Also 2–3 (Ormin) wannte, 3 wonti(e, 3–5 wont(e, 3–7 wante, 4–5 wantt(e, Sc. 4–6 vant, 5 whante, 6 waunt. [prob. a. ON. vanta wk. vb. impers. = MSwed. vanta, also vantas refl., Swed. dial. vanta to be wanting, Norw. (Aasen) vanta to be lacking, absent, also trans. to lack, Da. (Jutland dial.) vante trans. to lack. From Scandinavian also is prob. mod. NFris. waant to need, fail, lack, do without (pers. and impers.). ON. vanta perh. represents an earlier *wanatōn with a derivative -t suffix not connected with the neut. adj. ending seen in the sb.]
1. intr. To be lacking or missing; not to exist; not to be forthcoming; to be deficient in quantity or degree. In early use const. with dative or to. rare since the 17th c., and now arch. (To be wanting is current; see WANTING ppl. a.)
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 194. Hwonne ou ne wonteð nowiht, þeonne ueineð he mid ou. Ibid., 406. Ne þunche hire neuer wunder þauh hire wontie þe Holi Gostes froure.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 2155. Ðan coren wantede in oðer lond, Ðo ynug [was] vnder his hond.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 3053. Þam wanted brede, þeir water es gan, Hope of lijf ne had þai nan.
13[?]. Northern Passion, 156/440*. So it bifell þe folk had care ffor þat þam wanted water þare.
c. 1340. Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 593. Bot proud man of þis tas na hede For hym wantes skille, þat hym suld lede.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, V. 422. And it is to perelouss thing In castell till assegit be, Quhar that ane vantis of this thre, Vittale, or men with thair armyng.
c. 1460. Sir R. Ros, La Belle Dame, 449. To give the good where it wanteth, trewly, That were resoun and a curteys maner.
1484. Caxton, Fables of Æsop, II. ix. They whiche ben on lyue haue some whiche drede them but theyr drede wantith and faylleth whan they ben dede.
1488. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., I. 89. To a sclatar for the poyntin of al the place of Stirling, and for sclaytis that wantit and lyme, xij li.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 81. Where obedyence wanteth (sayth saynt Austyn) there is no goodnes.
1546. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 42. Diners can not be long, where deinties want.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., June, 3. Tell me, what wants me here, to worke delyte?
a. 1592. Greene, Jas. IV., IV. iv. O wearie life, where wanteth no distresse.
1598. Grenewey, Tacitus, Ann., IV. ii. (1622), 90. The armies were to be supplied with a new muster. For voluntarie men now wanted: or if there were any; they were not of so vertuous and modest a cariage.
1630. Earl Manch., in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), I. 273. If your help be in this business, as I know it shall not want, it is no matter though your hand wanted to the certificate.
a. 1648. Ld. Herbert, Hen. VIII. (1683), 17. Besides, that in France there neuer wanted discontented Persons, who would joyn with his Forces.
1827. Hallam, Const. Hist., I. viii. 465. There wanted not reasons in the cabinet of Charles for placing the navy at this time on a respectable footing.
1830. Gen. P. Thompson, Exerc. (1842), I. 245. There wants a collection of dying speeches of nefarious governments.
† b. To fall short of a certain amount. Obs.
1472–3. Rolls of Parlt., VI. 56/2. All such sommes of money, as shall want or lak of the forseid sommes.
† c. To be lacking to complete a certain total or achieve a result. Const. of or negative clause. Also impers., in absolute uses of 2 d: hem wantiþ, they are not fully qualified; there wants, something is lacking (const. to with inf.); it wants of six (o’clock), it is not quite six. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 14667. Littel wantid þat þam [? read þai ne with Gött.] war wode.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1062. & of þat ilk nwȝere bot neked now wontez.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 739. ‘And fyue wont of fyfty,’ quod god, ‘I schal forȝete alle & wyth-halde my honde for hortyng on lede.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 434. Þei feynen falsliche þat þei ben vikeris of Crist; for likliche hem wantiþ to be þe leeste membre þat Crist haþ ordeyned to be of his Chirche.
