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

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Wantyn(g, -ing(e, vbl. n. Also: wantynge, -teyne, vant(t)ing. [ME and e.m.E. wanting (Cursor M.), wantyng (Wyclif).]

1. Lack, scarcity, deficiency, shortage of a commodity or ability. (Want v. 2 a.) ?1438 Alex. ii 2572.
Thay had plente forout sparing Of sik thing had thay na wanting c1420 Ratis Raving 290.
Betuex twa wicis … A-bowe thaim is our-mekile thing, And wndir thaim is thar vanting c1420 Wynt. vii 2798.
A ryalle Yhule thare held the Kyng, Quhare wantyng [C. wantynge] wes off na gud thyng 1474 Reg. Cupar A. I 201.
Gif thar be ony of the tenandis forsaid that levis ony his land … onlaboryt for wantyn of powar … or negligens, or throw vthir vnresonabil caus 1529 Carnwath Baron Ct. (SHS) 109.
The said Andro alegit that the said Vilȝem deliuerit him bot the tane half of the land that he set to the said Andro the inqueist findis the said Vilȝem to pay to the said Andro iij firlottis of atis for the vanting of the land 1569 Protocol Book of Gilbert Grote 81.
[The bishop caused him to copy out and subscribe the foresaid accounts … under the pain of perpetual warding, … which he did only through … fear of perpetual ward, and] wanting of fire and gret cauld 1596 Dalr. I 90/4.
Oxne, kye, scheip, or gait gif sum tymes war in wanting 1655 Rothesay B. Rec. 6.
Patrik Campbell … considering himselff not to be of capacitie for collecting of the common dew be reasone of wanting learneing and the Englishe language, quhilk be laick therof ware muche to his prejudice abefoir

2. Loss (of a right, possession, part of one's body, etc.); the state of having lost or been deprived of something. Also, wanting of one's heid, execution, decapitation. (Want v. 2 b.)(1) 1478 Binns P. 6.
The brekin of the said myln and the wanting of the proffit of the samyn 1496 Acts Lords of Council II 4.
The Lords … assignis to the saide Robert … to preif the availe of the saidis landis and the skaith that he has sustenit throw the wanting of the sammyn 1501 Acts Lords of Council III 116.
[He] sall … pay til the sade James [etc.] … ane thousand merkis … for the … expensis sustenit be [them] … throw the wanting of the noninfeftment of thame in the landis abonewritin 1520 Fife Sheriff Ct. 196.
For coistis, skaithtis, & expensis sustenit … for the wanting of thar saidis gudis 1529–30 Wigtown B. Ct. 221a.
Wanteyne 1622-6 Bisset II 252/15.
That na man … carie away the floit boit fra the schip to the schoir … for diverse inconvenientis may cum … in vantting the floitboit 15.. Sym & Bruder 123.
His wrangtwth is in wanting 1631 Monteith Stewartry Ct. (8 Dec.).
Vther geir and pleneissing quhilk was in vanting in the said Maister Williames hous 1661 Proceedings of Society of Antiquaries XXII 255.
Elspet Pigots cleath which wes in wanting laitlie, wes taken away by a gentleman's servand 1662 Irvine Mun. II 89.
Be his wanting of his heirscape goods both of silver work and uthers be deficiencie of the magistrats who had the change therof(2) 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 719.
Vnder the pane of deid, And na les pane nor wanting of thair heid

3. Need, requirement of something; the state of being without something which is necessary. (Want v. 3.) a1400 Legends of the Saints ii 864.
Quhare hele beis ay but seknes … Fulth but hungir or wantinge Of Goddis fud 1528 Lynd. Dreme 860.
Wantyng of iustice, polycie, and peace, Ar cause of thir vnhappynes, allace 1584 Reg. Soltre 242.
The grete inconvenient throw wanting of the seill quhilk was in the handis of … our provest

4. The lack or absence of a person. Also fig. (Want n.¹ 1 c.) 1532 Aberd. B. Rec. in Mill Mediæval Plays 125.
The baxsteris … put thame in provost and bailȝeis will for the wanting of thair pagane in Corpus Christi processioun … And siclik for the vanting of ane dekin to thair craft quhilk tha aucht to cheis ȝeirlie quharfor ilk ane of thame is in ane amerciament of the court to [etc.] 1565 Edinb. Univ. MS La.iii.388a, 5b.
That everie partie do laufull diligence … to have his aduocattis redie at the day of comperance, but hoip of forder delay throw pretence of wanting of thamefig. 1533 Gau 104/19.
Thyr flesclie men lichtlis the precious peirl Christis wangel, maruel ȝe notht thair of the caus is the vanting of Godis spreit quhilk onlie leris to knaw the giftis of God

b. The state of feeling the absence or loss of a person. (Want v. 2 d.) c1409-1436 Kingis Quair § 86.
Sum [died] soroufully for wanting of thare makis