Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
wise
wise
,Adj.
[OE. , and cf.
wise
, AS. wīse
; akin to OS. wīsa
, OFries. wīs
, D. wijs
, wijze
, OHG. wīsa
, G. weise
, Sw. vis
, Dan. viis
, Icel. öðruvīs
otherwise; from the root of E. wit
; hence, originally, knowledge, skill. See Wit
, Verb.
Guise
.] Way of being or acting; manner; mode; fashion.
“All armed in complete wise.” Spenser.
To love her in my beste
wyse
. Chaucer.
This song she sings in most commanding
wise
. Sir P. Sidney.
Let not these blessings then, sent from above,
Abused be, or spilt in profane
Abused be, or spilt in profane
wise
. Fairfax.
☞ This word is nearly obsolete, except in such phrases as in any wise, in no wise, on this wise, etc. “ Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.”
Ps. xxxvii. 8.
“He shall in no wise lose his reward.” Matt. x. 42.
“ On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel.” Num. vi. 23.
☞ Wise is often used as a suffix in composition, as in likewise, nowise, lengthwise, etc., in which words -ways is often substituted with the same sense; as, noways, lengthways, etc.
Webster 1828 Edition
Wise
WISE
,Adj.
1.
Properly, having knowledge; hence, having the power of discerning and judging correctly, or of discriminating between what is true and what is false; between what is fit and proper, and what is improper; as a wise prince; a wise magistrate. Solomon was deemed the wisest man. But a man may be speculatively and not practically wise. Hence,2.
Discrete and judicious in the use or applications of knowledge; choosing laudable ends, and the best means to accomplish them. This is to be practically wise. Genesis 41.3.
Skillful; dextrous.They are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. Jeremiah 4.
4.
Learned; knowing; as the wise and the unwise. Romans 1.5.
Skilled in arts, science, philosophy, or in magic and divination. 2 Samuel 14.6.
Godly; pious. Proverbs 13.--The holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise to salvation. 2 Timothy 3.
7.
Skilled in hidden arts; a sense somewhat ironical; as the wise woman of Brainford.8.Dictated or guided by wisdom; containing wisdom; judicious; well adapted to produce good effects; applicable to things; as a wise saying; a wise scheme or plan; wise conduct or management; a wise determination.
9.
Becoming a wise man; grave; discrete; as wise deportment.WISE
,Noun.
This song she sings in most commanding wise.
In fittest wise.
In the foregoing form, this word is obsolete, the use of it is now very limited. It is common in the following phrases.
1.
In any wise.If he that sanctified the field will in any wise redeem it-- Leviticus 27.
Fret not thyself in any wise. Psalm 37.
2.
On this wise.On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel. Numbers 6.
3.
In no wise. He shall in no wise lose his reward. Matthew 10.It is used in composition, as in likewise, otherwise, lengthwise, &c. By mistake, ways is often used for it; as lengthways, for lengthwise.
Definition 2024
Wise
wise
wise
English
Adjective
wise (comparative wiser or more wise, superlative wisest or most wise)
- Showing good judgement or the benefit of experience.
- Storing extra food for the winter was a wise decision.
- They were considered the wise old men of the administration.
- "It is a profitable thing, if one is wise, to seem foolish" - Aeschylus
- (colloquial) Disrespectful.
- Don't get wise with me!
Usage notes
- Objects: person, decision, advice, counsel, saying, etc.
Antonyms
Derived terms
terms derived from wise (adjective)
Translations
showing good judgement
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Verb
wise (third-person singular simple present wises, present participle wising, simple past and past participle wised)
- To become wise.
- (ergative, slang) Usually with "up", to inform or learn.
- Mo wised him up about his situation.
- After Mo had a word with him, he wised up.
Etymology 2
From Old English wīse, from Proto-Germanic *wīsō. Cognate with Dutch wijze, German Weise, Swedish visa, vis, Italian guisa, Spanish guisa. Compare -wise.
Noun
wise (plural wises)
- (archaic) Way, manner, method.
- 1481, William Caxton, The History Reynard the Fox
- In such wise that all the beasts, great and small, came to the court save Reynard the Fox.
- 1850, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, The Burden of Nineveh, lines 2-5
- ... the prize
- Dead Greece vouchsafes to living eyes, —
- Her Art for ever in fresh wise
- From hour to hour rejoicing me.
- 1866, Algernon Swinburne, A Ballad of Life, lines 28-30
- A riven hood was pulled across his eyes;
- The token of him being upon this wise
- Made for a sign of Lust.
- 1926, J. S. Fletcher, Sea Fog, page 308
- And within a few minutes the rest of us were on our way too, judiciously instructed by Parkapple and the Brighton official, and disposed of in two taxi-cabs, the drivers of which were ordered to convey us to Rottingdean in such wise that each set his load of humanity at different parts of the village and at the same time that the bus was due to arrive at the hotel.
- 1481, William Caxton, The History Reynard the Fox
Derived terms
Etymology 3
From Middle English wisen (“to advise, direct”), from Old English wisian (“to show the way, guide, direct”), from Proto-Germanic *wīsaną, *wīsijaną (“to show the way, dispense knowledge”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“to know”). Cognate with Dutch wijzen (“to indicate, point out”), German weisen (“to show, indicate”), Danish vise (“to show”).
Verb
wise (third-person singular simple present wises, present participle wising, simple past and past participle wised)
- (dialectal) to instruct
- (dialectal) to advise; induce
- (dialectal) to show the way, guide
- (dialectal) to direct the course of, pilot
- (dialectal) to cause to turn