wanton
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈwɒntən/
enpr: wän'tən
ipa: /ˈwɑntən/
ipa: /ˈwɒntən/
ipa: /ˈwɒntɒn/
rhymes: -ɒntən
homophone: wonton stripped-by-parse_pron_post_template_fn
Forms: form: more wanton
form: wantoner
form: most wanton
form: wantonest
Etymology: From Middle English wantoun, wantowen, wantoȝen, wantowe (“uneducated; unrestrained; licentious; sportive; playful”), from wan- (“not, un-, mis-”) + towen, i-towen (“educated”, literally “towed; led; drawn”), from Old English togen, ġetogen, past participle of tēon (“to train, discipline”), equivalent to wan- + towed.
Senses: examples: text: As Flies to wanton Boyes are we to th' Gods, / They kill us for their sport.
ref: c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
text: 'Tis the cruel gripe, / That lean hard-handed poverty inflicts, / The hope of better things, the chance to win, / The wiſh to ſhine, the thirſt to be amus'd, / That at the found of Winter's hoary wing, / Unpeople all our counties, of ſuch herds, / Of flutt'ring, loit'ring, cringing, begging, looſe, / And wanton vagrants, as make London, vaſt / And boundless as it is, a crowded coop.
ref: 1785, William Cowper, “Book III. The Garden.”, in The Task, a Poem, […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson; […], →OCLC, page 133:
synonyms: anarchic
rampant
glosses: Undisciplined, unruly; not able to be controlled.
examples: text: The grave simplicity of the philosopher was ill calculated to engage her wanton levity, or to fix that unbounded passion for variety, which often discovered personal merit in the meanest of mankind.
ref: 1776, Edward Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, volume 1:
synonyms: word: coltish
word: frisky
word: frolicsome
word: abuzz
word: agile
word: airy
word: alive
word: animate
word: animated
word: brisk
word: busy
word: busy as a bee
word: buxom
word: buzzing
word: diligent
word: driven
word: driving
word: dynamic
word: eager
word: effervescent
word: energetic
word: enthusiastic
word: expeditious
word: frisky
word: gay
word: glowing
word: happy
word: hearty
word: impetuous
word: industrious
word: keen
word: kinetic
word: lively
word: merry
word: mobile
word: motivated
word: moving
word: nimble
word: peppy
word: perky
word: restive
word: snappy
word: spirited
word: sprightly
word: sprunt
word: spry
word: vibrant
word: vigorous
word: vivacious
word: vivid
word: zealous
word: zestful
word: zippy
word: airy
word: at ease
word: at peace
word: carefree
word: careless
word: casual
word: chill
word: cool
word: devil-may-care
word: easy-breezy
word: easygoing
word: happy-go-lucky
word: indifferent
word: insouciant
word: laid-back
word: leisurely
word: lighthearted
word: loose
word: mellow
word: nonchalant
word: pococurante
word: relaxed
word: serene
word: solute
word: tranquil
word: unanxious
word: unbothered
word: unconcerned
word: undisturbed
word: unruffled
word: untroubled
word: unworried
word: wanton
glosses: Playful, sportive; merry or carefree.
examples: text: if wenches will hang out lures for fellows, it is no matter what they suffer: I detest such creatures; and it would be much better for them that their faces had been seamed with the smallpox: but I must confess I never saw any of this wanton behaviour in poor Jenny [...].
ref: 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:
text: I know I ought never to have dreamt of sending that valentine—forgive me, sir—it was a wanton thing which no woman with any self-respect should have done.
ref: 1874, Thomas Hardy, Far from the Madding Crowd. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Smith, Elder & Co., […], →OCLC:
text: People should not marry too young, because, if they do, the children will be weak and female, the wives will become wanton, and the husbands stunted in their growth.
ref: 1946, Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, I.21:
synonyms: word: lewd
word: lustful
word: unchaste
word: ablaze
word: amorous
word: aroused
word: buckish
word: concupiscent
word: desirous
word: DTF
word: excited
word: frisky
word: fuckish
word: gagging for it
word: hard
word: horny
word: hot
word: hot and bothered
word: hot to trot
word: in heat
word: lascivious
word: lewd
word: libidinous
word: lickerish
word: lustful
word: lusty
word: prurient
word: randy
word: ravenous
word: rock hard
word: ruttish
word: rutty
word: sexed up
word: stimulated
word: thirsty
word: toey
word: toey as a Roman sandal
word: turned on
word: unchaste
word: venereal
word: venereous
word: wanton
glosses: Lewd, immoral; sexually open, unchaste.
examples: text: Edward himself, now thoroughly enlightened on her character, had no scruple in believing her capable of the utmost meanness of wanton ill-nature.
ref: 1811, [Jane Austen], Sense and Sensibility […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] C[harles] Roworth, […], and published by T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC:
text: these developments in Gaza are a consequence of the state of siege that the tiny territory has been under – a society that has been fenced-in, starved, and seen its very fabric torn apart by unemployment and wanton military destruction.
ref: 2009 August 10, Ben White, The Guardian:
synonyms: callous
inhumane
merciless
unjustified
glosses: Capricious, reckless of morality, justice etc.; acting without regard for the law or the well-being of others; gratuitous.
examples: text: the market price will rise more or less above the natural price, according as either the greatness of the deficiency, or the wealth and wanton luxury of the competitors, happen to animate more or less the eagerness of the competition.
ref: 1776, Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations, Book I:
text: But do not think it argues change of temper since I wrote the Frère review, or a wanton praise of one man and blame of another.
ref: 1876 January 19, John Ruskin, Letters:
synonyms: word: lavish
word: luxuriant
word: prodigal
word: excessive
word: extravagant
word: unmeasured
word: unreasonable
word: extreme
word: immoderate
word: intemperate
word: lavish
word: nimious
word: obscene
word: overmuch
word: overweening
word: over the top
word: prodigal
word: undue
word: unrestrained
word: wanton
glosses: Extravagant, unrestrained, excessive.
Synonyms: word: anarchic
word: anarchical
word: bratty
word: chaotic
word: difficult
word: dionysiac
word: dionysian
word: disciplineless
word: fractious
word: governless
word: gung ho
topics: military
war
government
politics
word: indisciplined
word: irrepressible
word: lawless
word: loose-handed
word: rampant
word: rantipole
word: stanchless
word: unbridled
word: unchecked
word: uncontrolled
word: uncontrollable
word: undisciplined
word: ungovernable
word: ungoverned
word: uninhibited
word: unreined
word: unrestrained
word: unruly
word: untoward
word: unvanquished
word: out of control
word: out of joint
word: wanton
word: wild
Hypernyms: word: disorderly
word: unrestricted
Hyponyms: word: boisterous
word: free-spirited
word: indomitable
word: rambunctious
word: randy
word: raucous
word: rowdy
word: unkempt
word: wayward
Derived terms: wag-wanton
wanton kittens make sober cats
Related terms: word: libidinous
word: maenadic
word: enthusiastic
word: libertine
word: obstinate