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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
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Want, v. Also: wantt, wante, vant(t, uant, waunt, vaunt, wint, woint, (wanst). P.t. also wayntyt, wanteed. [ME and e.m.E. wannte (Orm), wont(en (Ancr. R.), want(en (c1250), ON vanta.]

1. intr.To be lacking, to be missing, to fall short of a total or standard. Also, const. of, for (part of something) and, once, with dative pronoun.(1) ?1438 Alex. ii 81.
For kynde had nurished him sa weill Of all verteuis … For nocht was wantand in that wyse That mycht put ony man to pryse a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 893.
Sexty schalkis … Cled in armour sa clene, No wy wantit, I wene, All stuffit in steill 1488 Treas. Acc. I 89.
For the poyntin of al the place off Stirling, and for sclaytis that wantit and lyme, xij li. 1514 Facs. Nat. MSS III xi.
And all that wauntis be rycht compt and reknyng the said Alexander sall mak payment 1518 Chart. Coupar A. II 118.
Minster justice ewinly to thame anent the profittis of the said fysshing insafer as that haue wantyt in thimys begane 1525 Wigtown B. Ct. 254b.
Thai that vaunt & hais nocht pait thar borrois all to cum to the tressorayre 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2649.
Aneuch heirof, quha lykis to reid Goweir, And quhair he wantis ȝit sum thing sayis Chawceir 1577 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 21 Feb.
The thesaurar to sers & deliver all weychts that wantis 1591 Edinb. B. Rec. V 41.
To sicht the wellis, and in respect of the present drowth, to caus mend the lokis and brods, and quhair ony wantis to caus mak and putt thame to(2) 1375 Barb. v 422 (C).
It is to perelous thing In castell till assegit be Quhar that ane vantis of [E. Quhar want is off] thir thre Vittale or men with thair armyng 1415–16 (1430) Reg. Great S. 39/2.
Quhar it vantis of xx^ti lb. of that land he sal assytht and gif hyr dowar of the landis of Dalcors 1463 Peebles B. Rec. I 150.
For the nest faut … wantand of the wecht of the lafe vj laffis to be tane and delt to pur fouk 1470 Prestwick B. Rec. 16.
He salbe distrinȝit for alsmekle as he wantis of his compt 1516–17 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 40.
The said James oblesand him … to paye the said sowme of x lib. … and falȝeing thairoff to … pa … als mekle bere … as woll draw to the said sowme and quhar it wantis of bere to content him in other gudis at his plesur a1540 Freiris Berw. 114 (B).
Scho … past doun but delay Closit the trop and thay remanit still In to the loft thay wantit of thair will 1550 Stirling Ant. III 247.
To set thornis with vthir necessar plantatioun for the weschers and drying of the clathis quhilks wantit of befoir — 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9901.
Gif thay can ȝow supplie, It sall not want for gold, geir nor monie — 1674 Corshill Baron Ct. 114.
Compleanes David Harper … wpon James Walker … for ten merkes wanting him … and resting due be the said James

b. Of a person or animal: To be absent or missing, to be lacking. a1500 Rauf C. 288.
Ane man that office suld beir be tyme at this tyde, He will be found in his fault, that wantis foroutin weir a1500 Henr. Fab. 2499.
All the nycht he [sc. the wether] stude, and tuke na sleip, Swa that weill lang thair wantit not ane hog c1475 Wall. i 199.
Fand he thaim fawely. Syndry wayntyt, bot nane wyst be quhat way

c. To be lacking in the necessities of life, to be in need, to be destitute. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2108.
Ane wicht man wantit neuer, and he wer wyis a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 774 (W).
Gif he be wise, he sall not want, Providing alway that he grant To put ȝone will away a1605 Montg. Sonn. xvi 2.
If I must begge, it sall be far fra hame; If I must want, it is aganis my will

d. To be lacking in the necessary action, to fail to do something. c1650 Spalding I 238.
If he could possiblie, he wold not be wanting to give him dew aduertesment

