wanter

want +‎ -er

wanter (plural wanters)

1. One who wants, or who wants something
   • 1857, Various, The Modern Scottish Minstrel, Volume IV.‎:

     Witless hizzie, e'en 's you like, The ne'er a doit I 'm carin'; But men maun be the first to speak, An' wanters maun be speerin'.

   • 1898, Amelia Edith Huddleston Barr, Scottish sketches‎:

     But if Donald McFarlane wants money, he's got kin that can accommodate him, James; wanters arena always that fortunate.

   • 1921, Various, The Best Short Stories of 1921 and the Yearbook of the American Short Story‎:

     You see, the trouble with Americans is that they are the greatest wanters of cake after they've eaten it the world has ever seen.

Contraction of want to

wanter

1. Pronunciation spelling of want to.
   • 1901, Henry Lawson, Joe Wilson and His Mates‎:

     I reckon it weighs about a ton by the weight of it if yer wanter know.

   • 1925, Amy Lowell, Men, Women and Ghosts‎:

     Here, lift over them crates o' oranges I wanter fix 'em in the winder."

   • 1936-1938, Works Projects Administration, Slave Narratives Vol. XIV. South Carolina, Part 2‎:

     My birthday over, I wanter go right home to Heaven.

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