▪ I. wont, n. arch.
(wəʊnt; also (now chiefly U.S.) wʌnt)
Also 6 woont(e, wonte, Sc. wount.
[Early history and origin doubtful; perh. arose from a conflation of two synonymous constructions, it is my wone (wone n.) to.., and I am wont (wont pa. pple.) to.., whence it is my wont to.. (In view of the textual variants in the quot. from ‘Cursor Mundi’, this must be considered a dubious instance.) Johnson marks this word as ‘out of use’.]
Habitual or customary usage, custom, habit. use and wont: see use n. 9 b; of († in) wont, customary, usual.
| 13.. Cursor M. 13693 (Gött.) For þiþer ȝode he ai vmstunt, Þar to prai ofte was his wont [other texts was he wont]. |
| 1530 Palsgr. 290/1 Wont or custome to an yvell thyng, amorse. 1543 Rental Bk. Cupar-Angus (1880) II. 24 Payand zeirly..the sowm of xx{supt}{supy} bollis..with all..vther dew seruice, vse and wont. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII 196 b, After our old wont, we came together vpon our othe in the churche of S. Maturyne. 1548 Geste Agst. Priv. Masse L iv, It was fyrst in wont that al the togethers assembled persones in y⊇ church did communicat eche day. 1550 Latimer Serm. preached at Stamford B ij, They [sc. the Pharisees] wolde be ordred by olde wont, customes, forfathers. 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iii. i. 2 'Tis not his wont to be the hindmost man. 1602 ― Ham. i. iv. 6 Then it drawes neere the season, Wherein the Spirit held his wont to walke. 1607 Beaum. & Fl. Woman Hater iii. iv, She shall come in a white wastcoat, And—..And perhaps torn stockings, she hath left her old wont else. 1667–8 Pepys Diary 10 Mar., As merry as that fellow Joyce could make us with his mad talking, after the old wont. 1818 Shelley Julian & Maddalo 13 A narrow space of level sand..Where 'twas our wont to ride. 1822 Scott Nigel xi, Her lodger..gave her, contrary to his wont, a signal to leave the room. 1848 Lowell Fable for Critics liii, His wont Is to say very sharp things and do very blunt. 1850 Newman Serm. Var. Occas. xii. (1881) 199 His commemoration is of daily wont in this neighbourhood. a 1866 Whewell in Life (1881) 563 Can I forget that this for thee too is Christmas, Christmas not as of wont—Christmas not of the earth? 1879 Farrar St. Paul I. 385 They were..liable beyond the common wont of mobs to sudden gusts of feeling and impulse. 1903 Times 14 July 11/2 Bosnian use and wont and Oriental ideas were taken into full consideration. 1906 Athenæum 24 Nov. 665/2 The story is extravagant beyond the author's wont. |
| transf. 1581 A. Hall Iliad vi. 118 My heart to alter from his wont it also doth disdaine. 1594 Hooker Eccl. Pol. i. iii. §5 When things naturall in that regard forget their ordinary naturall woont. 1637 C. Dow Answ. to H. Burton 128 Envy her selfe..would have lost her wont. a 1854 H. Reed Lect. Brit. Poets ix. (1857) 312 It is the wont of hollow things to echo. |
b. in particularized use.
| 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. 135 b, Diogenes of a customable woonte auouched to bee a thynge muche more daungerous to falle in the handes of flaterers..then to lighte emong crowes. 1556 M. Parker Psalter lxxviii. 226 To theyr old wontes they dyd retyre, as sturdy bow in bent. 1612 T. Taylor Comm. Titus iii. 3. 597 He is a foole still, he leaueth not his old wonts. 1674 N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 1 Whoever..betakes himself to the scanning of bodies,..either as to their kinds of being or wonts of working. 1854 S. Dobell Balder xxiii. 103 She [sc. Morn] won of God That ever when she walketh in the world It shall be Eden: and around her come The happy wonts of early Paradise. |
▪ II. wont, v. arch.
(wəʊnt; also (now chiefly U.S.) wʌnt)
Forms: 5 wunte, -on, wontyn, 6 wonte, wount, Sc. pa. tense vont, 6–7 woont, 6– wont; pa. tense 6– wonted, wont.
[f. wont pa. pple. or back-formation f. wonted.]