1618. J. Wilkinson, Treat., Of a Court Leet, 79 b. The steward may impanell any stranger, if there want to make xii. of ye Iury.
1639. Du Verger, trans. Camus’ Admir. Events, 164. He … abusing him with injurious words, & threats, (& as he was surly & apt to strike) little wanted of blows.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, XII. 937. Then, shall I see Laurentum in a flame, Which only wanted to compleat my shame.
1709. Mrs. Manley, Secret Mem. (1720), IV. 136. The Prince was true to his Letter. It wanted of Six, when in my Man’s Apparel I got to the Grotto, but found Endymion in possession of it.
1768. Wilkes, Hist. Eng., I. Introd. 13. The fire had been long laid, and there only wanted such a spark to force a blaze.
d. To fail (const. with dative or to); to give out; to be insufficient for (a purpose, etc.). Obs.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 2530. But word and wit, with chere ful pale, Shul wante for to tell thy tale.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 5480. Or els þai tillid þaim to þe trees as þe buke tellis, And gert þaim laike with þaim so lange till þaim þe life wantis.
1553. Eden, Treat. Newe Ind., Ded. (Arb.), 6. One whose good will hath not wanted to gratifie your grace with a better thing if mine abilitie were greater.
1598. Hakluyt, Voy., I. 58. But they of the citie fought manfully against them, with engines, dartes, and arrowes, and when stones wanted they threw siluer, and especially melted siluer.
† e. To fail to do something; to be wanting (in one’s endeavors). Obs.
In quot. 1576 perh., ‘to lack the wherewithal,’ to be too poor.
1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 16733. For thow, lady, ffayllest neuere, nor thow wantest nat to do socour and helpe to alle that deuoutly besechyn and prayen vn-to the.
1576. Common Conditions, 216 (Brooke). Like beggers wee liue and want to pay rent.
1643. Burroughes, Exp. 1st 3 ch. Hosea, xviii. 455. So far as you want in your endeavours after this, so far there is an evil.
† f. To be a defaulter; to be absent, missing. Obs.
1435. Misyn, Fire of Love, II. iv. 76. Saluum me fac deus, quoniam defecit sanctus, þat is to say: ‘lorde, make me sayffe, for þe sayntis wantys.’
c. 1440. Alphabet of Tales, 169. In þe kurk of Palernens was þer a certan dean þat sent a servand of his to seke a palfray of his þat hym wantid.
c. 1475. Rauf Coilȝear, 290. Ane man that office suld beir be tyme at this tyde, He will be found in his fault, that wantis foroutin weir.
c. 1480. Henryson, Wolf & Wether, 45. In all thingis he [the wether] counterfait the Dog; For all the nicht he stude and tuke na sleip, Swa that weill lang thair wantit not ane Hog.
1600. E. Blount, trans. Conestaggio, 153. For there wanted aboue sixe thousand souldiers of them which had been leuied.
2. trans. Not to have; to be without, to lack; to have too little of; to be destitute of, or deficient in; to fail to have, or get. Now rare, exc. with object a desirable quality or attribute.
c. 1200. Ormin, 13380. All þatt wannteþþ Cristess hald All sinnkeþþ inntill helle.
a. 1352. Minot, Poems, vii. 103. Sir Philip wanted all his will, Þat was wele on his sembland sene.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxxiv. (Pelagia), 23. Wantande nathing of bewte, Þat in a woman suld fundyn be.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xiii. 421. Full wofull is the householde That wantys a woman.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, VI. 340. Thre thousand haill off likly men in wer, And feill on fute quhilk wantyt hors and ger.
c. 1480. Henryson, Cock & Fox, 2. Thocht brutall beistis be Irrationall, That is to say, wantand discretioun.
a. 1533. Frith, Disput. Purgat., Wks. (1573), 22. We haue all sinned and want the glory whiche before God is allowed.
1560. Peebles Burgh Rec. (1872), 262. Tua beddis wantand the sydis nixt the wall.
1577. in W. H. Turner, Select. Rec. Oxford (1880), 395. Everye one that shall wante his gowne shall lose his place.
