adjective
1.
living in a state of nature; not tamed or domesticated: a wild animal; wild geese.
2.
growing or produced without cultivation or the care of humans, as plants, flowers, fruit, or honey: wild cherries.
3.
uncultivated, uninhabited, or waste: wild country.
4.
uncivilized or barbarous: wild tribes.
5.
of unrestrained violence, fury, intensity, etc.; violent; furious: wild strife; wild storms.
6.
characterized by or indicating violent feelings or excitement, as actions or a person's appearance: wild cries; a wild look.
7.
frantic or distracted; crazy: to drive someone wild.
8.
violently or uncontrollably affected: wild with rage; wild with pain.
9.
undisciplined, unruly, or lawless: a gang of wild boys.
10.
unrestrained, untrammeled, or unbridled: wild enthusiasm.
11.
disregardful of moral restraints as to pleasurable indulgence: He repented his wild youth.
12.
unrestrained by reason or prudence: wild schemes.
13.
amazing or incredible: Isn't that wild about Bill getting booted out of the club?
14.
disorderly or disheveled: wild hair.
15.
wide of the mark: He scored on a wild throw.
16.
Informal. intensely eager or enthusiastic: wild to get started; wild about the new styles.
17.
Cards. (of a card) having its value decided by the wishes of the players.
18.
Metallurgy. (of molten metal) generating large amounts of gas during cooling, so as to cause violent bubbling.
adverb
19.
in a wild manner; wildly.
00:10
Wild
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is lollygag. Does it mean:
| to steal or take dishonestly (money, esp. public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle. |
| to spend time idly; loaf. |
noun
20.
Often, wilds. an uncultivated, uninhabited, or desolate region or tract; waste; wilderness; desert: a cabin in the wild; a safari to the wilds of Africa.
verb (used with object)
Idioms 21.
to travel around as a group, attacking or assaulting (people) in a random and violent way: The man was wilded and left for dead.
22.
blow wild, (of an oil or gas well) to spout in an uncontrolled way, as in a blowout. Compare blowout ( def 4 ).
23.
run wild,
a.
to grow unchecked: The rambler roses are running wild.
b.
to show lack of restraint or control: Those children are allowed to run wild.
Origin:
before 900; Middle English, Old English wilde; cognate with Dutch, German wild, Old Norse villr, Swedish vild, Gothic wiltheis
before 900; Middle English, Old English wilde; cognate with Dutch, German wild, Old Norse villr, Swedish vild, Gothic wiltheis
Related forms
wild·ly, adverb
wild·ness, noun
half-wild, adjective
half-wild·ly, adverb
half-wild·ness, noun
o·ver·wild, adjective
o·ver·wild·ly, adverb
o·ver·wild·ness, noun
sem·i·wild, adjective
sem·i·wild·ly, adverb
sem·i·wild·ness, noun
un·wild, adjective
un·wild·ly, adverb
un·wild·ness, noun
Synonyms
1. undomesticated, untamed, unbroken; ferocious. 4. barbarian, savage. 5. tempestuous, stormy, frenzied, turbulent. 6. boisterous. 7. insane. 9. self-willed, riotous, unrestrained, wayward. 10. uncontrollable. 12. reckless, rash, extravagant, impracticable. 13. grotesque, bizarre, strange, fanciful. 14. unkempt.
1. undomesticated, untamed, unbroken; ferocious. 4. barbarian, savage. 5. tempestuous, stormy, frenzied, turbulent. 6. boisterous. 7. insane. 9. self-willed, riotous, unrestrained, wayward. 10. uncontrollable. 12. reckless, rash, extravagant, impracticable. 13. grotesque, bizarre, strange, fanciful. 14. unkempt.
Antonyms
1. tame.
1. tame.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To wild
Collins
World English Dictionary
wild (waɪld) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj (foll by about) | |
| 1. | (of animals) living independently of man; not domesticated or tame |
| 2. | (of plants) growing in a natural state; not cultivated |
| 3. | uninhabited or uncultivated; desolate: a wild stretch of land |
| 4. | living in a savage or uncivilized way: wild tribes |
| 5. | lacking restraint: wild merriment |
| 6. | of great violence or intensity: a wild storm |
| 7. | disorderly or chaotic: wild thoughts; wild talk |
| 8. | dishevelled; untidy: wild hair |
| 9. | in a state of extreme emotional intensity: wild with anger |
| 10. | reckless: wild speculations |
| 11. | not calculated; random: a wild guess |
| 12. | unconventional; fantastic; crazy: wild friends |
| 13. | informal intensely enthusiastic or excited |
| 14. | (of a card, such as a joker or deuce in some games) able to be given any value the holder pleases: jacks are wild |
| 15. | wild and woolly |
| a. rough; untamed; barbarous | |
| b. (of theories, plans, etc) not fully thought out | |
| —adv | |
| 16. | in a wild manner |
| 17. | run wild |
| a. to grow without cultivation or care | |
| b. to behave without restraint | |
| —n | |
| 18. | (often plural) a desolate, uncultivated, or uninhabited region |
| 19. | the wild |
| a. a free natural state of living | |
| b. the wilderness | |
| [Old English wilde; related to Old Saxon, Old High German wildi, Old Norse villr, Gothic wiltheis] | |
| 'wildish | |
| —adj | |
| 'wildly | |
| —adv | |
| 'wildness | |
| —n | |
| Wild (waɪld) | |
| —n | |
| Jonathan. ?1682--1725, British criminal, who organized a network of thieves, highwaymen, etc, while also working as an informer: said to have sent over a hundred men to the gallows before being hanged himself | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
wild
O.E. wilde "in the natural state, uncultivated, undomesticated," from P.Gmc. *wilthijaz (cf. O.S. wildi, O.N. villr, O.Fris. wilde, Du. wild, O.H.G. wildi, Ger. wild, Goth. wilþeis "wild," Ger. Wild (n.) "game"), probably from PIE *ghwelt- (cf. Welsh gwyllt "untamed"), related to the base of L.
ferus (see fierce).
"Ursula ... hath bin at all the Salsbury rasis, dancing like wild with Mr Clarks." [letter, 1674]Meaning "sexually dissolute, loose" is attested from mid-13c. U.S. slang sense of "exciting, excellent" is recorded from 1955. The noun meaning "uncultivated or desolate region" is first attested 1590s in the wilds. Baseball wild pitch is recorded from 1867. Wildest dreams first attested 1961 (in Carson McCullers). Wildlife "fauna of a region" is attested from 1879. Wild West first recorded 1849. Wild Turkey brand of whiskey (Austin Nichols Co.) in use from 1942.
wild
"to run wild," O.E. awildian (see wild (adj.)). Wilding in the teen gang sense first recorded 1989.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
wild
In addition to the idioms beginning with wild, also see go hog wild; go wilding; run amok (wild); sow one's wild oats.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Example sentences
They even snack on the dung of wild dogs and wildebeests.
She looked at her with wild eyes, her face eaten away by who knows what despair.
If the author's speculation is irrelevant and wild, then provide your own theory that is not irrelevant or wild.
With them come roads, grocery stores and lawns that tend to replace the wild, unkempt.
Idioms & Phrases
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