Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Having the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; sagacious.
- adjective Exhibiting common sense; prudent.
- adjective Shrewd; crafty.
- adjective Provided with information; informed. Often used with to.
- adjective Slang Rude and disrespectful; impudent.
- noun Method or manner of doing; way.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Quite aware; knowing; cognizant of.
- To guide; direct; lead or send in a particular direction.
- To turn; incline; twist.
- An apparent suffix, really the noun wiseused in adverbial phrases originally with a preposition, as in anywise, nowise, likewise, otherwise, etc., originally in any wise, in no wise, in like wise, in other wise, etc.; so sidewise, lengthwise, etc., in which, in colloquial use, -ways also appears, by confusion with way.
- Having the power of discerning and judging rightly, or of discriminating between what is true and what is false, between that which is right, fit, and proper and that which is unsuitable, injudicious, and wrong; possessed of discernment, discretion, and judgment: as, a wise prince; a wise magistrate.
- Proper to a wise man; sage; grave; serious.
- Having knowledge; knowing; intelligent; enlightened; learned; erudite.
- Practically or experimentally knowing; experienced; versed or skilled; dexterous; cunning; subtle; specifically, skilled in some hidden art, as magic or divination: as, the soothsayers and tho wise men.
- Religious; pious; godly.
- Dictated, directed, or guided by wisdom; containing wisdom; judicious: as, a wise saying; a wise scheme or plan; wise conduct or direction; a wise determination.
- A midwife.
- =Syn.1. Sagacious, discerning, oracular, long-headed. See
wisdom .—6. Sound, solid, philosophical. - noun Way; manner; mode; guise; style: now seldom used as an independent word, except in such phrases as in any wise, in no wise, on this wise.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Having knowledge; knowing; enlightened; of extensive information; erudite; learned.
- adjective Hence, especially, making due use of knowledge; discerning and judging soundly concerning what is true or false, proper or improper; choosing the best ends and the best means for accomplishing them; sagacious.
- adjective Versed in art or science; skillful; dexterous; specifically, skilled in divination.
- adjective rare Hence, prudent; calculating; shrewd; wary; subtle; crafty.
- adjective Dictated or guided by wisdom; containing or exhibiting wisdom; well adapted to produce good effects; judicious; discreet.
- adjective [Obs.] to make it a matter of deliberation.
- adjective [Obs.] old enough to be wise; wise from age and experience; hence, aged; old.
- adjective Way of being or acting; manner; mode; fashion.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun archaic
Way ,manner ,method . - adjective Showing good judgement or the benefit of experience.
- adjective colloquial Disrespectful.
- verb To become wise.
- verb ergative, slang Usually with "up", to
inform orlearn . - verb dialectal to
instruct - verb dialectal to
advise ;induce - verb dialectal to
show the way,guide - verb dialectal to
direct the course of,pilot - verb dialectal to
cause toturn
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective evidencing the possession of inside information
- adjective marked by the exercise of good judgment or common sense in practical matters
- noun United States religious leader (born in Bohemia) who united reform Jewish organizations in the United States (1819-1900)
- adjective improperly forward or bold
- noun a way of doing or being
- noun United States Jewish leader (born in Hungary) (1874-1949)
- adjective having or prompted by wisdom or discernment
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Were all men simply wise and just, all predicating of certain men that they were _more_, or _most, wise_ or _just_, would be at once absurd and without utility.
The Continental Monthly, Vol. 1, No. 5, May, 1862 Devoted To Literature And National Policy Various
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_He that walketh with the wise shall be wise_ (Prov.xiii. 20) is as true to-day as when first uttered.
The Origin and Permanent Value of the Old Testament Charles Foster Kent 1896
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The divergence of such a syllogism from the _Dictum_ may, however, be easily shown to be superficial by writing, instead of _No wise man fears death_, the simple, converse, _No man who fears death is wise_.
Logic Deductive and Inductive Carveth Read 1889
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I suppose it has often happened that a fool has spoken wisely, and wise men have often done foolishly, as St. Paul says, If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise (1 Cor. iii.
Dedicatory Letter 1909
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Most often, I picture an old, bald Buddhist monk sitting erect on a bamboo mat in an ancient temple somewhere in Tibet, his eyes closed, his expression wise and serene, like he holds the secret to inner peace.
Left Neglected Lisa Genova 2011
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Most often, I picture an old, bald Buddhist monk sitting erect on a bamboo mat in an ancient temple somewhere in Tibet, his eyes closed, his expression wise and serene, like he holds the secret to inner peace.
Left Neglected Lisa Genova 2011
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John Willet, who appeared to consider himself particularly and chiefly referred to under the term wise men, looked that way likewise, and with great solidity of feature.
Barnaby Rudge 2007
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John Willet, who appeared to consider himself particularly and chiefly referred to under the term wise men, looked that way likewise, and with great solidity of feature.
Barnaby Rudge Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870 1892
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John Willet, who appeared to consider himself particularly and chiefly referred to under the term wise men, looked that way likewise, and with great solidity of feature.
Barnaby Rudge: a tale of the Riots of 'eighty Charles Dickens 1841
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John Willet, who appeared to consider himself particularly and chiefly referred to under the term wise men, looked that way likewise, and with great solidity of feature.
Barnaby Rudge 1840
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