1. trans. To make (a person, etc.) accustomed or used to (occas. with); = accustom 3, use v. 19.
| c 1440 Alphabet of Tales 228 Þat he mott wunte þaim & make þaim perfite in wirkyng of wull. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 534/2 Wunton, or gretely to ȝeue an other vse and custome (P. wontyn or greatly to vse and custom), assuefacio, usito. 1535 Goodly Primer Ps. xxv, Wont me to thy paths. 1544 Betham tr. Purlilia's Precepts War ii. xxxii. K v, It shal not be vnprofitable to acquaynten and wount your horses..to suffer the sytter whyche is a gunner. 1600 Surflet Countrie Farme vii. xlvii. 882 And so offring her such meat as is most easie, you shall woont her to eate of the said hart. 1606 Peacham Art of Drawing 12 Before you..have woonted and made your hand ready in proportions of all sorts. 1656 J. Owen Mortif. Sin (1668) 108 Wont thy Heart to thoughts hereof. c 1682 in Verney Mem. (1907) II. 312 When I have visited her and a little wonted her to the place, I'll come home. 1916 Contemp. Rev. June 689 The various defence and relief committees..have wonted people to the notion of organising the community. |
b. refl. (rarely intr. for refl.)
| 1603 Holland Plutarch's Mor. 1213 He..woonteth himselfe to keepe farre from any unjust and unlawfull taking of money. 1614 T. Adams Sinners Passing Bell Wks. (1629) 268 So these, that in youth haue wonted themselues to the load of lesse sinnes. 1652 H. L'Estrange Amer. no Jewes 18 To wont and accustome to the waters, they practising very much swimming. 1699 R. L'Estrange Erasm. Colloq. (1725) 83 It is the best Course we can take to wont ourselves to that which is good. 1856 Emerson Engl. Traits xvi. 275 We walked round the stones..to wont ourselves with their strange aspect. |
† 2. trans. To use habitually. Obs. rare.
| 1530 Palsgr. 784/1 It is no wysdome to wont a thyng that is nat honest. |
3. intr. To be wont or accustomed; to be in the habit of (doing that which is expressed by the inf.). Chiefly in pa. tense = used (use v. 21).
| a 1547 Surrey Poem in Add. MS. 17492 in Anglia XXIX. 337 Helpe to be walle the woffulle casse..off me that wontede to rejoyes the ffortwne offe my pleassante chyes. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 29 Flatteraris..spurit him to grettar tyrannie and oppressioun nor ony man vont to do befoir. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, i. ii. 14 Talbot is taken, whom we wont to feare. 1592 Nashe P. Penilesse (ed. 2) 31 b, He determined..to poyson the streame, where this iolly Forester wonted to drink. 1632 Lithgow Trav. Ded. A 4, And how often wont your euer blessed Father, graciously to peruse Lines of mine. 1671 Milton Samson 1487 Sons wont to nurse thir Parents in old age, Thou in old age car'st how to nurse thy Son. a 1700 Sedley Poet. Pieces Wks. 1722 II. 10 To bouze old Wine, mad Pindar wonted. a 1703 Burkitt On N.T. Luke ii. 45 Had he not wonted to converse formerly with them, he had not now been sought amongst them. 1771 Beattie Minstr. i. xxxv, Where Fays of yore their revels wont to keep. 1837 Wordsw. Cuckoo at Laverna 60 With beast and bird..He wont to hold companionship so free. a 1851 Moir Sonn., Scottish Sabbath v, With those he loved..He wont on Sabbath morn to cross the plain! |
| transf. 1599 Thynne Animadv. Ded. (1875) 2 Not degeneratinge from youre former curtesye wontinge to accompanye all youre actions. 1640 R. Baillie Canterb. Self-convict. Pref. 13 England wont not..to bee so scant of faithfull witnesses. 1726 Pope Odyss. xix. 11 His arms deform the roof they wont adorn. 1833 Chalmers Const. Man (1835) II. vii. 46 In as far as this wont to consist of potatoes or grain. 1884 W. C. Smith Kildrostan 43 He never can Bring back the glory that wont to be. 1885–94 R. Bridges Eros & Psyche Sept. 12 The merry pipe, That wont to cheer the harvesting, is mute. |
b. absol. (without inf.)
| 1585 Lambarde in Camden's Lett. (1691) 28 Sorrowing that I may not now, as I wonted, dwell in the meditation of the same things. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. xi. 26 The villein turn'd his face, (As wonts the Tartar..When as the Russian him in fight does chace). 1590 Shakes. Com. Err. iv. iv. 40, I beare it on my shoulders, as a begger woont her brat. 1593 Nashe Christ's T. 28 The Earth left to be so fruitfull as it wont. 1594 R. C[arew] Godfrey of Bvlloigne (1881) 109 And with a semblant braue and nobellest, (As lightning wonts) he in his armour shines. 1598 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. i. i. Eden 461 Ile not exact hard fines (as men shall woont). 1836 Ruskin Marcolini ii. iii. Wks. 1903 II. 494 Peace, he is here—Lo you, he comes not forward as he wont. |
† 4. To dwell habitually, have its habitat. Obs.
| 1692 R. L'Estrange Fables i. clxvii. 140 The Kingfisher is a Solitary Bird, that Wonts commonly by the Water-side. |
▪ III. wont, pa. pple. and ppl. a.