2. tr.To lack (something necessary or desirable, esp. a part or member of a whole), to be without, to be deficient in. Also absol.pres. a1400 Leg. S. iii 1019.
Gyf hym wantis sic prudence, He suld nocht cum in ȝour presence c1420 Ratis R. 1169.
Sum … Sal … say … We wat nocht quhy vs vantis grace a1500 Lanc. 1513.
Man … that vantith hart is ded 1501 Treas. Acc. II 130.
To the king to play at the bylis with John Anderson that wantis the feit and handis xiiij s. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 398.
He that wantis riches And valȝeandnes in Venus play is ful vile haldin 1532 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 127.
Volle Carnes tuk to preff with the forsaid preff quhat of his sonnes fee vanttis nocht pait 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 174/1.
The wickit heresie … aganis the mes … has nevir had ane of thir thre propirteis requyrit to ane godlie doctryne. First, it wantis antiquite 1583 Misc. Bann. C. II 54.
Summa lxxxxviij li. And sua wantis iij s. vj d. a1578 Pitsc. II 68/24.
Wanteth a1605 Montg. Flyt. 337 (T).
The wirsome, the wraittis, not wormis be thow wantane a1599 Rollock Wks. II 316.
Their burial was honoured; they did it of imitation following the fathers, like apes, wanting the hope of resurrection. What helpeth thee thy burial, or the honours of it, if thou wantest that hope of resurrection? 16.. Hist. Kennedy 3.
Wantene childreyne of his awin [he] maid his foster-sone his air 1690 Shields Grievances and Sufferings 11.
The people, being tyred of their cold and dead curates, and wanting long the ministry of their old pastors, resorted in great numbers [to the field preachers](b) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1253.
Vlixes, wauntyng in deid All wourschipe of worthy knychthed … in the facoune Of hys slyghtfull and slee sermoune [etc.](c) 1653 Edinb. Test. LXVII 145a.
Thre peire rid courtings with paind imbrotherat wointing ane freinȝie worth ten pundp.t. a1400 Leg. S. xii 304.
Petyre saw thare wantyt ane, That for apostil suld be tane Yn-sted of Judas 1460 Hay Alex. 3014.
Thay … wantit schot to thair artailȝearie a1500 Rauf C. 191.
Thay had aneuch [sc. food] thair … Within that worthie wane Forsuith wantit thay nane c1475 Wall. vi 340.
Thre thousand haill off likly men in wer, And feill on fute quhilk wantyt hors and ger 1490 Irland Mir. I 70/32.
For before wauntit the maist digne & nobile creature in perfeccioune, that was the humanite of Jhesu and vnioune and coniunccioune of it in a persoune with the diuinite 1527 Carnwath Baron Ct. (SHS) 63.
Ville Grame foloit Robert Volson that he had scheip in keipin & he vantit xiij of thaim 1533 Boece Proh. 2b.
Thair costlie clethin schew thair michty rentis. Quhat hert micht wis thay wantet nocht ane myt 1555 Prot. Bk. Gilbert Grote 10.
[Johne Carnoquhane … said that he] wanttit 5 bolls of meal, and that it was said to him … that Johnne Williamsoune took the same 1599 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 318.
Lead coft … for the gutteris that wantit in the place 1611 Reg. Panmure I xcv.
Ane greawe … quharin did ly the heale bons of ane man of gryt stature … The harne pan gryte, and vanted the palme bread of ane hand thereof, quhilk had beine the straik as apperithe of ane sword c1650 Spalding I 236.
The countrie people seing thay wantit boites, and culd not ryd the water … beginns to [etc.] 1674 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 206.
Wanteedp.p. 1596 St. A. Baxter Bks. 57.
Gif ony quheit or flowre sall inlaik, be vantit, or tane avay be the saidis milla[ris] [etc.]proverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 796.
The piper wants meikle that wants the nether chaftsabsol. 1549 Banff Ann. I 25.
That the said flyscharis heve ouklie gud … stuff sik as beyff and movttone swa that the nytbors wantt not on the flysche day 1553 Rec. Earld. Orkney 107.
Johne Cromate … sall caus his fader to compeir … and mak raknyng to Johne Lowranssone of his weffis byrun malis sa far as scho wantis

