Witwanton

Origin

From wit + wanton

Full definition of witwanton

Noun

1. (archaic) One who indulges in idle, foolish, and irreverent fancies or speculations; one who tries to be cleverly amusing but falls short.
• 1613, Josuah Sylvester, Lachrymae Lachrymarum:All epicures, witwantons, atheists.
• 1655 , Thomas Fuller , The Church History of Britain from the Birth of Jesus Christ until the Year MDCXLVIII, Book 10 Chapter 4, A.D. 1611--1619 , And how dangerous it is for wit-wanton men to dance with their nice distinctions, on such mystical precipices, where slips in jest may cause deadly downfalls in earnest, …
• 1855 , Thomas Carlyle , Fraser's magazine, Volume 52 Chapter , Word-warriors and wit-wantons would waste their breath upon one whose book-hunger has won him so rich a meed, ...
• 1986, David Grambs, Dimboxes, epopts, and other quidams:The witwanton is always a little off in trying to be always GETTING MENTAL.
• 2003 , Robert M. Jarvis , Amicus Humoriae: An Anthology of Legal Humor Chapter , WITWANTON: One who tries to be cleverly amusing, but misses the mark.

Verb

1. (archaic) To indulge in vain, sportive, or irreverent wit; speculate idly or irreverently.
• 1834 , William Chambers, Robert Chambers , Chambers's Edinburgh Journal , … a citizen in Cheapside was executed as a traitor for saying he would make his son heir to the crown, though he only meant his own house, having a crown for the sign, more dangerous it is to wit-wanton it with the Majesty of God.
• 1839 , Rober Southey , The poetical works of Robert Southey , Wit-wanton it with lewd barbarity, …
• 1922 , James Joyce , Ulysses , And Master Lynch bade him have a care to flout and witwanton as the god self was angered for his hellprate and paganry.
• 1922 , E. R. Eddison , The Worm Ouroboros , Nor I will not suffer mine indignation so to witwanton with fair justice as persuade me to put the wite on Witchland.