The spelling of the word "wast deficient" may seem peculiar to some, but it follows the traditional spelling of Early Modern English. The IPA phonetic transcription of the word is /wɑːst dɪˈfɪʃənt/. The "wast" spelling is an archaic past tense form of the verb "to be," while "deficient" means lacking in something essential. Together, the phrase means that something was lacking in a particular way in the past. While not commonly used today, understanding archaic spellings can help in reading historical texts.