want
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] English
| Rank of this word in the English language, from analyzing texts from Project Gutenberg. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| quite | brought | woman | #232: want | home | whose | words |
[edit] Pronunciation
- (UK) enPR: wŏnt, IPA: /wɒnt/, SAMPA: /wQnt/
- (US) enPR: wänt, IPA: /wɑnt/, SAMPA: /wAnt/
- Audio (US)help, file
- Rhymes: -ɒnt
[edit] Etymology
Middle English, from Old Norse vanta
[edit] Verb
|
Infinitive |
Third person singular |
Simple past |
Past participle |
Present participle |
to want (third-person singular simple present wants, present participle wanting, simple past and past participle wanted)
- (transitive) to wish for or desire (something).
- What do you want to eat?
- (transitive) To lack (something).
- There was something wanting in the play.
- (transitive, informal) To require (something).
- That chair wants fixing. (= That chair requires to be fixed.)
[edit] Usage notes
- This is a catenative verb. See Appendix:English catenative verbs
-
- In sense 1 it takes the to infinitive.
- In sense 3 it takes the gerund (-ing).
[edit] Synonyms
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Translations
desire
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|
lack
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[edit] Noun
|
Singular |
Plural |
want (countable and uncountable; plural wants)
- Lack (of), absence of.
- And well are worth the want that you have wanted.--Shakespeare, King Lear
- poverty
[edit] Translations
lack (of)
[edit] Dutch
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Homophones
[edit] Noun
want f. (plural wanten, diminutive wantje)
want n. (plural wanten)
- shroud, sideways support for a mast.
[edit] Conjunction
want
[edit] See also
[edit] Old High German
[edit] Noun
want f.

