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Sage vs Witch - What's the difference?

sage | witch |

As verbs the difference between sage and witch

is that sage is first-person singular indicative present form of while witch is (obsolete) to practise witchcraft.

As a noun witch is

a person who practices witchcraft; specifically: or witch can be a cone of paper which is placed in a vessel of lard or other fat and used as a taper.

sage

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) sage (11th century), from . The noun meaning "man of profound wisdom" is recorded from circa 1300. Originally applied to the Seven Sages of Greece .

Adjective

(er)
  • Wise.
  • * Shakespeare
  • All you sage counsellors, hence!
  • * Milton
  • commanders, who, cloaking their fear under show of sage advice, counselled the general to retreat
  • (obsolete) grave; serious; solemn
  • * Milton
  • [Great bards] in sage and solemn tunes have sung.
    Synonyms
    * sagacious

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A wise person or spiritual teacher; a man or woman of gravity and wisdom, especially, a teacher venerable for years, and of sound judgment and prudence; a grave or stoic philosopher.
  • * 1748 , (David Hume), Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral , London: Oxford University Press (1973), ยง 34:
  • We aspire to the magnanimous firmness of the philosophic sage .
    Synonyms
    * deep thinker, egghead, intellectual, pundit
    Derived terms
    * sagely * sageness * sage on the stage * Seven Sages

    See also

    * rishi * maharishi

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) sauge, from (etyl) salvia, from , see safe .

    Noun

    (-)
  • The plant Salvia officinalis and savory spice produced from it; also planted for ornamental purposes.
  • Synonyms
    * (herb) ramona
    Derived terms
    * sagebush * Sage Derby * sage dog * sage green * sage grouse * sage tea * sage thrasher * wood sage
    See also
    * salvia

    Etymology 3

    .

    Interjection

    (en interjection)
  • (Internet slang)
  • Verb

    (sag)
  • (Internet slang) The act of using the word or option sage in the email field or a checkbox of an imageboard when posting a reply
  • Usage notes

    * This word is specific to imageboards. The original purpose of sage is to not bump a thread if one deems one's own post to be of little value.

    witch

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) wicche, from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (es)
  • A person who practices witchcraft; specifically:
  • #A woman who is learned in and actively practices witchcraft.
  • #*(rfdate) Shakespeare:
  • #*:He cannot abide the old woman of Brentford; he swears she's a witch .
  • #(label) A Wiccan.
  • # A man who practices witchcraft.
  • #*:
  • #*:Some of the kynges had merueyl of Merlyns wordes and demed well that it shold be as he said / And som of hem lough hym to scorne / as kyng Lot / and mo other called hym a wytche / But thenne were they accorded with Merlyn that kynge Arthur shold come oute and speke with the kynges
  • #*(rfdate) Wyclif Bible (Acts viii. 9)
  • #*:There was a man in that city whose name was Simon, a witch .
  • (label) An ugly or unpleasant woman.
  • :
  • :(Shakespeare)
  • One who exercises more-than-common power of attraction; a charming or bewitching person.
  • One given to mischief, especially a woman or child.
  • (label) A certain curve of the third order, described by Maria Agnesi under the name versiera .
  • The stormy petrel.
  • Any of a number of flatfish:
  • # (Torbay sole), found in the North Atlantic.
  • # (megrim), found in the North Atlantic.
  • #, found near New Zealand.
  • Synonyms
    * (female magic user) wizardess, sorceress * (male magic user) wizard, sorcerer, warlock * (an ugly or unpleasant woman) See ,
    Derived terms
    (terms derived from witch) * bewitch * cold as a witch's tit * man-witch * nonwitch * witch ball * witchcraft * witch doctor * witches' brew * witches' knickers * witches' Sabbath * witchfinder * witch grass * witch hazel * witch-hunt * witching hour * witchy

    Verb

    (es)
  • (obsolete) To practise witchcraft
  • 'It approaches the witching hour'.
  • To bewitch
  • To dowse for water
  • Derived terms
    * witcher

    See also

    (other terms of interest) * athame * black magic * channelling * chiromancer * coven * crystal ball * curse * enchantment * familiar * fortuneteller * galdur * grimoire * hex * hoodoo * jinx * lamia * medium * necromancy * occultism * palmist * poppet * Sabbath * Satanism * scry * shaman * sorcery * spell * talisman * tarot * warlock * wicca * wizard

    Etymology 2

    Compare wick.

    Noun

    (es)
  • A cone of paper which is placed in a vessel of lard or other fat and used as a taper.
  • English terms with homophones