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wild

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The definition of wild is someone or something out of control, in its natural habitat or undomesticated.

(adjective)

An example of wild is a naked child running down the street screaming and apparently unsupervised.
An example of wild is a horse living on the range.
An example of wild is a feral cat.

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See wild in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

living or growing in its original, natural state and not normally domesticated or cultivated: wild flowers, wild animals
not lived in or cultivated; overgrown, waste, etc.: wild land
not civilized; savage: a wild tribe
not easily restrained or regulated; not controlled or controllable; unruly, rough, lawless, etc.: wild children
characterized by a lack of social or moral restraint; unbridled in pursuing pleasure; dissolute, orgiastic, etc.: a wild rake, a wild party
violently disturbed; turbulent; stormy: a wild seacoast
in a state of intense excitement; specif.,
1. eager or enthusiastic, as with desire or anticipation: wild with delight
2. angered, frenzied, frantic, crazed, etc.: wild with desperation
in a state of disorder, disarrangement, confusion, etc.: wild hair
fantastically impractical; visionary: a wild scheme
showing a lack of sound judgment; reckless; imprudent: a wild wager
going wide of the mark aimed at; missing the target: a wild swing in boxing
Slang extraordinary; remarkable: a wild success
Card Games having any value specified by the holder: said of a card: deuces, when wild in poker, may be counted as aces, kings, etc.

Origin: ME wilde < OE, akin to Ger wild, prob. < IE base *wel-, shaggy hair, unkempt > wool, vole

adverb

in a wild manner; wildly; without aim or control: to shoot wild

noun

a wilderness or wasteland

Related Forms:

wildly adverb
wildness noun

See wild in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective wild·er, wild·est

Occurring, growing, or living in a natural state; not domesticated, cultivated, or tamed: wild geese; edible wild plants.
Not inhabited or farmed: remote, wild country.
Uncivilized or barbarous; savage.
a. Lacking supervision or restraint: wild children living in the street.
b. Disorderly; unruly: a wild scene in the school cafeteria.
c. Characterized by a lack of moral restraint; dissolute or licentious: recalled his wild youth with remorse.
Lacking regular order or arrangment; disarranged: wild locks of long hair.
Full of, marked by, or suggestive of strong, uncontrolled emotion: wild with jealousy; a wild look in his eye; a wild rage.
Extravagant; fantastic: a wild idea.
Furiously disturbed or turbulent; stormy: wild weather.
Risky; imprudent: wild financial schemes.
a. Impatiently eager: wild to get away for the weekend.
b. Informal Highly enthusiastic: just wild about the new music.
Based on little or no evidence or probability; unfounded: wild accusations; a wild guess.
Deviating greatly from an intended course; erratic: a wild bullet.
Games Having an equivalence or value determined by the cardholder's choice: playing poker with deuces wild.

adverb

In a wild manner: growing wild; roaming wild.

noun

A natural or undomesticated state: returned the zoo animals to the wild; plants that grow abundantly in the wild.
An uninhabited or uncultivated region. Often used in the plural: the wilds of the northern steppes.

intransitive verb wild·ed, wild·ing, wilds
Slang

To go about in a group threatening, robbing, or attacking others: “Police said that the youngsters … were part of a larger group of teenagers who were ‘wilding,’—their slang for terrorizing and bullying” (Maclean's).

Origin:

Origin: Middle English wilde

Origin: , from Old English

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Related Forms:

wildˈly adverb

wildˈness noun

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