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Wise vs Courtesy - What's the difference?

wise | courtesy |

As an acronym wise

is (aviation|nautical) (adjective).

As a noun courtesy is

(uncountable) polite behavior.

As a verb courtesy is

.

As an adjective courtesy is

given or done as a polite gesture.

wise

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) wis, wys, from (etyl) . Cognate with Dutch wijs, German weise, Swedish vis. Compare wit.

Adjective

(er)
  • 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
    * unwise * foolish
    Derived terms
    * crack wise * wisdom * wiseacre * wise apple * wiseass * wisecrack * wise guy * wise-hearted * wiseling * wiselike * wiseness * wizen * wizard * word to the wise

    Verb

    (wis)
  • 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 (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (archaic) Way, manner, method.
  • * 1850 , 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 , , 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.
    Derived terms
    * -wise

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) .

    Verb

  • (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

    • Statistics

    * 1000 English basic words

    courtesy

    English

    Noun

  • (uncountable) Polite behavior.
    • Please extend them the courtesy of your presence.
  • (countable) A polite gesture or remark.
    • I offered them a ride simply as a courtesy .
  • * Shakespeare
    • My lord, for your many courtesies I thank you.
  • (uncountable) Consent or agreement in spite of fact; indulgence.
    • They call this pond a lake by courtesy only.
  • (uncountable) Willingness or generosity in providing something needed.
    • They received free advertising through the courtesy of the local newspaper.
  • A curtsey.
  • * Goldsmith
    • The lady drops a courtesy in token of obedience, and the ceremony proceeds as usual.

    Derived terms

    * courtesy call * courtesy card * courtesy copy * courtesy name * courtesy of

    Derived terms

    * courtesy of

    Verb

  • * Samuel Richardson
    • Well, but Polly attended, as I said; and there were strange simperings, and bowing, and courtesying , between them; the honest gentleman seeming not to know how to let his mistress wait upon him

    Adjective

    courtesy (no comparative or superlative''; ''used only before the noun )
  • Given or done as a polite gesture.
    • We paid a courtesy visit to the new neighbors.
  • Free of charge.
    • The event planners offered courtesy tickets for the reporters.

    Synonyms

    * free of charge

    References