wis

See also: -wis and Wis.

English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /waɪs/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪs

Alternative forms

Etymology 1

From Middle English wis (certain, sure), from an aphetic form of Middle English iwis, ywis (certain, sure) (from Old English ġewiss (certain, sure)), or of North Germanic origin, akin to Icelandic viss (certain). Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *gawissaz. More at iwis.

Adverb

wis (comparative more wis, superlative most wis)

  1. (rare, obsolete or dialectal) Certainly, surely
    • 1884, Charlotte Mary Yonge, The armourer's prentices:
      So I wis would the Dragon under him [...]
  2. (rare, obsolete or dialectal) Really, truly
  3. (rare, obsolete or dialectal) Indeed
    • Chaucer
    As wis God helpe me.

Adjective

wis (comparative more wis, superlative most wis)

  1. (rare, obsolete or dialectal) Certain
  2. (rare, obsolete or dialectal) Sure
    He was wis on his word.
    I am wis that it will happen.

Derived terms

Etymology 2

From an incorrect division, mistaking iwis (certain) for I wis (I know). 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

wis (third-person singular simple present wis, present participle -, simple past -, past participle wist or wissed)

  1. (obsolete or archaic) To know.
    • 1596-97, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, Act II, Scene ix:
      "The fire seven times tried this:
      Seven times tried that judgement is,
      That did never choose amiss.
      Some there be that shadows kiss:
      Such have but a shadow's bliss.
      There be fools alive, I wis,
      Silver'd o'er; and so was this.
      I will ever be your head:
      So be gone: you are sped."
  2. (obsolete or archaic) To think, suppose.
    • R. Browning
    Howe'er you wis.
  3. (obsolete or archaic) To imagine, ween; to deem.
    • Coleridge
    Nor do I know how long it is (For I have lain entranced, I wis).

Anagrams


Afrikaans

Verb

wis

  1. preterite of weet; knew

Chuukese

Noun

wis

  1. duty, responsibility

Dutch

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʋɪs/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪs

Adjective

wis (not comparable)

  1. sure, certain
    een wisse dood a certain death
Inflection
Inflection of wis
uninflected wis
inflected wisse
comparative
positive
predicative/adverbial wis
indefinite m./f. sing. wisse
n. sing. wis
plural wisse
definite wisse
partitive wis

Noun

wis f or m (plural wissen, diminutive wisje n)

  1. twig
  2. bundle, bunch
  3. short for wisdoek (dishcloth)

Verb

wis

  1. first-person singular present indicative of wissen
  2. imperative of wissen

Gothic

Romanization

wis

  1. Romanization of 𐍅𐌹𐍃

Javanese

Javanese register set
ꦏꦮꦶ (kawi): sampun
ꦏꦿꦩꦲꦶꦁꦒꦶꦭ꧀ (krama inggil): pun
ꦏꦿꦩꦲꦤ꧀ꦝꦥ꧀ (krama andhap): wis

Adverb

wis

  1. already

Old Dutch

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *wīsaz, from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (to see, to know).

Adjective

wīs

  1. wise

Inflection


Descendants

Further reading

  • wīs”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

Old English

Alternative forms

  • ƿis

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *wīsaz, from Proto-Indo-European *weydstos (knowledgeable), an extension of *weyd- (to see, to know). Akin to Old High German wīs and Old Norse víss.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /wiːs/

Adjective

wīs

  1. wise
    Homō sapiēns is on Englisċ "wīs mann."
    Homo sapiens is "wise person" in English.

Declension

Weak Strong
case singular plural case singular plural
m n f m n f m n f
nominative wīsa wīse wīse wīsan nom. wīs wīse wīs wīsa, -e
accusative wīsan wīse wīsan acc. wīsne wīs wīse wīse wīs wīsa, -e
genitive wīsan wīsra, wīsena gen. wīses wīses wīsre wīsra
dative wīsan wīsum dat. wīsum wīsum wīsre wīsum
instrumental wīse

Derived terms

Descendants


Old High German

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *wīsaz, from Proto-Indo-European *weydstos (knowledgeable), an extension of *weyd- (to see, to know). Akin to Old English wīs and Old Norse víss.

Adjective

wīs

  1. wise

Descendants


Old Saxon

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *wīsaz, from Proto-Indo-European *weydstos (knowledgeable), an extension of *weyd- (to see, to know). Akin to Old English wīs, Old High German wīs and Old Norse víss.

Adjective

wīs

  1. wise

Declension


Descendants

  • Middle Low German: wīs
    • Low German:
      • German Low German: wies
      • Westphalian:
        Ravensbergisch-Lippisch: wuise, wuis
        Sauerländisch: weyse, wüse, wīse, wuise
        Westmünsterländisch: wiese
    • Plautdietsch: weis

Scots

Verb

wis

  1. simple past tense of be

Usage notes

Use wis with singular pronouns & plural nouns, otherwise use wis, war or wir with plural pronouns.

See also


West Frisian

Adjective

wis

  1. certain, sure
  2. true
  3. safe, trustworthy

Inflection

Inflection of wis
uninflected wis
inflected wisse
comparative wisser
positive comparative superlative
predicative/adverbial wiswisserit wist
it wiste
indefinite c. sing. wissewisserewiste
n. sing. wiswisserwiste
plural wissewisserewiste
definite wissewisserewiste
partitive wiswissers

Derived terms

Further reading

  • wis (I)”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011
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