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Webster 1913 Edition

Wanton

Wan′ton

,
Adj.
[OE.
wantoun
, contr. from
wantowen
; pref.
wan-
wanting (see
Wane
,
Verb.
I.
), hence expressing negation +
towen
, p. p., AS.
togen
, p. p. of
teón
to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See
Tug
,
Verb.
T.
]
1.
Untrained; undisciplined; unrestrained; hence, loose; free; luxuriant; roving; sportive.
“In woods and wanton wilderness.”
Spenser.
“A wild and wanton herd.”
Shak.
A
wanton
and a merry [friar].
Chaucer.
[She] her unadorned golden tresses wore
Disheveled, but in
wanton
ringlets waved.
Milton.
How does your tongue grow
wanton
in her praise!
Addison.
2.
Wandering from moral rectitude; perverse; dissolute.
“Men grown wanton by prosperity.”
Roscommon.
3.
Specifically: Deviating from the rules of chastity; lewd; lustful; lascivious; libidinous; lecherous.
Not with
wanton
looking of folly.
Chaucer.
[Thou art] froward by nature, enemy to peace,
Lascivious,
wanton
.
Shakespeare
4.
Reckless; heedless;
as,
wanton
mischief
.

Wan′ton

,
Noun.
1.
A roving, frolicsome thing; a trifler; – used rarely as a term of endearment.
I am afeard you make a
wanton
of me.
Shakespeare
Peace, my
wantons
; he will do
More than you can aim unto.
B. Jonson.
2.
One brought up without restraint; a pampered pet.
Anything, sir,
That’s dry and wholesome; I am no bred
wanton
.
Beau. & Fl.
3.
A lewd person; a lascivious man or woman.

Wan′ton

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Wantoned
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Wantoning
.]
1.
To rove and ramble without restraint, rule, or limit; to revel; to play loosely; to frolic.
Nature here
wantoned
as in her prime.
Milton.
How merrily we would sally into the fields, and strip under the first warmth of the sun, and
wanton
like young dace in the streams!
Lamb.
2.
To sport in lewdness; to play the wanton; to play lasciviously.

Wan′ton

,
Verb.
T.
To cause to become wanton; also, to waste in wantonness.
[Obs.]

Webster 1828 Edition

Wanton

WANTON

,
Adj.
1.
Wandering or roving in gaiety or sport; sportive; frolicsome; darting aside, or one way and the other. Wanton boys kill flies for sport.
Not a wild and wanton herd.
2.
Moving or flying loosely; playing in the wind.
She her unadorned golden tresses wore disheveld, but in wanton ringlets wavd.
3.
Wandering from moral rectitude; licentious; dissolute; indulging in sensuality without restraint; as men grown wanton by prosperity.
My plenteous joys, wanton in fullness--
4.
More appropriately, deviating from the rules of chastity; lewd; lustful; lascivious; libidinous.
Thou art froward by nature, enemy to peace, lascivious wanton.
Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton. James 5.
5.
Disposed to unchastity; indicating wantonness. Isaiah 3.
6.
Loose; unrestrained; running to excess.
How does your tongue grow wanton in her praise!
7.
Luxuriant; overgrown.
What we by day lop overgrown, one night or two with wanton growth derides, tending to wild.
8.
Extravagant; as wanton dress.
9.
Not regular; not turned or formed with regularity.
The quaint mazes in the wanton green.

WANTON

,
Noun.
1.
A lewd person; a lascivious man or woman.
2.
A trifler; an insignificant flutterer.
3.
A word of slight endearment.
Peace, my wanton--[Little used.]

WANTON

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To rove and ramble without restraint, rule or limit; to revel; to play loosely.
Nature here wantond as in her prime.
Her golden tresses wanton in the wind.
2.
To ramble in lewdness; to play lasciviously.
3.
To move briskly and irregularly.

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