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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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Wanto(u)n, -to(u)ne, adj. Also: vanto(u)ne, wantown, -ten. Compar. wantoner. [ME and e.m.E. wantun (Cursor M.), wantoun (1362), wantowne (Chaucer), wanton (c1400).]There may be some overlap between the senses.

1. Of persons: Unrestrained in behaviour, undisciplined, unruly, badly behaved.c1420 Ratis Raving 1685.
The sevynt eild … quhill has appetyt and wyll As fallis wantone childyr tyll 1456 Hay I 161/31.
Quhen the subjectis of the realme ar michty and full of gudis, it makis the princis and warryouris wantoune, ande mare wilfull to make were a1487 Gud Wyf & D. 276.
And pwnys thame quhen thai do mys, And rekles or our wantoun is a1500 Henr. Fab. 1588.
Thir lytill myis ar bot the commountie, Wantoun, vnwyse, without correctioun c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace i 211.
A hely schrew, wanton in his entent 1513 Doug. xi xv 29.
Quhyddir so it was that Troiane armour sche Lyst hyng in tempill for memor of trophe Or than desyryt this wantoun hunteres In goldyn attyre hir selwyn to addres a1538 Abell 53a.
Lord … Thow hes punist me quhar throw I am instrukkit hes ane ȝoung wantoune man 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 62.
The court of England that is so wantoun, Shall shortlie be brocht to confusioune a1578 Pitsc. II 105/1.
The Inglischemen grew werie proud and wantoun … and went abrode athort the contrie and brunt and hierieit quhair they pleissit

b. Of an action, quality, state, etc: Uncontrolled, rebellious; unchecked; reckless.c1420 Wynt. v 1206.
Saynt Gregor ay In till lestand langure lay And [in] paynys till his endying, For hys wantown thra askyng c1420 Ratis Raving 1051.
Dysspyt at vantone wyll That hop and resone sais na tyll c1450-2 Howlat 962 (B).
I wes so wantoun in will my werdis ar wan a1487 Gud Wyf & D. 159.
Nocht leif to vantoune giglotris Kepe feris of women that ar vis 1513 Doug. xiii vii 49 (Ruddim.).
Thocht mannis wantoun wilfull offence, Be ouer malapert and vndantit licence 1540 Lynd. Sat. 982.
Quhen ȝowtheid hes blawin his wantoun blast Than sall gude counsale rewill him at the last a1568 Bannatyne MS 75a/2.
Quho wald do weill he mon begin at weill For to do weill and nocht at wantone [pr. wantour] will 1584 Elgin Rec. I 176.
The haill nebours within this burgh … sall keip the portis of this burgh for owthalding of all personis cuming owt and fra suspect places of the plaig of pest and wanten testimonialls of thair clenes thairof 15.. Dunb. App. ii 58.
A preist of pryd, That wes full wanton of his will; Gold and siluer lay him besyd, The fremmit thairof thair baggis can fill 1604 James VI Tobacco 90/20.
Because the heart is full of vitall spirits, and in perpetuall motion, a man would therefore lay a heauy pound stone on his breast, for staying and holding downe that wanton palpitation

c. Of an animal: Unmanageable, uncontrollable, not accepting of discipline.1460 Hay Alex. 528.
[Bucephalus] With wantoun walope and bridlit at beheist a1538 Abell 55b.
Ȝe ma considdir the slidirnes of warldlie dignate quhilk is lik to the wanton hors at beris a man on hecht for a tyme 16… E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VII 14.
A wanton staig … that will not be ruled by the herds

d. transf.? Subjected to unnatural treatment, ? maltreated.1591 Criminal Trials I ii 253.
Your naturall and kindlie payne [was] vnnaturallie cassin of yow, vpoun the wantoune catt

e. Of persons, (in respect of) their speech: Rude, ill-mannered.a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 100.
The carll was wantoun of word, and wox wonder wraith 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1153 (B).
Ȝour wantone wordis but dowt ȝe sall repent 1587 Burntisland B. Ct. 20 Oct.
Certane insolent … personis … quha wsis to iniure miscall and giwe wantoun and oragand wordis to the commoun officemene 1599 Dysart Rec. 26.
For calling to remembrance to … David Simpson … ane rioting of bygane wanton words

