wanter

want  (wnt, wônt)

v. want·ed, want·ing, wants

v.tr.

1.

a. To desire greatly; wish for: They want to leave. She wants a glass of water. See Synonyms at desire.

b. To desire (someone to do something): I want you to clean your room.

2.

a. To request the presence or assistance of: You are wanted by your office.

b. To seek with intent to capture: The fugitive is wanted by the police.

3. To have an inclination toward; like: Say what you want, but be tactful.

4. Informal To be obliged (to do something): You want to be careful on the ice.

5. To be without; lack. See Synonyms at lack.

6. To be in need of; require: "'Your hair wants cutting,' said the Hatter" Lewis Carroll.

v.intr.

1. To have need: wants for nothing.

2. To be destitute or needy.

3. To be disposed; wish: Call me daily if you want.

n.

1. The condition or quality of lacking something usual or necessary: stayed home for want of anything better to do.

2. Pressing need; destitution: lives in want.

3. Something desired: a person of few wants and needs.

4. A defect of character; a fault.

Phrasal Verbs:

want in Slang

1. To desire greatly to enter: The dog wants in.

2. To wish to join a project, business, or other undertaking.

want out Slang

1. To desire greatly to leave: The cat wants out.

2. To wish to leave a project, a business, or other undertaking.

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[Middle English wanten, to be lacking, from Old Norse vanta; see eu- in Indo-European roots.]

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wanter n.

Usage Note: When want meaning "desire" is followed immediately by an infinitive construction, it does not take for: I want you to go (not want for you to go). When want and the infinitive are separated by a word or phrase, however, for is used: What I want is for you to go. I want very much for you to go. Want in its meaning of "have need, lack" normally takes for: They'll not want for anything now that they've inherited his estate. See Usage Note at wish.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

wanter - a person who wants or needs something; "an owner of many things and needer of none" needer individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul - a human being; "there was too much for one person to do"