wanton Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun lewd or lascivious woman
  2. verb waste time; spend one's time idly or inefficiently
    trifle; piddle away; wanton away; piddle.
  3. verb indulge in a carefree or voluptuous way of life
  4. verb spend wastefully
    trifle away; wanton away.
    • wanton one's money away
  5. verb become extravagant; indulge (oneself) luxuriously
    luxuriate.
  6. verb engage in amorous play
  7. verb behave extremely cruelly and brutally
  8. adjective satellite occurring without motivation or provocation
    motiveless; unprovoked.
    • motiveless malignity
    • unprovoked and dastardly attack"- F.D.Roosevelt
  9. adjective satellite casual and unrestrained in sexual behavior
    sluttish; light; promiscuous; loose; easy.
    • her easy virtue
    • he was told to avoid loose (or light) women
    • wanton behavior

WordNet

Wan"ton adjective
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.
Definitions
  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 noun
Definitions
  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 intransitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Wantoned ; present participle & verbal noun Wantoning
Definitions
  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 transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To cause to become wanton; also, to waste in wantonness. Obs.

Webster 1913