wanton
UK /ˈwɒntən/ · US /ˈwɑntən/ adjective, noun, verb
Also a form of wonton
Forms wantoner wantonest wantons wantoning wantoned
- adjective (archaic) Undisciplined, unruly; not able to be controlled.
- adjective (obsolete) Playful, sportive; merry or carefree.
- adjective Lewd, immoral; sexually open, unchaste.
- adjective Capricious, reckless of morality, justice etc.; acting without regard for the law or the well-being of others; gratuitous.
- adjective (archaic) Extravagant, unrestrained, excessive.
- noun A pampered or coddled person.
- noun An overly playful person; a trifler.
- noun A self-indulgent person, fond of excess.
- noun (archaic) A lewd or immoral person, especially a prostitute.
- verb (intransitive) To rove and ramble without restraint, rule, or limit; to revel; to play loosely; to frolic.
- verb (transitive) To waste or squander, especially in pleasure (most often with away). “The young man wantoned away his inheritance.”
- verb (intransitive) To act wantonly; to be lewd or lascivious.
- noun (Philippines, Singapore) wonton (Chinese dumpling)
Synonyms
anarchic rampant coltish frisky frolicsome abuzz active agile airy alive animate animated brisk busy busy as a bee buxom buzzing diligent driven driving piddle wanton away piddle away trifle trifle away luxuriate motiveless unprovoked easy light
Antonyms
apollonian constrained disciplined inhibited repressible restrained ruly under control orderly
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.
Borrowed from Cantonese 雲吞 /云吞 (wan⁴ tan¹).
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Untrained; undisciplined; unrestrained; hence, loose; free; luxuriant; roving; sportive. "In woods and wanton wilderness." Spenser. "A wild and wanton herd." Shak.
- adjective Wandering from moral rectitude; perverse; dissolute. "Men grown wanton by prosperity." Roscommon.
- noun A roving, frolicsome thing; a trifler; --used rarely as a term of endearment.
- noun One brought up without restraint; a pampered pet. Anything, sir, That's dry and wholesome; I am no bred wanton. Beau. & Fl.
Etymology [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.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “wanton”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details