b. To lose (a thing, one's life, etc.), to be deprived of (a right, opportunity, etc.); specif. to lose (the use of) a limb, esp. as a punishment, chiefly to want the (one's) heid, to be beheaded.(1) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2499 (Ch.).
I [sc. the wether] sall not spair To follow him [sc. the wolf] … Swa that, I warrand, ȝe sall not want ane hoig a1500 Seven S. 853.
Gif that I wald sell my land … thow wald want thin heretage Thy sisteris want thair mariage c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 162/42.
He cowth gif cure for laxatyve To gar a wicht hors want his lyve 1533 Boece 342a.
Becaus the quene in hir self put handis hir corps wantit sepulture of haly kirk 1532–38 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) No. vi (Young v. Seytoun).
Quhilkis proffittis the said Alexander Ȝong mycht haf had of his saidis gudis … and wantit the samyn be wranguis spoliatioun of his … gudis ?1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 240.
My pwre leyffyng wes possest … And wanttane my leyffyng, I hawe nocht to awaitt on service 1554 Corr. M. Lorraine 391.
The quenis grace wantan it that scho is in conjunct fie of the rest wilbe lytill profett a1578 Pitsc. I 393/23.
I will come and stryk the heid from thé that thow may want the lyfe 1596 Dalr. I 102/23.
Sumtymes chances that be thair aduersares thay may wante the pray a1605 Montg. Sonn. xlviii 3.
Sweet Philomene … In hauthornes vher thou hyds thy self and hants Beuailing thy virginitie thou wants 1623 Perth Kirk S. MS 14 May.
Hir brother … wes dung down and wantit the pouster of his legis and armeis 1630 Rutherford Christ & Doves 25.
How sorry were they to want Him, and blyth were they of that word … He will come again 1665 Dunkeld Presb. II 64.
Jhon Mitchell beeing cited before the session for slandering of Bessie Bairdiner and Jhon Sharpe for ane cow that he had wanted and that he had been using unlawfull means and had been in Angus at one Robert Small to get notice and knowledge of his cow 1673 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 29 Nov.
John Hostein to ring the bellis ilk Saturday night Sunday morning and night as he does the rest of the week and in caice of neglect to want ane shilling of his sellarie(2) 1531 Bell. Boece II 89.
He maid mony lawis for the liberte of haly kirke; he that dang ane preist suld want his hand 1535 Stewart 55224.
For his falt tha gart him want the heid 1560 Rolland Seven S. 787.
The day quhilk was affixt thame to, To want their heids 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 193.
Thomas Barrie messinger, being convictit for fanȝeing of my lord regentis hand wreit, wes adiugit be ane assyse to want his richt hand 1596 Dalr. II 72/26.
The king … commandet that for his folehardines he wanted his heid a1670 Scot Staggering State 61.
He was … sentenced to want the head, but no time prefixed when

c. To go without, to do or manage without; to dispense with. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 134/22.
Thane had my dyt beine all in duill Had I my wage wantit quhill Ȝuill 1560 Rolland Seven S. 151.
He said Lady ȝour will ȝe sall not want … For that is my desyre asweill as ȝouris 1558-66 Knox I 287.
I heard na occasioun of offence in him. I can nott weall want him, or some preachar. I can nott put away sic ane man 1595 Misc. Maitl. C. I 73.
That everie minister … give in be writt … quhat kirkis may ather be vanted or devydit 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 12/18.
Two principall thinges cannot well in that errand be wanted: holie-water (whereby the Deuill mockes the Papistes) and some present of a liuing thing vnto him 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 164/10.
Things necessaire as foode, sleiping, rayment [etc.] … thaime selfis thay can not be uantid 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 200.
I know no sweeter way to heaven than through free grace and hard trials together; and one of these cannot well want another 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 450.
Ye have a fair occasion to gratify Christ now, if ye will … want the night's sleep with your sufferng Saviour one hour 1642 Moray Synod 64.
He is ordained to labour no more land but only suche as he cannot want for necessitie

d. To miss, to suffer or experience the absence or loss of. a1500 Bk. Chess 1477.
He … erar thocht this vergyne to forgo Than waut [erron. for want] this man that he had luffit so 1513 Doug. v xi 100.
My self left Beroes, … Lyand seyk at hame, and ful ennoyit wight That scho alane suld want [L. careret] this ryal syght 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 496.
The pure wedow, that wantis hir man, Help hir with justice, geue thou can