1625. Burges, Pers. Tithes, 67. It is a thousand pitties they should want blowes who will doe nothing without them.
1684. trans. Bonet’s Merc. Compit., I. 16. If you want Peaches, you may use Juice of soure Apples.
1700. Dryden, Monum. Fair Maiden Lady, 2. Below this Marble Monument is laid All that Heav’n wants of this Celestial Maid.
1710. Hearne, Collect. (O.H.S.), III. 80. He has sent 3 Lectures to be printed at Oxford (they wanting Arabick Types at Cambridge).
1728. T. Sheridan, trans. Persius, iii. (1739), 48. It is very natural that Sciences should be ridiculed by those who want them.
1793[?]. Burns, Selkirk Grace, 2. Some hae meat, and canna eat, And some wad eat that want it.
1836. [J. Grant], Random Recoll. Ho. Lords, xvi. 402. His matter wants vigour and depth, and his manner is deficient in energy.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., iii. I. 302. Mulgrave, though he wanted experience, wanted neither parts nor courage.
1852. R. A. Willmott, Pleas. Lit. (ed. 2), vi. 37. The Library of Petrarch wanted the Divine Comedy, until Boccaccio sent it decorated with gold.
1876. L. Stephen, Eng. Th. 18th C., I. 170. A purely optimistic creed always wants any real stamina.
† b. To be free from (something undesirable).
1631. May, trans. Barclay’s Mirr. Mindes, I. 206. The English which want somewhat of the pompous shew of the French humanity, doe want much more of their barbarous cruelty.
1787. [Beattie], Scoticisms, 105. We wanted the plague in Scotland, when they had it in England.
a. 1791. Grose, Olio (1792), 110 [Scotsman loq.] I am much better indeed; I have wanted the gout these three months.
† c. To spare (labor). Obs. (? nonce-use.)
1573–80. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 10. I haue no labour wanted to prune this tree thus planted, whose fruite to none is scanted, in house or yet in feeld.
d. To come short by (so much) of completing a certain total or attaining a certain result. Now chiefly impers. in telling the time of day: it wants (so many minutes) of (now more commonly to) such an hour. † Formerly often to want little, nothing, etc. used personally and impers., const. of with vbl. sb., to with inf., or negative clause, to indicate a close approach to the attainment of a certain result.
In referring to the time of day this form of expression is now becoming less usual: the ordinary phrase is it is (so many minutes) to (such an hour).
c. 1420. Anturs of Arth., 584 (Douce MS.). He wanted noȝte to be slayne þe brede of ane hare.
1530. Palsgr., 771/1. It wanted but a lytell that I was nat taken.
1617. Moryson, Itin., I. 217. We had now some two miles to Ierusalem, yet in the very Hauen, we wanted little of perishing.
1638. trans. Bacon’s Hist. Life & Death, 135. Eight Men, whose Age computed together, made up eight hundred yeares; In so much, that what some of them wanted of an hundred, others exceeded as much.
1653. Clarke Papers (Camden), III. 6. Lettres came from the Generalls that they wanted a dayes sayle from the Dutch fleete, but were in great hopes to overtake them.
1665. Hooke, Microgr., 201. If it chanced to want anything of being perfectly opposite.
1699. Bentley, Phalaris, Addenda 541. They wanted two years of Man’s Age.
1727. Swift, Lett. to Sheridan, 29 Aug. I now want only three months of sixty.
1748. Anson’s Voy., I. i. 7. His squadron wanted three hundred seamen of their complement.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, XI. v. Of my fortune not one farthing could be touched till I was of age, of which I wanted now more than two years.
1784. Henley, Note on Beckford’s Vathek (1868), 126. It wanted little but that the genii had pressed on him in crowds.
1830. G. P. R. James, Step-mother, lxxix. III. 326. You vagabond, you said it was ten o’clock, and it wants twenty minutes.
