Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Ywis
Y-wis′
,adv.
[OE.
ywis
, iwis
, AS. gewis
certain; akin to D. gewis
, G. gewiss
, and E. wit
to know. See Wit
to know, and Y-
.] Certainly; most likely; truly; probably.
[Obs. or Archaic]
“
Ywis
,” quod he, “it is full dear, I say.” Chaucer.
She answered me, “
I-wisse
, all their sport in the park is but a shadow to that pleasure that I find in Plato.” Ascham.
A right good knight, and true of word
ywis
. Spenser.
☞ The common form iwis was often written with the prefix apart from the rest of the word and capitalized, as, I wis, I wisse, etc. The prefix was mistaken for the pronoun, I and wis, wisse, for a form of the verb wit to know. See
Wis
, and cf. Wit
, to know. Our ship,
Shall be of another form than this.
I wis
,Shall be of another form than this.
Longfellow.