Definitions for wanton
ˈwɒn tnwan·ton

Princeton's WordNet(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. wanton(adj)

   lewd or lascivious woman

2. motiveless, unprovoked, wanton(adj)

   occurring without motivation or provocation

   "motiveless malignity"; "unprovoked and dastardly attack"- F.D.Roosevelt

3. easy, light, loose, promiscuous, sluttish, wanton(verb)

   casual and unrestrained in sexual behavior

   "her easy virtue"; "he was told to avoid loose (or light) women"; "wanton behavior"

4. piddle, wanton, wanton away, piddle away, trifle(verb)

   waste time; spend one's time idly or inefficiently

5. wanton(verb)

   indulge in a carefree or voluptuous way of life

6. wanton, wanton away, trifle away(verb)

   spend wastefully

   "wanton one's money away"

7. luxuriate, wanton(verb)

   become extravagant; indulge (oneself) luxuriously

8. wanton(verb)

   engage in amorous play

9. wanton(verb)

   behave extremely cruelly and brutally

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. wanton(Noun)

   A pampered or coddled person.

   Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

2. wanton(Noun)

   An overly playful person.

   Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

3. wanton(Noun)

   A self-indulgent person, fond of excess.

   Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

4. wanton(Noun)

   A lewd or immoral person, especially a prostitute.

   Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

5. wanton(Verb)

   To act wantonly; become wanton.

   Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

6. wanton(Verb)

   To waste or squander, especially in pleasure (often with away).

   The young man wantoned away his inheritance.

   Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

7. wanton(Adjective)

   Undisciplined, unruly; not able to be controlled.

   Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

8. wanton(Adjective)

   Lewd, immoral; sexually open, unchaste.

   Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

9. wanton(Adjective)

   Playful, sportive; being merry or carefree (often used figuratively).

   Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

10. wanton(Adjective)

    Self-indulgent, fond of excess; luxurious.

    Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

11. wanton(Adjective)

    Capricious, reckless of morality, justice etc.; acting without regard for the law or the well-being of others; gratuitous.

    Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

12. wanton(Adjective)

    Extravagant, unrestrained; excessive (of speech or thought).

    Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

Webster Dictionary(3.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Wanton(verb)

   untrained; undisciplined; unrestrained; hence, loose; free; luxuriant; roving; sportive

   Etymology: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of ten to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]

2. Wanton(verb)

   wandering from moral rectitude; perverse; dissolute

   Etymology: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of ten to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]

3. Wanton(verb)

   specifically: Deviating from the rules of chastity; lewd; lustful; lascivious; libidinous; lecherous

   Etymology: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of ten to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]

4. Wanton(verb)

   reckless; heedless; as, wanton mischief

   Etymology: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of ten to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]

5. Wanton(noun)

   a roving, frolicsome thing; a trifler; -- used rarely as a term of endearment

   Etymology: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of ten to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]

6. Wanton(noun)

   one brought up without restraint; a pampered pet

   Etymology: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of ten to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]

7. Wanton(noun)

   a lewd person; a lascivious man or woman

   Etymology: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of ten to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]

8. Wanton(verb)

   to rove and ramble without restraint, rule, or limit; to revel; to play loosely; to frolic

   Etymology: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of ten to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]

9. Wanton(verb)

   to sport in lewdness; to play the wanton; to play lasciviously

   Etymology: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of ten to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]

10. Wanton(verb)

    to cause to become wanton; also, to waste in wantonness

    Etymology: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of ten to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Wanton

   won′tun, adj. moving or playing loosely: roving in sport: frisky: wandering from rectitude: licentious: running to excess: unrestrained: irregular.—n. a wanton or lewd person, esp. a female: a trifler.—v.i. to ramble without restraint: to frolic: to play lasciviously.—adv. Wan′tonly.—n. Wan′tonness. [M. E. wantowen, from pfx. wan-, sig. want, A.S. togen, educated, pa.p. of teón, to draw, lead; cf. Ger. ungezogen, rude.]

How to pronounce wanton?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say wanton in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of wanton in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of wanton in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of wanton in a Sentence

1. William Shakespeare:

   As flies to wanton boys, are we to the godsThey kill us for their sport.

2. Emmerson Mnangagwa:

   One week ago I announced measures to stabilize our nation's crucial fuel supply. I was aware that these measures may not be popular, and this was not a decision we took lightly. But it was the right thing to do, what followed was regrettable and tragic. Everyone has the right to protest, but this was not a peaceful protest. Wanton violence and cynical destruction ; looting police stations, stealing guns and uniforms ; incitement and threats of violence. This is not the Zimbabwean way.

3. William Shakespeare:

   Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by this sun of York, And all the clouds that loured upon our house In the deep bosom of the ocean buried. Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths, Our bruised arms hung up for monuments, Our stern alarums changed to merry meetings, Our dreadful marches to delightful measures. Grim-visaged war hath smoothed his wrinkled front And now, instead of mounting barbed steeds To fright the souls of fearful adversaries, He capers nimbly in a lady's chamber To the lascivious pleasing of a lute. But I, that am not shaped for sportive tricks, Nor made to court an amorous looking-glass I, that am rudely stamped, and want love's majesty To strut before a wanton ambling nymph I, that am curtailed of this fair proportion, Cheated of feature by dissembling nature, Deformed, unfinished, sent before my time Into this breathing world, scarce half made up, And that so lamely and unfashionable That dogs bark at me as I halt by them,-- Why, I, in this weak piping time of peace, Have no delight to pass away the time, Unless to spy my shadow in the sun.

4. Maamoun Abdulkarim:

   It's as though there is a curse that has befallen this city and I expect only news that will shock us. If the city remains in their hands the city is doomed, it is now wanton destruction ... their acts of vengeance are no longer ideologically driven because they are now blowing up buildings with no religious meaning.

5. John Adams:

   [D]emocracy will soon degenerate into an anarchy, such an anarchy that every man will do what is right in his own eyes and no man's life or property or reputation or liberty will be secure, and every one of these will soon mould itself into a system of subordination of all the moral virtues and intellectual abilities, all the powers of wealth, beauty, wit and science, to the wanton pleasures, the capricious will, and the execrable cruelty of one or a very few.

Images & Illustrations of wanton

Popularity rank by frequency of use