1834. Tracts for Times, No. 22. 5. It still wanted a considerable time to school.
1848. Dickens, Dombey, lv. ‘How goes the time? My watch is unwound.’ ‘Wants a few minutes of five o’clock, sir.’
1865. Trollope, Belton Est., vi. 59. It only wants five minutes to dinner.
1891. W. C. Russell, Marriage at Sea, xi. It wanted but twenty minutes to eight.
1905. R. Bagot, Passport, iii. 25. Although it wanted yet twenty minutes to midnight the church was nearly full.
† e. To be deprived of, to lose. Obs.
c. 1480. Henryson, Wolf & Wether, 35. I [sc. the wether] sall not spair To follow him [sc. the wolf] als fast as did ȝour Doig, Swa that, I warrand, ȝe sall not want ane hoig.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, xxxiii. 42. He cowth gif cure for laxatyve, To gar a wicht horss want his lyve.
1535. Coverdale, Isa. xxxviii. 10. I thought I shulde haue gone to the gates of hell in my best age, and haue wanted the residue of my yeares.
1536. Bellenden, Cron. Scot. (1821), II. 89. He maid mony lawis for the liberte of haly kirke; He that dang ane preist suld want his hand.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., I. 121. Lat him want his sword, and thair eftir avoyd his cumpanie.
1695. A. Telfair, New Confut. Sadd. (1696), 4. The Pot-hooks and Hanger were carried out of the Chimney, and being wanted four days, they found them at last in a Cockloft.
1724. Ramsay’s Tea-t. Misc. (1733), I. 14. I neither wanted ew nor lamb While his flock near me lay.
† f. To feel the loss of, to miss. Obs.
1623. Webster, Duchess Malfi, III. ii. You shall want him, For know an honest states-man to a Prince, Is like a Cedar, planted by a Spring.
1626. B. Jonson, Staple of N., I. vi. I must needes say, I lost an Officer of him, a good Bayliffe, And I shall want him; but all peace be with him.
1749. Chesterf., Lett. to Son, 14 Nov. You should be alerte, adroit, vif; be wanted, talked of, impatiently expected, and unwillingly parted with in company.
† g. To fail to recollect. Obs. rare.
c. 1381. Chaucer, Parl. Foules, 287. And manye a mayde of whiche the name I wante.
a. 1500. Flower & Leaf, 150. Diamondes fyne and rubies rede, And many another stoon, of which I want The names now.
¶ h. (Confused use.) Who cannot want the thought? who can help thinking?
1605. Shaks., Macb., III. vi. 8. Who cannot want the thought, how monstrous It was for Malcolme, and for Donalbane To kill their gracious Father?
i. Wanting (pres. pple.), not having, deprived of, without; (in definitions of a smaller quantity by its difference from a larger) lacking, less, minus. Obs. exc. Sc.
1536. in [Ledwich] Antiq. Sarisb. (1771), 192. A cross, with Abraham offering up Isaac, and a lamb behind him, with an Angel wanting one wing.
1570. Billingsley, Euclid, I. def. ii. 2. A lyne is … length wantyng breadth and thicknes.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., II. iii. 10. What a wearie way From Rauenspurgh to Cottshold will be found, In Rosse and Willoughby, wanting your companie.
1629. Hobbes, Thucydides, II. 89. 10000 Talents wanting 300.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 27 Feb. 1645. Three chips of the real Crosse; one of the nailes, wanting a point.
1726. Swift, Gulliver, II. i. I measured the Tail of the dead Rat, and found it to be two Yards long wanting an Inch.
1777. Abigail Adams, in Fam. Lett. (1876), 268. ’Tis four months wanting three days since we parted.
1809. Bawdwen, Domesday Bk. York, etc., 246. In Scireburne (Sherborn) with the Berewicks, the archbishop has 100 carucates of land, wanting four.
1886. Stevenson, Kidnapped, xviii. I would not go wanting sword and gun, and with a long fishing-rod. Ibid., xx. I have come wanting a water-bottle.
j. To go or do without. Usually in negative expressions, esp. with cannot, etc. Obs. exc. dial.