(wəʊnt; also (now chiefly U.S.) wʌnt)
Forms: α. 1 ᵹewunod, -ad, -ed, 2–3 iwuned, 2–5 iwoned, 3–4 ywoned, 4–5 ywond(e (5 i-, ywonyd); 3 wuned, 4 wonde, 4–5 woned, -yd, 5 woond, 7 won'd, wond, wouned. β. 3 iwunet, iwonet, 4–5 iwont (4 iwonte, ywont, 5 ywonet); 4–6 wunt, wount, wonte, (4 wonnt, wonþ, Sc. vont, 4–5 wnt, 5 won(n)et, w(o)unte, 6 wante), 5–7 woont(e, 4– wont.
[OE. ᵹewunod, pa. pple. of ᵹewunian won v.]
A. pa. pple.
† 1. Accustomed, used to, familiar with (a thing, practice, or condition). Obs.
| c 888 ælfred Boeth. i, His mod..to þam woruldsælþum ᵹewunod wæs. c 1000 ælfric Hom. II. 278 Næs þæt Israhela folc ᵹewunod to hreawum flæsce. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 181 Ac hwanne hit [sc. the child] beð þarto wuned, hit wepeð þe lasse. a 1300 Cursor M. 28462 Til tauerne huse my-seluen was wont. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. iv. pr. iv. (1868) 128 Þei han hire eyen so wont to derkenesse of erþely þinges. c 1386 ― Clerk's T. 283 She neuere was to swiche gestes woned. a 1400 Theophilus xxi. in Engl. Studien XXXII. 8 For I was wont to noble fare Among prynces of londes. c 1450 Holland Howlat 164 Cardinalis..With red hattis on hed, in haile takynning Off that deir dignite, with worschipe ay wont. c 1520 Barclay Jugurth lvii. 83 From his youth he was euer wont with hardnesse, hunger, thyrst, and labour. |
2. (a) Conjugated with the verb ‘to be’, and const. inf. (with or less freq. without to): Accustomed, used; in the habit of (doing something).
| α c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 143 Vre drihten wile cumen..and wile for-berne alle his fon and heom þet beoð iwunede uuel to done. c 1200 Ormin 12695 ær wass he wunedd offte To cumenn till þe flumm till himm. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 1431 Gwider vr king of þis lond is truage athuld sone Of rome þat is eldore were iwoned [v.rr. ywond, ywonte, wonnte, wonte] to done. 13.. Sir Beues (A.) 3776 Whan wer we woned be by-hinde? 1340 Ayenb. 106 Al þet me wes ywoned byuore to louie. c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame iii. 486 His clarioun..With which he wonde is to hiraude Hem that me list preised be. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. vii. 143 Among wyues and wodewes ich am ywoned [v.rr. wonet to, wont to] sitte Yparroked in puwes. c 1450 Godstow Reg. 106 Iohn Waleys and Alice his wyf..quyteclaymed..ij. d. of yerely rente, the which they were I-wonyd to haue. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 111/1 Lyke as he was woond to telle and reherce. 1489 ― Faytes of A. iii. xiii. 196 Of suche thynges men are woned to vse. |
| β a 1240 Sawles Warde in O.E. Hom. I. 257 Ant al þat hird þat ha wes i wunet to dreaien efter hire. c 1290 Beket 247 in S. Eng. Leg. 113 With more nobleie he rod i-nouȝ þane he was i-wonet to do. a 1300 Cursor M. 3922 A godd..Þe quilk þat he was wonnt anure. Ibid. 4452 To comforth þam wel was he wont. Ibid. 28223 My breth it wald be til vnhoue Þat many man was wonto droue. 13.. Bonaventura's Medit. 975 Sone, y was wunt þe swetly to wrappe. 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 220 That folk, that euir wes fre, And in fredome wount for to be. c 1440 Alphabet of Tales 292 He forgatt hur,..nor did hur nott wurshup as he was wunte to doo. a 1450 Myrc Par. Pr. 1353 Art þow I-wont at lychwake Any pleyes for to make? c 1470 Stonor Papers (Camden) I. 110 Servantes be not so delygent as þei were wonto bee. c 1520 Skelton Magnyf. 1890 He was wonte to boste, brage, and to brace. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. i. 16 Ay wont in desert darknesse to remaine. 1664 Butler Hud. ii. iii. 599 Your Ancient Conjurers were wont To make her from her Sphere dismount. 1741–2 Gray Agrip. 108 Legions, wont to stem With stubborn nerves the tide. 1810 Scott Lady of L. vi. xxiv, The lark was wont my matins ring. 1814 Jane Austen Mansf. Park xli, He might have more good qualities than she had been wont to suppose. 1850 Tennyson In Mem. viii, Every pleasant spot In which we two were wont to meet. 1869 H. F. Tozer Highl. Turkey II. 350 The poet is wont to ignore the rivers when it suits his convenience to do so. |
(b) predicated of things.
