Want — Defs

01 n. The state of not having; the condition of being without anything; absence or scarcity of what is needed or desired; deficiency; lack; as, a…

1.
The state of not having; the condition of being without anything; absence or scarcity of what is needed or desired; deficiency; lack; as, a want of power or knowledge for any purpose; want of food and clothing.
“And me, his parent, would full soon devour For want of other prey.” — Milton.

“From having wishes in consequence of our wants, we often feel wants in consequence of our wishes.” — Rambler.

“Pride is as loud a beggar as want, and more saucy.” — Franklin.
2.
Specifically, absence or lack of necessaries; destitution; poverty; penury; indigence; need.
“Nothing is so hard for those who abound in riches, as to conceive how others can be in want.” — Swift.
3.
That which is needed or desired; a thing of which the loss is felt; what is not possessed, and is necessary for use or pleasure.
“Habitual superfluities become actual wants.” — Paley.
4.
A depression in coal strata, hollowed out before the subsequent deposition took place.(Mining) [Eng.]

02 v. t. To be without; to be destitute of, or deficient in; not to have; to lack; as, to want knowledge; to want judgment; to want learning; to wan…

imp. & p. p. Wanted; p. pr. & vb. n. Wanting

1.
To be without; to be destitute of, or deficient in; not to have; to lack; as, to want knowledge; to want judgment; to want learning; to want food and clothing.
“They that want honesty, want anything.” — Beau. & Fl.

“Nor think, though men were none, That heaven would want spectators, God want praise.” — Milton.

“The unhappy never want enemies.” — Richardson.
2.
To have occasion for, as useful, proper, or requisite; to require; to need; as, in winter we want a fire; in summer we want cooling breezes.
3.
To feel need of; to wish or long for; to desire; to crave.
“I want to speak to you about something.” — A. Trollope.

03 v. i. To be absent; to be deficient or lacking; to fail; not to be sufficient; to fall or come short; to lack; -- often used impersonally with of…

1.
To be absent; to be deficient or lacking; to fail; not to be sufficient; to fall or come short; to lack; -- often used impersonally with of; as, it wants ten minutes of four.
“The disposition, the manners, and the thoughts are all before it; where any of those are wanting or imperfect, so much wants or is imperfect in the imitation of human life.” — Dryden.
2.
To be in a state of destitution; to be needy; to lack.
“You have a gift, sir (thank your education), Will never let you want.” — B. Jonson.

“For as in bodies, thus in souls, we find What wants in blood and spirits, swelled with wind.” — Pope.

04 A colloquial contraction of was not.