of
truanting
the time.
Ford.

Webster 1828 Edition


Truant

TRU'ANT

,
Adj.
Idle; wandering from business; loitering; as a truant boy.
While truant Jove, in infant price,
Play'd barefoot on Olympus'side.

TRU'ANT

,
Noun.
An idler; an idle boy.

TRU'ANT

. v.i. To idle away time; to loiter or be absent from employment.