2. Of a person: Unrestrained morally or sexually, given to lustful behaviour.c1420 Wynt. vi 468.
A woman occupyd that sted Twa yhere as Pape full and mare Scho wes to wantown [W. wantoun, C. wanton] off hyr ware a1500 Henr. Thre Deid Pollis 17.
O wantone ȝowth als fresche as lusty May 1490 Irland Mir. I 82/4.
The euuangell schawis ws hou the bitter teris of Marye Magdalene, that was sa faire and nobile and fyrst fresche and wantoune in lust, plesaunce and syn, eftirwert helpit hire a1500 Bk. Chess 77.
Ane richt evill falt was in that tyrand set Wantoun he was & prowde in all degre And levit halely in sensualite c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 529.
Of thir thre wantoun wiffis that I haif writtin heir, Quhilk wald ȝe waill to ȝour wif gif ȝe suld wed one? 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 196.
Ȝyng virgynys … Traist nocht al talis that wanton woweris tellis, Ȝow to deflour purposyng, and nocht ellys 1533 Boece 185a.
Athirco … all to harlotry and vilite gevin, full of licherye and sensuall plesouris, with ane garde of ruffeanis … passit his tyme. The nobillis detestit thir wantoun latis c1540 Lynd. Syde Taillis 172.
Ane wantoun glorious hure 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2758 (Ch.).
Thir prelates hes great prerogatyues … thay may depairt ay with thair wyues … Syne tak ane vther wantoner but mariage 1551 Hamilton Catechism 91.
The occasionis of lichorie … ydilnes, owir lang sleping, wantone and licht company, dansing, singing, with uthir siclik provicationis 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 4814.
Auld men … Ȝoung wemen into mariage In na maner is for ȝow meit Thay are wantoun and full of heit a1568 Scott xxviii 3.
Sum wantoun man so he hes set hir, That I can get no lufe agane ?a1648 Polemo-Middinia 37.
Rob Gib wantonus homo

b. Of an activity, etc.: Lewd, obscene, lustful.c1460 Thewis Wysmen 366.
At wantone plays thai spend thar gud, And mansueris Goddis flesch and blud a1538 Abell 64b.
He gaif him to drinkin and jwgin & wanton plais a1568 Scott xvi 39.
The lusty, wantoun lyfe … Of lufe is hyne c1614 Mure Dido & Æneas i 627.
By wanton looks some leave a lasting care, And others most do move by seeming meek 1659 S. Ronaldshay 29.
Being found … to have upon new ȝier even … come to the minister his houss, and thair sung wantone and prophaine songs

3. Unrestrained in enjoyment, carefree; lacking seriousness.The Dunb. quot. may be ambiguous with sense 2 above.c1420 Ratis Raving 1140.
Sa lang havis child wyl always With flouris for to jap … and with spalys small To byge vp chalmer, spens & hall … And be syk vantone vyrk weill Thi dayly dawark is done ilk deill 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 859.
The thrid sister, Thalia diligent, In wantoun writ and chronikill dois imprent c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 37.
Ane wes ane wedow, I wis, wantoun of laitis 1513 Doug. xii Prol. 301.
Gentill dow, Syngand in hyr kynd ‘I come hydder to wow’, … for the dynnyng of hir wanton cry, I irkyt of my bed, and … in my wedis dres a1568 Scott xv 3.
Art thow nocht wantoun, haill, & in gud howp … Bathing in blis, and sett in hie curaige? a1599 Rollock Wks. I 312.
The wanton licht man thinkis this bodie … to be na burden and will rin and loup with it as thocht this carcase wer licht as ane fether. Allace he feillis not the burden, he is sensles

4. Haughty, insolent, proud; spoiled.1460 Hay Alex. 1273.
Gud war to him [sc. Alexander] he war in Macedone Playand with sparhalk [etc.] … Ȝoung wantoun men wenis it is bot play Quhill [etc.] a1500 Henr. Fab. 2495.
The doggis skyn … he … on the scheip rycht softlie couth it sew. Than worth the wedder wantoun off his weid: ‘Now off the volff’, quod he, ‘I haue na dreid’ 1490 Irland Mir. III 133/31.
Ane noble lady com to Orliaunce and saw thar mony wantone ȝoung men … [they] said that thai studyit in lawis, and wauld be sone eftir aduocatis or procuratouris 1513 Doug. v Prol. 11.
Knychtis delytis to assay sterand stedys, Wantoun gallandis to trayl in sumptuus wedis 1513 Doug. xi xiii 150 (Sm.).
O, quod the maid, thou fals Liguriane, Our wantoun in thy proud mynd, all in vane [L. frustraque animis elate superbis]

5. Of clothes: Unrestrained in colour, ? extravagant.a1500 King Hart 476.
For saik of thé I will no colour reid Nor lusty quhyt vpone my bodie beir Bot blak and gray alway quhill I be deid. I will none vther wantoun wedis weir c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 684.
With that, richt wantoun in his weid … He was desyrit in mariage a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS 441/127.
Thair hois maid of wantoun hew