Wis vs Wise - What's the difference?
wis | wise |
(rare, obsolete, or, dialectal) Certainly, surely
* 1884 , Charlotte Mary Yonge, The armourer's prentices :
(rare, obsolete, or, dialectal) Really, truly
(rare, obsolete, or, dialectal) Indeed
(rare, obsolete, or, dialectal) Certain
(rare, obsolete, or, dialectal) Sure
(obsolete, or, archaic) To know.
(obsolete, or, archaic) To think, suppose.
(obsolete, or, archaic) To imagine, ween; to deem.
Showing good judgement or the benefit of experience.
(colloquial) Disrespectful.
To become wise.
(ergative, slang) Usually with "up", to inform or learn.
(archaic) Way, manner, method.
* 1850 , The Burden of Nineveh , lines 2-5
* 1866 , , A Ballad of Life , lines 28-30
* 1926 , J. S. Fletcher, Sea Fog , page 308
(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
As an adverb wis
is (rare|obsolete|or|dialectal) certainly, surely.As an adjective wis
is (rare|obsolete|or|dialectal) certain.As a verb wis
is (obsolete|or|archaic) to know.As an acronym wise is
(aviation|nautical) (adjective).wis
English
Alternative forms
* wiss, ywis, iwisEtymology 1
From (etyl) . More at ywis.Adverb
(en adverb)- So I wis would the Dragon under him [...]
- "As wis God helpe me." --Chaucer.
Adjective
(en adjective)- He was wis on his word
Derived terms
* (l)Etymology 2
From an incorrect division, mistaking . See ywis for more information. The German verb wissen'' appears similar, but in fact corresponds etymologically to the English verb ''wit ; both of those verbs are only indirectly related to this one.Verb
- "Howe'er you wis ." --R. Browning.
- Nor do I know how long it is (For I have lain entranced, I wis ). --Coleridge.
wise
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) wis, wys, from (etyl) . Cognate with Dutch wijs, German weise, Swedish vis. Compare wit.Adjective
(er)- 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
- Don't get wise with me!
Usage notes
* Objects: person, decision, advice, counsel, saying, etc.Antonyms
* unwise * foolishDerived terms
* crack wise * wisdom * wiseacre * wise apple * wiseass * wisecrack * wise guy * wise-hearted * wiseling * wiselike * wiseness * wizen * wizard * word to the wiseVerb
(wis)- Mo wised him up about his situation.
- ''After Mo had a word with him, he wised up.
Etymology 2
From (etyl) .Noun
(en noun)- ... the prize
- Dead Greece vouchsafes to living eyes, —
- Her Art for ever in fresh wise
- From hour to hour rejoicing me.
- A riven hood was pulled across his eyes;
- The token of him being upon this wise
- Made for a sign of Lust.
- 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.