1562. Bulleyn, Bulwark, Bk. Simples (1579), 27. The fysher and Fouler must haue hempe to make their nettes. And no Archer can want his Bowstring.
a. 1572. Knox, Hist. Ref., Wks. 1846, I. 287. I can nott weall want him, or some preachar. I can nott put away sic ane man.
1592. Kyd, Sol. & Pers., V. i. 37. And sweete Perseda, I will stay with you, From Brusor my beloued; and Ile want him Till he bring backe Erastus vnto you.
1606. Chapman, Mons. D’Olive, II. i. Tabacco, that excellent plant, the vse whereof (as of fift Element) the world cannot want.
1637. Rutherford, Lett. to Ld. Craighall, 10 Aug. Ye have a fair occasion to gratifie Christ now, if ye will … want the night’s sleep with your suffering Saviour one hour.
1644. Milton, Areop. (Arb.), 48. Such books are … usefull drugs…, wherewith to temper and compose effective and strong med’cins, which mans life cannot want. Ibid. (1667), P. L., V. 365. By descending from the Thrones above, Those happie places thou hast deignd a while To want, and honour these.
1705. Stanhope, Paraphr., III. 568. Servants, in those Countries where long and loose Garments are worn, could not, without great inconvenience, want a part of Cloathing so necessary for Expedition.
1772. Cowper, Lett. to J. Hill, 27 June. I had rather want many things, any thing, indeed, that this world could afford me, than abuse the affection of a friend.
1814. Jane Austen, Mansf. Park, I. vi. 119. To want a horse and cart in the country seemed impossible.
1818. Scott, Br. Lamm., xxix. A worthless old play-fellow of mine, whose company I would rather want than have.
1880. Antrim & Down Gloss., s.v., We can’t want the pony the day.
† k. To want (gerundial inf.): to seek, not forthcoming. Obs. rare–1.
1563. Homilies, II. Rogation Wk., III. 243 b. Remember I say once againe your duetie of thankes, let them be neuer to want.
3. intr. (partly absol. of sense 2). † a. simply. To be in want of something implied by the context, or of the necessaries of life. Obs.
13[?]. Lay-Folks Mass-bk., App. IV. 311. He wrot so faste til þat he want, For his parchemyn skin was so scant.
1579. E. Hake, Newes out of Powles (1872), E v b. Though their bellies want: Their backs must brauely clothed be.
1618. J. Taylor (Water P.), Penniless Pilgr., F 4 b. Master James Acmootye comming for England, said, that if I would ride with him, that neither I nor my horse should want betwixt that place and London.
1620. Westward for Smelts (Percy Soc.), 31. He [sc. the King] being moved to see one so well featur’d (as she was) to want, entertained her for one of his pages.
a. 1626. Bacon, Use of Law (1630), 84, marg. If the Executors doe want they may sell any Legacie to pay Debts.
1679. [T. Kirke], Mod. Acc. Scot., 13. In the Highlands,… if one Man has two Cows, and another wants, he shall soon supply himself from his Neighbour.
1684. Contempl. St. Man, II. iii. (1699), 147. It was a Position of the Stoicks, that he was not Poor who wanted, but he who was necessitated.
† b. To want of: to lack, not to have, or to have in insufficient measure: = the trans. sense 2.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 4586. Þe same wyse dose a wolfe þat wantis of his pray.
c. 1500. Melusine, 147. He demanded of them what they ayled, and yf they wanted of eny thing.
1600. F. L., Ovid’s Remedie of Love, I. D 1 b. Are her teeth blacke or wants shee of the best? Relate some merry iest that she may grinne.
1672. Marvell, Reh. Transp., I. 69. Though you may discover the same fury, yet it wants of the same vigour.
1658. Whole Duty Man, xvii. § 8. We want of the due compassion, if we can be content our poor brother should have one hour of unnecessary suffering, when we [etc.].
1730. Savery, in Phil. Trans., XXXVI. 301. And if ever it is found otherwise, I cannot but think that Loadstone wants of Perfection.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), II. 52. However brilliant a diamond may be … it wants of its value and lustre till suitably set.
