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definitions

wise

1
[wahyz]
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR wise ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, wis·er, wis·est.

verb (used with object), wised, wis·ing.

Slang. to make wise or aware: I'll wise you, kid.

Verb Phrases

wise up, Slang. 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.

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RELATED WORDS

detect, foresee, anticipate, perceive, differentiate, determine, ascertain, distinguish, discriminate, divine, unearth, locate, notice, reveal, devise, hear, spot, explore, invent, recognize

Nearby words

  1. wisdom of jesus, son of sirach,
  2. wisdom of jesus, the son of sirach,
  3. wisdom of solomon,
  4. wisdom teeth,
  5. wisdom tooth,
  6. wise guy,
  7. wise men,
  8. wise up,
  9. wise up to,
  10. wise, isaac mayer

Idioms

Origin of wise

1
before 900; Middle English (adj.), Old English wīs; cognate with Dutch wijs, German weise, Old Norse vīss, Gothic -weis; akin to wit1
ANTONYMS FOR wise
1, 2. foolish.
SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR wise ON THESAURUS.COM
Related formswise·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for get wise to

wise

1

adjective

possessing, showing, or prompted by wisdom or discernment
prudent; sensible
shrewd; craftya wise plan
well-informed; erudite
aware, informed, or knowing (esp in the phrase none the wiser)
slang (postpositive often foll by to) in the know, esp possessing inside information (about)
archaic possessing powers of magic
slang, mainly US and Canadian cocksure or insolent
be wise or get wise (often foll by to) informal to be or become aware or informed (of something) or to face up (to facts)
put wise (often foll by to) slang to inform or warn (of)

verb

See wise up
Derived Formswisely, adverbwiseness, noun

Word Origin for wise

Old English wīs; related to Old Norse vīss, Gothic weis, German weise

wise

2

noun

archaic way, manner, fashion, or respect (esp in the phrases any wise, in no wise)

Word Origin for wise

Old English wīse manner; related to Old Saxon wīsa, German Weise, Old Norse vīsa verse, Latin vīsus face
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for get wise to
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Idioms and Phrases with get wise to

get wise to

Also be wise to. See through the deception of; also, become aware of. For example, It took a while, but she finally got wise to Fred's lies, or I'm wise to the fact that her clothes come from a thrift shop. [Colloquial; mid-1800s]

wise

In addition to the idioms beginning with wise

  • wise guy
  • wise up to

also see:

  • get wise to
  • none the wiser
  • penny wise and pound foolish
  • put wise
  • sadder but wiser
  • word to the wise
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.