■ adjective
1》 (of animals or plants) living or growing in the natural environment; not domesticated or cultivated.
2》 (of a place or region) uninhabited, uncultivated, or inhospitable.
↘(of people) not civilized; barbarous.
↘(of looks, appearance, etc.) indicating distraction.
3》 uncontrolled; unrestrained.
↘ informal very enthusiastic or excited.
↘ informal very angry.
4》 not based on sound reasoning or probability: a ~ guess.
■ noun ( the ~ ) a natural state or uncultivated or uninhabited region.
↘( the ~s ) a remote area.
Phrases
run ~ grow or behave without restraint or discipline.
~ and woolly uncouth or rough.
Derivatives
~ish adjective
~ly adverb
~ness noun
Origin
OE ~e , of Gmc origin.