wild

[wahyld]

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR wild ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, wild·er, wild·est.

living in a state of nature; not tamed or domesticated: a wild animal; wild geese.

growing or produced without cultivation or the care of humans, as plants, flowers, fruit, or honey: wild cherries.

uncultivated, uninhabited, or waste: wild country.

uncivilized or barbarous: wild tribes.

of unrestrained violence, fury, intensity, etc.; violent; furious: wild strife; wild storms.

characterized by or indicating violent feelings or excitement, as actions or a person's appearance: wild cries; a wild look.

frantic or distracted; crazy: to drive someone wild.

violently or uncontrollably affected: wild with rage; wild with pain.

undisciplined, unruly, or lawless: a gang of wild boys.

unrestrained, untrammeled, or unbridled: wild enthusiasm.

disregardful of moral restraints as to pleasurable indulgence: He repented his wild youth.

unrestrained by reason or prudence: wild schemes.

amazing or incredible: Isn't that wild about Bill getting booted out of the club?

disorderly or disheveled: wild hair.

wide of the mark: He scored on a wild throw.

Informal. intensely eager or enthusiastic: wild to get started; wild about the new styles.

Cards. (of a card) having its value decided by the wishes of the players.

Metallurgy. (of molten metal) generating large amounts of gas during cooling, so as to cause violent bubbling.

adverb

in a wild manner; wildly.

noun

Often wilds. an uncultivated, uninhabited, or desolate region or tract; waste; wilderness; desert: a cabin in the wild; a safari to the wilds of Africa.

verb (used with object), wild·ed, wild·ing.

to travel around as a group, attacking or assaulting (people) in a random and violent way: The man was wilded and left for dead.

Idioms

blow wild, (of an oil or gas well) to spout in an uncontrolled way, as in a blowout.Compare blowout(def 4).

in the wild,

in a natural state or in the wilderness.
in the real world; in real life:language learning in the classroom and in the wild.

run wild,

to grow unchecked: The rambler roses are running wild.
to show lack of restraint or control: Those children are allowed to run wild.

Origin of wild

before 900; Middle English, Old English wilde; cognate with Dutch, German wild, Old Norse villr, Swedish vild, Gothic wiltheis

Related formswild·ly, adverbwild·ness, nounhalf-wild, adjectivehalf-wild·ly, adverbhalf-wild·ness, nouno·ver·wild, adjectiveo·ver·wild·ly, adverbo·ver·wild·ness, nounsem·i·wild, adjectivesem·i·wild·ly, adverbsem·i·wild·ness, nounun·wild, adjectiveun·wild·ly, adverbun·wild·ness, noun

Synonyms for wild

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR wild ON THESAURUS.COM

1. undomesticated, untamed, unbroken; ferocious. 4. barbarian, savage. 5. tempestuous, stormy, frenzied, turbulent. 6. boisterous. 7. insane. 9. self-willed, riotous, unrestrained, wayward. 10. uncontrollable. 12. reckless, rash, extravagant, impracticable. 13. grotesque, bizarre, strange, fanciful. 14. unkempt.

Antonyms for wild

1. tame.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for wild

savage, primitive, natural, lush, free, barbarian, waste, desert, overrun, native, crazy, irrational, nuts, rash, madcap, eager, rough, raving, berserk, profligate

Examples from the Web for wild

Contemporary Examples of wild

He has wild swings between trying not to care about Lana and the baby, and being completely obsessed by it.
‘Archer’ Creator Adam Reed Spills Season 6 Secrets, From Surreal Plotlines to Life Post-ISIS
Marlow Stern
January 8, 2015
The sound of birds, quail, even doe, make a wild grid of noise.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile
Robert Ward
January 3, 2015
Exactly when the transition to modern domestic creature took place, for a bird that is wild to this day, is controversial.
The History of the Chicken: How This Humble Bird Saved Humanity
William O’Connor
December 27, 2014
It is wild that something that would seem to be so scandalous would just disappear from the press.
Inside the Lifetime Whitney Houston Movie’s Lesbian Lover Storyline
Kevin Fallon
December 16, 2014
The effect of this, and of Wild, Dern says, is that a conversation about grief may finally be beginning.
Crying With Laura Dern: The Star on Her Oscar-Worthy ‘Wild’ Turn
Kevin Fallon
December 3, 2014

Historical Examples of wild

And the wild ducklings are out on the pool, and the woods are full of song.
The Armourer's Prentices
Charlotte M. Yonge
Wild, Quixotic notions of sacrifice flooded his mood of dejection.
The Spenders
Harry Leon Wilson
The other idea was absurd—too wild for serious consideration.
The Spenders
Harry Leon Wilson
Twas a wild goose chase, and I wot not what moved me to run after it.
The Armourer's Prentices
Charlotte M. Yonge
Therewith, spite of the wild dress, Dennet knew the eyes and the voice.
The Armourer's Prentices
Charlotte M. Yonge

British Dictionary definitions for wild

wild

adjective

(of animals) living independently of man; not domesticated or tame

(of plants) growing in a natural state; not cultivated

uninhabited or uncultivated; desolatea wild stretch of land

living in a savage or uncivilized waywild tribes

lacking restraintwild merriment

of great violence or intensitya wild storm

disorderly or chaoticwild thoughts; wild talk

dishevelled; untidywild hair

in a state of extreme emotional intensitywild with anger

recklesswild speculations

not calculated; randoma wild guess

unconventional; fantastic; crazywild friends

(postpositive foll by about) informal intensely enthusiastic or excited

(of a card, such as a joker or deuce in some games) able to be given any value the holder pleasesjacks are wild

wild and woolly

rough; untamed; barbarous
(of theories, plans, etc) not fully thought out

adverb

in a wild manner

run wild

to grow without cultivation or care
to behave without restraint

noun

(often plural) a desolate, uncultivated, or uninhabited region

the wild

a free natural state of living
the wilderness

Derived Formswildish, adjectivewildly, adverbwildness, noun

Word Origin for wild

Old English wilde; related to Old Saxon, Old High German wildi, Old Norse villr, Gothic wiltheis

Wild

noun

Jonathan. ?1682–1725, British criminal, who organized a network of thieves, highwaymen, etc, while also working as an informer: said to have sent over a hundred men to the gallows before being hanged himself

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for wild

adj.

Old English wilde "in the natural state, uncultivated, undomesticated," from Proto-Germanic *wilthijaz (cf. Old Saxon wildi, Old Norse villr, Old Frisian wilde, Dutch wild, Old High German wildi, German wild, Gothic wilþeis "wild," German Wild (n.) "game"), probably from PIE *ghwelt- (cf. Welsh gwyllt "untamed"), related to the base of Latin ferus (see fierce).

Ursula ... hath bin at all the Salsbury rasis, dancing like wild with Mr Clarks. [letter, 1674]

Meaning "sexually dissolute, loose" is attested from mid-13c. U.S. slang sense of "exciting, excellent" is recorded from 1955. The noun meaning "uncultivated or desolate region" is first attested 1590s in the wilds. Baseball wild pitch is recorded from 1867. Wildest dreams first attested 1961 (in Carson McCullers). Wild West first recorded 1849. Wild Turkey brand of whiskey (Austin Nichols Co.) in use from 1942.

"to run wild," Old English awildian (see wild (adj.)). Wilding in the teen gang sense first recorded 1989.

Idioms and Phrases with wild

wild

In addition to the idioms beginning with wild

wild about, be
wild card
wild goose chase
wild horses couldn't drag me
wild oats
wild pitch

also see:

go hog wild
go wilding
run amok (wild)
sow one's wild oats