German

Noun

Wanst m ‎(genitive Wansts or Wanstes, plural Wänste)

1. (colloquial) belly, paunch
2. rumen

Declension

English

Adverb

wanst ‎(not comparable)

1. (archaic) once
   • 1863, Roger Quinn, The Heather Lintie: Being Poetical Pieces, Spiritual and Temporal..., page 167:

     Be the bye, I wanst knew art ould woman of that name. She was my darling Tibbie, but a notorious drunkard.

   • 1838, Charles Dickens et al, Bentley's Miscellany, page 308:

     Now, shut your eyes, and turn round wanst.' whispered the Grey Man. Shawn did as he was desired ; but, when he looked about, he was struck all of a hape to find himself standing in his own bawn....

   • 1837, Charles Fenno Hoffman et al, The Knickerbocker: Or, New-York Monthly Magazine, page 68:

     Wanst I was wo'th twenty thousand doll are, and I driv the saddling profession.

Derived terms

• at wanst

Anagrams

• wants
• wasn't