wilding

¹

[ wahyl-ding ]

noun

1. a wild apple tree.
2. its fruit.
3. any plant that grows wild.
4. a plant, originally cultivated, that now grows wild; an escape.
5. a wild animal.

adjective

1. not cultivated or domesticated; wild.

wilding

²

noun

1. the practice by a group of youths of going on a random spree of violent criminal activity.
2. an instance of this.

adjective

1. of or relating to such criminal activity:

   wilding teens;

   a wilding attack.

Wilding

¹

/ ˈwaɪldɪŋ /

noun

1. Wilding(Frederick) Anthony18831915New ZealandSPORT AND GAMES: tennis playerMILITARY: soldier ( Frederick ) Anthony . 1883–1915, New Zealand tennis player; Wimbledon singles champion (1910–1913) and doubles champion (1907–08, 1910, 1913)

wilding

²

/ ˈwaɪldɪŋ /

noun

1. an uncultivated plant, esp the crab apple, or a cultivated plant that has become wild
2. a wild animal

Word History and Origins

Origin of wilding¹

First recorded in 1520–30; wild + -ing ³

Origin of wilding²

First recorded in 1985–90; wild + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

"Hollywood is on time out. I'm just going to put that right to the camera. Hollywood is wilding right now."

From Salon

And yes, he saw the kid in the blue dress shirt wilding out to the song in a clip from a recent Kamala Harris campaign rally.

From Los Angeles Times

He recalled the way that police seized on the term “wilding” after the Central Park Five case.

From Seattle Times

Before there were “rob mobs” there was “wilding” in the 1980s, in which groups of people gathered in public to cause chaos, vandalize or steal property.

From Washington Times

Like a pack of wilding drunks, they’re destroying habitats, contaminating water with their wallowing and feces, eroding topsoil and generally making a mess of things.

From Washington Post