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Want vs Content - What's the difference?

want | content |

As a proper noun want

is a personification of want.

As a noun content is

(uncountable) that which is contained or content can be satisfaction; contentment.

As an adjective content is

satisfied; in a state of satisfaction.

As a verb content is

to give contentment or satisfaction; to satisfy; to gratify; to appease.

want

English

Alternative forms

* waunt (obsolete)

Verb

(en verb)
  • To wish for or to desire (something).
  • * , chapter=13
    • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=And Vickers launched forth into a tirade very different from his platform utterances. He spoke with extreme contempt of the dense stupidity exhibited on all occasions by the working classes. He said that if you wanted to do anything for them, you must rule them, not pamper them. Soft heartedness caused more harm than good.}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author=(Henry Petroski)
    • , title= Geothermal Energy , volume=101, issue=4, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame. With more settled people, animals were harnessed to capstans or caged in treadmills to turn grist into meal.}}
  • * Dryden
    • The disposition, the manners, and the thoughts are all before it; where any of those are wanting' or imperfect, so much ' wants or is imperfect in the imitation of human life.
  • To lack, not to have (something).
  • *, II.3.7:
    • he that hath skill to be a pilot wants' a ship; and he that could govern a commonwealth' wants means to exercise his worth, hath not a poor office to manage.
  • * James Merrick
    • Not what we wish, but what we want , / Oh, let thy grace supply!
  • * Addison
    • I observed that your whip wanted a lash to it.
  • (colloquially with verbal noun as object) To be in need of; to require (something).
  • * 1922 , (Virginia Woolf), (w, Jacob's Room) Chapter 2
    • The mowing-machine always wanted oiling. Barnet turned it under Jacob's window, and it creaked—creaked, and rattled across the lawn and creaked again.
  • (dated) To be in a state of destitution; to be needy; to lack.
  • * Ben Jonson
    • You have a gift, sir (thank your education), / Will never let you want .
  • * Alexander Pope
    • For as in bodies, thus in souls, we find / What wants in blood and spirits, swelled with wind.

    Usage notes

    * This is a catenative verb. See

    Synonyms

    * (desire) set one's heart on, wish for, would like * (lack) be without * (require) need, be in need of

    Derived terms

    * I want to know * want-away * wanted * want for * wanting *

    Noun

    (poverty)
  • (countable) A desire, wish, longing.
  • (countable, often, followed by of) Lack, absence.
  • * , King Henry VI Part 2 , act 4, sc. 8:
    • [H]eavens and honour be witness, that no want of resolution in me, but only my followers' base and ignominious treasons, makes me betake me to my heels.
  • * :
    • For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
    For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
    For want of a horse the rider was lost.
    For want of a rider the battle was lost.
    For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
    And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.
  • (uncountable) Poverty.
  • * Jonathan Swift
    • Nothing is so hard for those who abound in riches, as to conceive how others can be in want .
  • Something needed or desired; a thing of which the loss is felt.
  • * Paley
    • Habitual superfluities become actual wants .
  • (UK, mining) A depression in coal strata, hollowed out before the subsequent deposition took place.

    • Derived terms

    * want ad

    References

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * 200 English basic words English control verbs 1000 English basic words ----

    content

    English

    (wikipedia content)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) ; see contain.

    Noun

  • (uncountable) That which is contained.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-21, author=(Oliver Burkeman)
    • , volume=189, issue=2, page=27, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= The tao of tech , passage=The dirty secret of the internet is that all this distraction and interruption is immensely profitable. Web companies like to boast about "creating compelling content ", or
  • Subject matter; substance.
  • * Grew
    • I shall prove these writingsauthentic, and the contents true, and worthy of a divine original.
  • The amount of material contained; contents.
  • Capacity for holding.
  • * (Francis Bacon)
    • Strong ships, of great content .
  • (mathematics) The n''-dimensional space contained by an ''n''-dimensional polytope (called ''volume'' in the case of a polyhedron and ''area in the case of a polygon).

    • Etymology 2

    From (etyl), from (etyl) content, from (etyl) ; see contain.

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Satisfied; in a state of satisfaction.
  • *
  • *:This new-comer was a man who in any company would have seemed striking.He was smooth-faced, and his fresh skin and well-developed figure bespoke the man in good physical condition through active exercise, yet well content with the world's apportionment.
    • Derived terms
    * contentment
    Synonyms
    * (satisfied) contented, pleased, satisfied

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) , from (contenter); see content as a verb.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Satisfaction; contentment
    • They were in a state of sleepy content after supper.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Such is the fullness of my heart's content .
  • (obsolete) acquiescence without examination
  • * Alexander Pope
    • The sense they humbly take upon content .
  • That which contents or satisfies; that which if attained would make one happy.
  • * Shakespeare
    • So will I in England work your grace's full content .
  • (UK, House of Lords) An expression of assent to a bill or motion; an affirmate vote.
  • (UK, House of Lords) A member who votes in assent.
    • Derived terms
    * discontent * malcontent

    Etymology 4

    From (etyl) contenter, from ; see content as an adjective.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To give contentment or satisfaction; to satisfy; to gratify; to appease.
    • You can't have any more - you'll have to content yourself with what you already have.
  • * Bible, Mark xv. 15
    • Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them.
  • * I. Watts
    • Do not content yourselves with obscure and confused ideas, where clearer are to be attained.
  • (obsolete) To satisfy the expectations of; to pay; to requite.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Come the next Sabbath, and I will content you.

    External links

    * * English heteronyms ----