wont
wont — noun
1. a person's usual way of behaving or a customary pattern of action that they foll
a person's usual way of behaving or a customary pattern of action that they follow regularly
As was her wont, Roya got a coffee at the corner café before heading to the library.
as is/was + possessive + wont
It was Christopher's wont to arrive at every meeting precisely five minutes early.
True to his wont, the old groundskeeper walked the same path around the gardens each morning.
The team followed their wont of reviewing the day's results together before leaving the office.
- habit
more common in everyday speech; 'wont' is more formal and restricted to certain fixed phrases
- custom
refers more to a social or group tradition; 'wont' is more personal and individual
- practice
neutral term covering both personal routines and professional procedures
- way
more general and less formal; 'wont' carries a literary tone
文法句型
one's wont
as is/was one's wont
用法筆記
This noun is almost always used with a possessive adjective (my, his, her, their, etc.) and most commonly appears in the fixed expressions 'as is/was one's wont' and 'true to one's wont'. It is rarely used outside formal or literary contexts.
常見錯誤
wont — adjective
1. having the tendency to act in a particular way as a regular practice; accustomed
having the tendency to act in a particular way as a regular practice; accustomed to doing something
Erik, as young children are wont to do, asked the same question repeatedly until he got an answer.
as + subject + are wont to + infinitive
The novelist was wont to write late into the night, when the house was quiet and still.
As is wont to happen during the rainy season, the afternoon downpour began without any warning.
Experienced hikers in the Alps are wont to check the weather forecast three times before setting out.
- accustomed
more common and can be used both predicatively and attributively; 'wont' is restricted to formal contexts
- given to
slightly informal; emphasises a tendency rather than a firmly established habit
- in the habit of
more explicit and widely used in both speech and writing
- unaccustomed
direct opposite; far more common in everyday language
文法句型
be wont to + infinitive
用法筆記
This adjective is used only predicatively (after a form of 'be'), never before a noun. The negative form 'unwont' is not used — instead use 'unaccustomed' or 'not in the habit of'. The related form 'wonted' (adjective) functions attributively: 'his wonted charm'.
常見錯誤
wont — verb
1. to make a person or animal familiar with a particular situation, environment, or
to make a person or animal familiar with a particular situation, environment, or practice through repeated exposure
Years of living alone had wonted Ilan to the deep silence of the remote mountain cabin.
had wonted + object + to + noun phrase
The long ocean voyage wonted the sailors to the constant rocking of the ship beneath their feet.
Repeated failure had wonted the young inventor to the disappointment that came before each breakthrough.
Life at the temple wonted the new monks to a routine of early rising and meditation.
- accustom
the standard modern equivalent; far more common in contemporary usage
- habituate
more technical or scientific in tone
- familiarize
focuses on knowledge rather than repeated practice
文法句型
wont + object + to + noun/gerund
用法筆記
This transitive verb sense is now considered archaic. In modern English, writers overwhelmingly prefer 'accustom', 'habituate', or 'get used to'. The past participle 'wonted' survives more commonly as an adjective meaning 'customary' or 'usual' (e.g. 'his wonted place at the table').
常見錯誤
2. to do something as a regular habit or practice in one's daily life
to do something as a regular habit or practice in one's daily life
The hermit wonts to rise before dawn and meditate silently until first light.
third-person singular present: wonts to + infinitive
Devika's grandmother wonts to water every plant in the garden at dawn, rain or shine.
The village postmaster wonts to sort the mail by hand rather than use the new sorting machine.
Amelia wonts to read a chapter of poetry each evening before closing her eyes to sleep.
文法句型
wont + to-infinitive
用法筆記
This intransitive verb sense is extremely rare in modern English and is confined to historical or deliberately archaic writing. The adjective construction 'be wont to do something' (see adjective sense above) is the preferred modern equivalent for expressing habitual action.