wanton

adjective

undisciplined

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˈwɒntən/ / /ˈwɑntən/ / /ˈwɒntɒn/

adj

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.

Undisciplined, unruly; not able to be controlled.
“As Flies to wanton Boyes are we to th' Gods, / They kill us for their sport.”
“'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.”
Playful, sportive; merry or carefree.
“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.”
Lewd, immoral; sexually open, unchaste.
“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 [...].”
“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.”
Capricious, reckless of morality, justice etc.; acting without regard for the law or the well-being of others; gratuitous.
“Edward himself, now thoroughly enlightened on her character, had no scruple in believing her capable of the utmost meanness of wanton ill-nature.”
“Several cases of serious wanton damage have occurred on the new electric trains on the Manchester-Bury line of the London Midland Region during recent weeks.”
Extravagant, unrestrained, excessive.
“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.”
“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.”

noun

Etymology: Borrowed from Cantonese 雲吞 /云吞 (wan⁴ tan¹).

wonton (Chinese dumpling)
“Add wanton, chives and vegetables to broth and season with 1 tablespoon salt, ½ teaspoon sesame oil, and 1 chicken cube.”
“Spread mayonnaise sparingly on one side of each of the wantons. Now make a stepped sandwich so that you can see about one-third of each type of fish on your serving plate. Start with one wanton, mayonnaise-side up, cover with a slice of tuna add another wanton, mayonnaise-side up, leaving one-third of the tuna showing.”

verb

To rove and ramble without restraint, rule, or limit; to revel; to play loosely; to frolic.
“[…] We will fetch thee straight / Adonis painted by a running brook, / And Cytherea all in sedges hid, / Which seem to move and wanton with her breath / Even as the waving sedges play wi’ th’ wind.”
“[…] Nature here / Wantond as in her prime, and plaid at will / Her Virgin Fancies […]”
To waste or squander, especially in pleasure (most often with away).
“The young man wantoned away his inheritance.”
“[W]ith this money the King shall wanton away his time in pleasures […]”
To act wantonly; to be lewd or lascivious.
“Be loving and courteous to your fellow Servants, not gigling or idling out your time, or wantoning in the society of men […]”
“Happy he that ſips Eternally ſuch Nectar dovvn, that unconfin'd may Lave, and VVanton there in ſateleſs Draughts of ever ſpringing Beauty— […]”