1799. G. Smith, Laboratory, I. 89. Unwrought gold and silver want considerably of that lustre and brightness they appear in at goldsmiths’ shops.
c. To want for: (chiefly in negative context) to suffer from the want of; to be ill-provided with; in later use also, to be lacking in (some quality). To want for nothing: to have no lack of any of the necessaries or comforts of life.
1607. Shaks., Timon, III. ii. 10. Fye no, doe not beleeue it: hee cannot want for money.
1652. in Verney Mem. (1907), I. 519. Let her want for nothing.
1652. Wadsworth, trans. Sandoval’s Civ. Wars Spain, 325. Though it was Lent, their Bishop gave them leav to eat flesh, so they wanted for no good cheer.
1679. Dryden & Lee, Œdipus, I. 12. While Argos is a People, think your Thebes Can never want for Subjects.
1714. Mrs. Manley, Adv. Rivella, 54. The Ambassador did not want either for Friends in England, nor in Hilaria’s own Family.
1733. Pope, Lett. to Swift, 28 May. It will not want for Satire.
1747. E. Poston, Pratler, I. 74. I hope thou art well, and dost not want for the common Necessaries of Life.
1786. Mrs. A. M. Bennett, Juvenile Indiscr., III. 153. But that was his misfortune, as he wanted not for perseverance, cunning, or cold blood, the three grand characteristics of a Scotchman.
1838. Dickens, O. Twist, xxxviii. Mrs. Bumble … did not want for spirit, as her yoke-fellow could abundantly testify.
1858. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., VII. v. (1873), II. 295. Frederika did not want for temper, as the Hohenzollerns seldom do.
1882. P. Fitzgerald, Recreat. Lit. Man (1883), 227. But she did not want for pluck or courage, as every streetboy knew.
1885. ‘Ouida,’ Rainy June (1901), 90. He was happy and wanted for nothing.
4. trans. To suffer the want of; to have occasion for, need, require; to stand in need of (something salutary, but often not desired. Hence colloq. senses 4 and 5 are often humorously contrasted.)
In advertisements the pa. pple. wanted is used elliptically (= F. on demande, G. wird gesucht), prefixed or appended to the designation of the kind of person or thing sought for; e.g., ‘Wanted, a governess’: ‘Experienced bookkeepers wanted’; ‘Wanted, any early books on America.’ Similarly, Wanted to purchase.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, I. 446. Deyr cusyng, pray I the, Quhen thow wantts gud, cum fech ynewch fra me.
1530. Palsgr., 771/1. I wante monaye, argent me fault.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., V. i. 66. Oh welcome Oxford, for we want thy helpe.
1630. Winthrop, Lett., in New Eng. (1825), I. 379. Though we have not beef and mutton, &c. yet (God be praised) we want them not; our Indian corn answers for all.
1694. Motteux, Rabelais, V. Epist. Pantagruel’s Lymosin 251 Incluse with Sylves behind, and Lakes before us, Our outward man wants something that’s calorous.
1737. Wesley, Jrnl., 18 Dec. I was seized with a violent Flux, which I felt came not before I wanted it.
1766. Goldsm., Hermit, viii. Man wants but little here below, Nor wants that little long.
1770. Langhorne, Plutarch, Solon (1879), I. 97/2. The soothsayers declared, that there were certain abominable crimes which wanted expiation.
1791[?]. Jrnls. Ho. Comm., XLVII. 373/2. Throwing the Timber, fresh cut, into Salt Water, and letting it lie there till wanted.
1827. Faraday, Chem. Manip., xv. (1842), 367. A tube is wanted for the conveyance of fluids.
1836. Dickens, Sk. Boz, Streets—Night. He must want his tea, poor man, after his dirty walk from the Docks.
1853. Lytton, My Novel, VI. xiv. She wants some one to read to her, and tend on her—she is old, and has no children. She wants a companion, and prefers a girl of your age to one older. Will this suit you?
1884. ‘Mark Rutherford,’ Deliverance, v. (ed. 9), 74. He had got a notion in his head that his mind wanted rest and reinvigoration.
