▪ I. ranting, vbl. n.
(ˈræntɪŋ)
[-ing1.]
1. The action of the vb. rant in various senses.
| 1653 Nissena 40 [He] was the scandal of all Nicocia, though his ranting..made him [etc.]. 1672 Gregory in Rigaud Corr. Sci. Men (1841) II. 231, I am afraid ye will find these Cogitationes..to be but ranting. 1768–74 Tucker Lt. Nat. (1834) II. 116 The bigot has been..terrified by the rantings of some gifted preacher. 1785 Burns Addr. to Deil xx, A certain Bardie's rantin, drinkin..will send him..To your black pit. 1843 Lefevre Life Trav. Phys. III. iii. viii. 187 The scene..was nobly acted, without ranting. |
2. attrib., as ranting ground.
| 1814 Jane Austen Mansf. Park I. xiv. 276 There was some very good ranting ground in [the part of] Frederick. |
▪ II. ranting, ppl. a.
(ˈræntɪŋ)
[-ing2.]
1. That rants, in senses of the verb.
| 1598 Shakes. Merry W. ii. i. 196 Looke where my ranting Host of the Garter comes..hee lookes so merrily. 1706 Farquhar Recruiting Officer iv. i, I fancy my Breeches wou'd become me as well as any ranting Fellow of 'em all. 1771 Wesley Wks. (1872) V. 149 Some of the wild, ranting Antinomians. 1838–9 Hallam Hist. Lit. III. iii. vi. §103. 347 Marston is a tumid and ranting tragedian. |
2. Characterized by, of the nature of, ranting.
| a 1656 Ussher Ann. vi. (1658) 470 [He] sent to Jonathan..a ranting challenge to meet him if he dared. 1665 Bunyan Holy Citie (1669) 199 It looks too like Ranting Opinions, and contradiction to Scripture, for me to believe. 1681–6 T. Scott Chr. Life (1747) III. 599 Flat Impertinence or ranting Enthusiasm. 1814 Scott Wav. xxx, Is this a day, to be singing your rantin fule sangs in? 1824 ― Redgauntlet let. xi, The ranting suppers in Redgauntlet Castle. 1894 ‘Mark Twain’ Pudd'nhead Wilson 333 ‘Bob Riley’ is a common rackety slam-bang secular song, one of the rippingest and rantingest and noisiest there is. 1929 Oxford Poetry 40 The ranting numbers do not pierce your ear. |
3. † a. Unruly, restive. † b. Flaunting. Obs. c. Sc. Blazing, roaring.
| 1658 Osborn Jas. I (1673) 478 Horses, that are far less ranting, and easier brought to an even temper. c 1685 Bagford Ball. App., Her Kitchin-stuff she often will sell, to purchase that Ranting Attire. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Sheph. iv. i, I'll mak a rantin' fire, and merry sall we be. 1880 Watt Sketches 75 (E.D.D.) A red rantin' fire. |
Hence ˈrantingly adv. Sc.
| 1733 Ramsay South Sea Sang i, [We] rantin'ly ran up and down, In rising stocks to buy a skair. 1794 Burns M{supc}Pherson's Farewell, Sae rantingly, sae wantonly, Sae dauntingly gaed he. |