e. In pres. p., with simple object: Lacking, less, minus, without, having lost. Also, lytill wantand, excepting a small area.(1) 1511 Treas. Acc. IV 533.
Ane bois cowp of silvir ourgilt … wantand the knop 1513 Doug. i ix 8.
All is sovir, … Thyne navy and thy ferys recoverit beyn, Wantand but ane [L. unus abest], amang the fludis greyn Quham we saw droun 1560 Peebles B. Rec. I 262.
Tua beddis wantand the sydis nixt the wall 1564 Prot. Bk. Thomas Johnsoun 138.
Ane beir barrell wantand the heid 1569–70 St. A. Kirk S. 331.
The assemble, being present wanting ane grite numbir thairof and in spetial the superintendent and minister, continuat ansuere to the complent to … xxij day of Februar 1576 Prot. Bk. W. Cumming 178b.
The hall dur with bandis and lok vantan the key a1578 Pitsc. I 245/13.
Prince Harie the sevint rang in the realme of Ingland xxiij ȝeiris and aucht monethis wanting one day 1586 Edinb. Test. XV 68b.
Ane hors of aucht ȝeir auld cruikit and vantand ane ey 1597 Edinb. Test. XXX 76b.
He left … to … his sone fyve bollis beir wantand thrie peckis 1605 Black Bk. Taymouth 342.
Of kebbis wantand lambis … of gressume wedderis a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 70.
Signatours of the king's propertie, wanting the comptroller's subscriptione, and the infeftments followeing therupon ar null and reduceable 1699 Black Bk. Kincardineshire 100.
She gave him two wedders' skins, but they wanting the legs and heads, he could find no mark or keil upon them(2) 1456 Hay I 46/27.
King Alexander, the quhilk be force of armys had conquest all the Orient, lytill wantand

f. To be wanting to oneself, to deprive oneself of something, to do without. 1671 Red Bk. Grandtully II 205.
My Lord Advocat asked for you, and whither or not ye were maried, to the latter of which I told, not, and he marvelled why ye were so farre wanting to yourselfe

3. To feel the need of (something), to require; to desire, chiefly on account of need; to wish for. Also const. infin. or with clause object.There may be some overlap with sense 2 above.(1) ?1438 Alex. ii 1749.
Gif I wantit landis … I suld conquer aneuch plente c1420 Wynt. viii 2661.
Wes newyre in warld a wasp sa wa: He wanted na mare than a schowt, For till hawe made hym brayne-wode owt a1500 Rauf C. 971.
Syne foundit ane fair place … That all that wantis harbery, Suld haue gestning c1475 Wall. i 446.
Deyr cusyng … Quhen thow wantts gud, cum fech ynewch fra me 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 404.
Polyce and Peace begynnis to plant, That verteous men can no thyng want 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4162.
The dochter said … Quhat ill occurris to want plesure of men 1561 Soc. Ant. XXV 192.
All thingis that better is to haif nor want 1581 Sat. P. xliv 225.
Bot ȝit ȝe vant ȝour trunscheman be the vay, That man be vyse and subtile lyk a tod a1605 Montg. Sonn. xv 9.
With August, Virgill wauntit his reuard, And Ovids lote als lukles as the lave 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xix.
To pretend conscience of keeping vse in misuse, thou wanst [? erron. for wants] both right and sound information 1607 Sc. Ant. XV 141.
The rest I committ to the bearer also he can declair be toung quhilkis I waunt bot ye sall caus my mother send me twa pair of soillis to my hois 1618 R. Clark Golf (1875) 26.
Puir peopill, who now for laik of calling wantis mantenance 1626 J. M. Beale Fife Schools 138.
Out of the penalties [the schoolmaster] should have payment of sua mony bairnes that he wants put to the school within twentie 1639 Johnston Diary Ia 55.
What the sojour wints [of food] in one day shall be payd them so soone as it comes in to the magazin 1650 Dunkeld Presb. I 101.
A meeting for turning of the riddle for some money she wanted and a silver spoonfig. 1610 Aberd. B. Rec. II 299.
The said burne … brak out oft and diuerse tymes be vehement force, wantand passage towardis the eist(2) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1685.
Baith tre and frute he wantit The gardner … to cut sa sone 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8061.
Sa to presoun thay come … His opinioun … for to heir, Quhat he wantit that thay seuin suld him leir 1633 Rutherford Christ's Napkin 9.
She will not let him go to school to learn, and why? Because she dow not want him out of her sight