| a 1200 Moral Ode 57 Vre swinc and ure tilþe is ofte iwoned [v.rr. iwuned, wuned] to swinden. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 914 And so, grete tempest secede al, Þat on þeyr frutys was wnt to fal. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 85 Parthia..was i-woned to conteyne al þe lond of foure contrees, of Assyria, of Media, of Persida, and of Carmania. c 1400 Mandeville i. (1919) I. 5 Constantynoble þat was wont to be clept Bezanzon. 1444 Rolls of Parlt. V. 114/1 Al manere of Wynes..were woned and used to pass through a vessell. 1566 S'hampton Crt. Leet Rec. (1905) I. i. 44 Where the Backe was wante to stonde. 1647 in Verney Mem. (1907) I. 359 The longer your letters were the more they were woont to please mee. 1667 Milton P.L. v. 123 Those looks That wont to be more chearful and serene. 1794 Paley Evid. iii. viii. (1817) 373 The prejudices which are wont to arise in our minds. 1875 Whitney Life Lang. vii. 127 Such a distinction is wont to be termed ‘inorganic’. |
b. Conjugated with the verb ‘to have’: in had wont, had been accustomed. Now rare.
| 1594 O. B. Quest. Profit. Concern. 15 b, One of his good dames..who had wont to bestow the best roome..in her house on him. 1606 G. W[oodcocke] Hist. Ivstine xliv. 137 A narrow path, where cattel had wont to go through. 1655 tr. Sorel's Com. Hist. Francion i. 16 My Couch had wont to be upon curious Satin Quilts. 1682 Bunyan Holy War 239 The love-feasts that had wont to be between their Prince and them. 1870 J. Bruce Life of Gideon vii. 120 He who had wont to come to the patriarchs..had actually come to him. |
c. without inf.
| c 1000 ælfric Hom. II. 138 Þes..halᵹa wer wæs ᵹewunod þæt he wolde gan on niht to sæ. a 1300 Cursor M. 3520 Esau went for till hunt, A day, sum he was oft wunt. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints x. (Mathou) 68 Þai cuth..Ger serpentis strik men ful sare, As befor-tyme wechis vont ware. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 321 Ȝif lif of þise newe ordris be more medeful þen mannes lif was woned. c 1470 Henry Wallace xi. 349 Inglismen thocht he tuk mar boundandly Than he was wount at ony tym befor. 1535 Coverdale Ps. cxviii[i]. 149 Quycken me acordinge as thou art wont. 1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. ii. xv. (1674) 164 He found her not to have that Grace and Majesty which she had wont. 1719 Young Revenge v. i, He fought as he was wont, and four he slew. 1812 Cary Dante, Parad. xvii. 52 The common cry, Will, as 'tis ever wont, affix the blame Unto the party injur'd. 1848 Dickens Dombey xli, All is going on as it was wont. |
† B. ppl. a. = wonted B. Obs.
| 1382 Wyclif Jer. xlviii. 33 The tredere of the grape the wont myrie song shal not synge. 14.. Hoccleve Min. Poems 70/107 Lady! Of thy wont bontee, keepe alway the cours! c 1450 tr. De Imitatione iii. vii. 73 Þou..turnest anoon ayen to þe wont iapes of þyne herte. 1535 Joye Apol. Tindale (Arb.) 17 Aftir his wont disdaynful maner. 1596 Spenser F.Q. v. iii. 1 So comes it now to Florimell by tourne,..To tast of ioy, and to wont pleasures to retourne. |
b. ought and wont (Sc.): due and customary. (Cf. used and wont s.v. used ppl. a. 2 b.)
| c 1450 Godstow Reg. 258 Yeldyng therof yerely to the chief lordis dewe and woned rentis. 1477 in Exch. Rolls Scot. IX. 102 All uthir dew service aucht and wount. 1535 Reg. Privy Seal Scot. II. 261/2 With uther service and dewiteis aucht and wonit alanerlie. |
▪ IV. wont
see want, ween v.