wise: Meaning and Definition of

wise

Pronunciation: (wīz), [key]
— adj., v., wis•er, wis•est, wised, wis•ing.
—adj.
  1. having the power of discerning and judging properly as to what is true or right; possessing discernment, judgment, or discretion.
  2. characterized by or showing such power; judicious or prudent: a wise decision.
  3. possessed of or characterized by scholarly knowledge or learning; learned; erudite: wise in the law.
  4. having knowledge or information as to facts, circumstances, etc.: We are wiser for their explanations.
  5. informed; in the know: You're wise, so why not give us the low-down?
  6. having knowledge of magic or witchcraft.
  7. to be or become cognizant of or no longer deceived by; catch on: to get wise to a fraud.
  8. Don't get wise with me, young man!
    1. to become informed.
    2. to be or become presumptuous or impertinent:Don't get wise with me, young man!
  9. to inform a person; let a person in on a secret or generally unknown fact: Some of the others put him wise to what was going on.
—v.t.
  1. to make wise or aware: I'll wise you, kid.
  2. to make or become aware of a secret or generally unknown fact, situation, attitude, etc.: They wised him up on how to please the boss. She never wised up to the fact that the joke was on her.

wise

Pronunciation: (wīz), [key]
— n.
  1. way of proceeding or considering; manner; fashion (usually used in combination or in certain phrases): otherwise; in any wise; in no wise.

wise

Pronunciation: (wīz), [key]
— wised, wis•ing.
    1. to instruct.
    2. to induce or advise.
    3. to show the way to; guide.
  1. to direct the course of; cause to turn.

Wise

Pronunciation: (wīz), [key]
— n.
  1. 1819–1900, U.S. rabbi and educator, born in Bohemia: founder of Reform Judaism in the U.S.
  2. 1874–1949, U.S. rabbi, theologian, and Zionist leader; born in Hungary.

-wise

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. a suffixal use of in adverbs denoting manner, position, direction, reference, etc.:Cf. counterclockwise; edgewise; marketwise; timewise.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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