Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

4 VERB [no cont, no passive] If you say to someone that you want something, or ask them if they want to do it, you are firmly telling them what you want or what you want them to do. □ [V n] I want an explanation from you, Jeremy. □ [V n to-inf] If you have a problem with that, I want you to tell me right now. □ [V to-inf] Do you want to tell me what all this is about? □ [V n adv/prep] I want my money back!

5 VERB [no cont, no passive] If you say that something wants doing, you think that it needs to be done. [mainly BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [V v-ing] Her hair wants cutting.

6 VERB [no cont, no passive] If you tell someone that they want to do a particular thing, you are advising them to do it. [INFORMAL ] □ [V to-inf] You want to be very careful not to have a man like Crevecoeur for an enemy.

7 VERB [usu passive] If someone is wanted by the police, the police are searching for them because they are thought to have committed a crime. □ [be V -ed + for ] He was wanted for the murder of a magistrate. ●  want|ed ADJ [ADJ n] □  He is one of the most wanted criminals in Europe.

8 VERB If you want someone, you have a great desire to have sex with them. □ [V n] Come on, darling. I want you.

9 VERB If a child is wanted , its mother or another person loves it and is willing to look after it. □ [be V -ed] Children should be wanted and planned. □ [V n] I want this baby very much, because it certainly will be the last.

10 N‑SING A want of something is a lack of it. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …a want of manners and charm.

11 N‑PLURAL [usu with poss] Your wants are the things that you want. □ [+ of ] Supermarkets often claim that they are responding to the wants of consumers.

12 PHRASE If you do something for want of something else, you do it because the other thing is not available or not possible. □ [+ of ] Many of them had gone into teaching for want of anything better to do.

▸  want out PHRASAL VERB If you want out , you no longer want to be involved in a plan, project, or situation that you are part of. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P ] We've had enough, John. We want out.

wa nt ad (want ads ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] The want ads in a newspaper or magazine are small advertisements, usually offering things for sale or offering jobs. [mainly AM ]

want|ing /wɒ nt I ŋ/ ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you find something or someone wanting , they are not of as high a standard as you think they should be. □  He analysed his game and found it wanting. [Also + in ]

wan|ton /wɒ ntən/

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A wanton action deliberately causes harm, damage, or waste without having any reason to. □  …this unnecessary and wanton destruction of our environment.

2 ADJ If someone describes a woman as wanton , they disapprove of her because she clearly enjoys sex or has sex with a lot of men. [DISAPPROVAL ] □  …the idea that only wanton women have sexual passions.

WAP /wæ p/ N‑UNCOUNT WAP is a system which allows devices such as mobile phones to connect to the internet. WAP is an abbreviation for 'Wireless Application Protocol'.

war ◆◆◆ /wɔː ^r / (wars )

1 N‑VAR A war is a period of fighting or conflict between countries or states. □  He spent part of the war in the National Guard. □  They've been at war for the last fifteen years.

2 N‑VAR War is intense economic competition between countries or organizations. □  The most important thing is to reach an agreement and to avoid a trade war.

3 N‑VAR If you make war on someone or something that you are opposed to, you do things to stop them succeeding. □ [+ against ] She has been involved in the war against organised crime. □ [+ on ] …if the United States is to be successful in its war on corruption.

4 → see also civil war , Cold War , council of war , warring