wanton

WANTON, a.

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, n.

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, v.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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1828 Webster's

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