1. Living in a state of character; inhabiting
natural haunts, as the
forest or
open field; not familiar with, or not easily approached by, man; not tamed or domesticated; as, a
wild boar; a
wild ox; a
wild cat. "Winter's not gone yet, if the
wild geese
fly that way." (Shak)
2. Growing or produced
without culture; growing or prepared
without the
help and
care of man; native; not cultivated; brought
forth by unassisted
character or by animals not domesticated; as,
wild parsnip,
wild camomile,
wild strawberry,
wild honey. "The woods and
desert caves, With
wild thyme and gadding
vine o'ergrown." (Milton)
3. Desert; not inhabited or cultivated; as,
wild earth. "To
trace the forests wild."
4. Savage; uncivilized; not refined by culture; ferocious; rude; as,
wild natives of Africa or America.
5. Not submitted to restraint, training, or regulation; turbulent; tempestuous; violent; ungoverned; licentious; inordinate; disorderly; irregular; fanciful; imaginary; visionary; crazy. "Valor grown
wild by pride." . "A wild,
speculative project." . "What are these So withered and so
wild in their
attire ?" (Shak) "With mountains, as with weapons, armed; which makes Wild
work in heaven." (Milton) "The
wild winds howl." (Addison) "Search then the ruling passion, there, alone The
wild are constant, and the cunning known." (Pope)
6. Exposed to the
wind and sea; unsheltered; as, a
wild roadstead.
7. Indicating strong emotion, intense excitement, or ewilderment; as, a
wild look.
8. Heavy to steer; said of a vessel.
Many
plants are named by prefixing
wild to the
names of another
better known or cultivated
plants to which they a
bear a
real or fancied resemblance; as,
wild allspice,
wild pink, etc. See the Phrases adown. To
run wild, to go unrestrained or untamed; to
live or untamed; to
live or
grow without culture or training. To
sow one's
wild oats. See Oat. Wild allspice.
See Turkey.
Origin: OE. Wilde, AS. Wilde; akin to OFries. Wilde, D. Wild, OS. & OHG. Wildi, G. Wild, Sw. & Dan. Vild, Icel. Villr wild, bewildered, astray, Goth. Wilpeis wild, and G. & OHG. Wild game, deer; of uncertain origin.
Source: Websters Vocabulary