■ verb
1》 have a desire to possess or do (something); wish for.
↘wish to speak to (someone).
↘( be ~ed ) (of a suspected criminal) be sought by the police for questioning.
↘desire (someone) sexually.
2》 informal, chiefly Brit. (of a thing) require to be attended to: the wheel ~s greasing.
↘should or need to do something.
3》 (often ~ for ) literary lack or be short of something desirable or essential.
■ noun
1》 lack or deficiency.
↘poverty.
2》 a desire.
Derivatives
~er noun
Origin
ME: the noun from ON vant , neut. of vanr 'lacking'; the verb from ON vanta 'be lacking'.