在 for (the) want of 这个短语中，用不用定冠词都可以，但是不用定冠词的情况更多。如《韦氏高阶英汉双解词典》有以下例句：
People are dying for want of medical treatment [=because they are not getting medical treatment ]. 人们由于缺乏治疗而面临死亡。......The project failed for the want of adequate funding. 由于缺少足够的资金，这个项目流产了。