1898. ‘H. S. Merriman,’ Roden’s Corner, viii. 85. The nurse whose services had not hitherto been wanted, had … spent some pleasant weeks at a pension at Scheveningen.
b. With vbl. sb. or inf. (esp. passive) as object now chiefly colloq.). It wants doing (it wants to be done): it needs doing, should be done. One wants to do it (this way): one’s best, or proper course is to do it; one should do it, etc.
The idiom (common colloq. in North and North-midlands) by which the verb apparently takes two objects, a sb. or pron. and a vbl. sb. that in sense governs it (as, I want that doing is perhaps a blend of It wants doing, and I want it done.
1563–83. Foxe, A. & M., 2123/1. For we may in no wise betray the case of God, nor will not doe, but susteine it to the vttermost of our powers…. But hereunto we want presently indifferent vsing [? = ‘we need to be impartially treated’].
1587. Nottingham Rec., IV. 216. We present the Bull Ringe to want raylinge.
1697. Vanbrugh, Prov. Wife, II. ii. Madam. Inteed Matam, to say de trute, he wanted leetel good breeding. Lady Fan. Good breeding! He wants to be can’d, Madamoiselle.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, I. (Globe), 160. My goats wanted to be milked.
1724. R. Fiddes, Morality, Prel., p. cxix. A train of accusations which, severally, want to be proved themselves.
1741. Middleton, Cicero, II. viii. 359. The merit of this speech is too well known, to want to be enlarged upon here.
1791. R. Mylne, 2nd Rep. Thames Navig., 13. The Banks of the [Lock] Chamber want to be laid down properly, and some Trees cut down.
1865. ‘L. Carroll,’ Alice in Wonderland, vii. (1866), 96. ‘Your hair wants cutting,’ said the Hatter.
1868. E. Beckett Denison, Life Bp. Lonsdale, 172. Those who wanted a church consecrating, or a meeting to be held.
1898. ‘H. S. Merriman,’ Roden’s Corner, xiv. 146. ‘That loose-shouldered chap Roden is a scoundrel,’ he said bluntly,… ‘and wants thumping.’
5. To desire, wish for. Often with inf. as object.
1706. E. Ward, Wooden World Diss. (1708), 2. All such as want to ride in Post-haste from one World to the other.
1727. A. Hamilton, New Acc. E. Ind., I. v. 52. If either want to be separated during the term limited, there must be a Commutation of Money paid by the separating Party to the other, according as they can agree.
1751. Lavington, Enthus. Meth. & Papists, iii. (1754), 127. Cheats mingle the Flower or Seed among the Food of those whom they want to defraud.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, xxxiii. If every one of your clients is to force us to keep a clerk, whether we want to or not, you had better leave off business.
1871. Mozley, in Liddon, Pusey (1897), IV. 221. What you mention about persons actually not wanting an hereafter is a horrible feature of the day.
1885. ‘Mrs. Alexander,’ At Bay, iv. Now I have got over my first foolish fear of him, he is so gentle and polite, and seems to want to be friends with my father.
1895. Law Times Rep., LXXIII. 650/1. If the underwriters had wanted to know they could have asked at once.
1902. J. F. Rusling, European Days & Ways, 299. Blücher wanted to hang or shoot Napoleon as an outlaw and monster.
1902. R. Bagot, Donna Diana, x. 116. She came repeatedly to the Castelnuovo gardens, generally accompanied by Frau von Raben, but occasionally, when the latter was wanted to drive with her cousins, by Princess San Rocco’s maid.
b. To desire (a person) to (do something). Also, U.S., with clause as object.
1845. S. Judd, Margaret, I. ix. I want you to be a good boy.
1852. H. C. Kimball, in Brigham Young’s Jrnl. Discourses (1859), VI. 256. If this is your determination, I want you should manifest it by raising your right hands.
1903. C. L. Burnham, Jewel, ii. Mr. Evringham wants you should saddle his horse and bring her round.
1918. Oxford Mag., 21 June, 343/1. Most of them do not make it quite plain what they want the teacher [of the Classics] to do.
c. To wish to see, or speak to (a person); to desire the presence or assistance of one (for a specified purpose). Frequently passive.
