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 teón to draw, to educate, bring
up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v.
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.
Shak.
4. Reckless; heedless; as, wanton
mischief.
Wan"ton, n. 1. A roving,
frolicsome thing; a trifler; -- used rarely as a term of
endearment.
I am afeard you make a wanton of me.
Shak.
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, v. 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, v. t. To cause to become
wanton; also, to waste in wantonness. [Obs.]
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 teón to draw, to educate, bring
up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v.
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.
Shak.
4. Reckless; heedless; as, wanton
mischief.
Wan"ton, n. 1. A roving,
frolicsome thing; a trifler; -- used rarely as a term of
endearment.
I am afeard you make a wanton of me.
Shak.
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, v. 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, v. t. To cause to become
wanton; also, to waste in wantonness. [Obs.]
