I. ˈwȯnt, ˈwōnt sometimes ˈwänt or ˈwənt adjective
Etymology: Middle English wont, woned, from past participle of wonen, wunen to dwell, be used to, from Old English wunian; akin to Old High German wonēn to dwell, remain, be used to, Old Norse una to dwell, be content, Gothic -wunan to be content, Sanskrit vanati he loves — more at win
: accustomed , used — used predicatively
slept longer than he was wont
and usually followed by to and an infinitive
assumed an air of great gravity, as he was wont to do when about to perpetrate a joke — O.S.J.Gogarty
also : inclined , apt
fresh, intimate, and revealing as letters are wont to be — Gladys Wrigley
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from past participle of wonen to be used to
: custom , habit , use , usage
life is an affair of use and wont and persists substantially unchanged — Walter Moberly
far more serious and thoughtful than was her wont — William Black
Synonyms: see habit
III. verb
( wont ; wont or wonted ; wonting ; wonts )
Etymology: Middle English wunten, probably from wunt, wont, past participle of wunen, wonen to be used to
transitive verb
: accustom , habituate
wont ourselves with their strange aspect — R.W.Emerson
intransitive verb
: to have the habit or custom of doing something — usually followed by to and an infinitive
the merry pipe, that wont to cheer the harvesting — Robert Bridges †1930