Wanted! sometimes used ellipt. (for ‘you are wanted’). Cf. Shop!
c. 1760. Challoner, in E. H. Burton, Life (1909), II. xxiv. 28. We will spend our evenings, as much as possible, at our own lodgings, so that we may be found by those who shall want us for the sick.
1794. Mrs. Radcliffe, Myst. Udolpho, xxv. ‘Retire!’ said Barnardine sternly: ‘you are not wanted:’ and as Emily said nothing, Annette obeyed.
1825. T. Hook, Sayings, Ser. II. Passion & Princ., vi. When from a side and smaller door a female enquired ‘whom he pleased to want.’
1837. Dickens, Pickw., ii. ‘Winkle—Winkle!’ shouted Mr. Tupman, calling into the inner room.’… ‘You’re wanted —some one at the door.’
1842. Tennyson, Locksley Hall, 2. Leave me here, and when you want me, sound upon the bugle horn.
1866. Trollope, Claverings, v. ‘She is not likely to press herself where she is not wanted.’
d. Wanted (pa. pple.): colloq. or humorous ellipsis for wanted by the police, said of persons whose apprehension is required for some offence.
1812. J. H. Vaux, Flash Dict., Wanted, when any of the traps or runners have a private information against a family person [sc. a thief] and are using means to apprehend the party, they say, such a one is wanted.
1838. Dickens, O. Twist, xliii. ‘Yes, he was wanted.’ ‘Very particular?’ inquired Mr. Bolter. ‘No,’ replied the Jew, ‘not very. He was charged with attempting to pick a pocket,’ [etc.].
1905. Times, 5 Sept., 5/5. The prisoner … said he wished to give himself up, having heard that he was ‘wanted.’
e. What does he want with (such or such a person or thing)? = ‘What is his object in dealing with (the person)?’ or ‘Why should he care to possess (the thing).’ Also (? dial.) const. of.
1828. W. Taylor, Hist. Surv. Germ. Poetry, I. 309 (tr.) Death, what can you want of Fanny? With your lipless teeth and sockets, How should you contrive to kiss her?
1831. Scott, Ct. Robt., vii. Once more, what dost thou want with me? and why hast thou the boldness to watch me?
1862. Mrs. H. Wood, Channings, xxiv. It is an incredible mystery. What could he want with the money? The tale told, about his having debts, has no foundation.
1868. Browning, Ring & Bk., VI. 105. Men, for the last time, what do you want with me?
1897. McCarthy, Own Times, V. xxi. 489. What does the Irishman want with tobacco, or wine, or spirits? it might perhaps fairly be asked. But then comes the other question, ‘What does the Englishman want of wine, or spirits, or cigars?’
f. With ellipsis of a verb of motion, to want out (in, etc.): to wish to go out (in, etc.). Chiefly Sc., north. Ir., and U.S. colloq.
1844. W. Jamie, Muse of Mearns, 86 (E.D.D.). A sturdy chap … Cam to the door and wanted in.
1870. J. Nicholson, Idylls o’ Hame, 10. Jenny, are ye wantin’ oot ’Mang the knowes to frisk aboot?
1887. Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch, 3 Sept. The turnkey says if the prisoner had informed him he wanted out, he would have been released.
1888. Advance (Chicago), 6 Dec., 798. Just then he heard a knock at the door, and told me that some one wanted in.
1893. Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch, 19 Sept. An old gentleman who was drawn to serve on the grand jury … wanted off, and when the court asked for excuses he said [etc.].
1897. Crockett, Lad’s Love, xxiii. 236. It was cold and he wanted back to the inn fire-side.
6. Comb.: † want-grace, one who lacks grace, a reprobate: cf. lack-grace, scapegrace. See also WANT-WIT.
1603. J. Davies (Heref.), Microcosm. (Grosart), 57/2. And rather then they should not die by force, Or want a Want-grace to performe the Deede, Their Vncle and Protector must perforce Their Crowne from Head, and Head from Life divorce.
1621. Brathwait, Nat. Embassie, 31. Thus may adulterous want-graces looke into Tereus fall.
