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Meaning of wont in English:

wont

Pronunciation /wəʊnt/

See synonyms for wont

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noun

formal, humorous one's wont

  • One's customary behaviour.

    ‘Constance, as was her wont, had paid her little attention’
    • ‘The good General frames it perfectly, as is his wont; but don't get lazy, do click through to the original SFGate item.’
    • ‘Without the right gradient to drain off onto the edges and without the drains, water, as is its wont, finds its own shape, filling every crevice and crater.’
    • ‘John spoke briefly, but sincerely, as is his wont.’
    • ‘Gerry, as was his wont, recalled some of the stories of the old days in the Mayo News, the ‘hot metal’ days as he would always describe them.’
    • ‘But certainly in the first half City, as is their wont, refused to wallow in self-pity and played like a side determined to make light of any inconveniences.’
    • ‘Shearer, as is his wont, scored against Leeds, just as he had done twice at Elland Road on the opening day of the season, just as he had for Southampton and Blackburn so often before.’
    • ‘Their supporters had settled for a draw when, with the whistle already between the referee's lips, Owen ghosted in unnoticed, as is his wont, to nod in a cross from Joe Cole.’
    • ‘As is their wont, Melrose will no doubt withdraw into themselves and adopt a siege mentality, blaming referees and everybody else for problems which are of their own making.’
    • ‘Also, perhaps because I'm so familiar with Peter Pan itself, my mind, as is its wont, tended to wander, if not wonder.’
    • ‘Prabhu Prasad, the celebrity father of ‘Hai Rabba’ Smita, was tapping his feet to the pulsating music as is his wont.’
    • ‘As is often the wont of those who have succeeded through factional alliances, when ambition calls, the instinct is to disown your own and condemn others.’
    • ‘First an apology - I have a number of new blogs linking to me, and I haven't yet reciprocated nor given their blogs a quick one-line review, as is my wont.’
    • ‘The ball was old and the pitch was slow and Jones, as was his wont, was moving around the crease to disrupt the bowler's line. Jack decided to stand up to the stumps.’
    • ‘As is his wont, Latapy drifts left when he is getting bogged down in the middle and, from the wing position, he cut in past his man for Grant Brebner to flick his low cross behind Mampaey.’
    • ‘As is the wont with all our film heroes who wax eloquent on the plague of video piracy only when their films are slated for a release, Chiranjeevi too was no exception.’
    • ‘Well, linguistician that I am, my first thoughts set me to playing about with semantics and, as is my wont on these occasions, to casting my thoughts back to the bard.’
    • ‘I went into college today, as is my wont, to study English.’
    • ‘Now, the media, as we know, can overdo those things, as is our wont.’
    • ‘As is their wont, the supporters of his ‘rivals’ strongly objected to it.’
    • ‘I was warned that senators - as is politicians' wont everywhere - like to speak for most of their allotted time, leaving only a small gap for an answer.’
    custom, habit, way, practice, convention, routine, use, rule
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adjective

literary with infinitive

  • (of a person) in the habit of doing something; accustomed.

    ‘he was wont to arise at 5.30 every morning’
    • ‘And if practicality is your wont rather than sentimentality, you should still go.’
    • ‘Tom Wood ruled the vast Citadel Theatre Shoctor Stage as he is wont.’
    • ‘Anthony loved it but, as customers are wont to do, he insisted I name the drink.’
    • ‘Bad custom will thrive as it is wont do into the wee hours in less hospitable joints.’
    • ‘If he won't say that, and he won't, he's wont to say nothing to his own skills.’
    • ‘The manager was satisfied that his side attempted to conjure something, as has been their wont since the season began.’
    • ‘Harty, as is a poacher's wont, removed any dubiety by forcing the ball into the back of the net, before running off in pursuit of the acclaim.’
    • ‘It is, no doubt, the wont of every generation to look back at the past with an over-egged fondness and to be too damning of current standards.’
    accustomed, used, given, inclined
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verbwonts, wont, wonted

archaic

  • Make or be or become accustomed.

    with object ‘wont thy heart to thoughts hereof’
    • ‘sons wont to nurse their Parents in old age’

Origin

Old English gewunod, past participle of wunian, ‘dwell, be accustomed’, of Germanic origin.