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worldly-wise

[ wurld-lee-wahyz ]

/ ˈwɜrld liˈwaɪz /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR worldly-wise

adjective

wise as to the affairs of this world.

QUIZZES

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Question 1 of 9

You may have read the word "simmer" in a recipe or two, but what does it really mean?

To cook in water that begins cold and then reaches a boil.

To stew in a sauce for a long time.

To cook in water, just below boiling temperature.

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Origin of worldly-wise

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Words nearby worldly-wise

world language, worldline, worldling, worldly, worldly-minded, worldly-wise, world music, world point, world power, world premiere, world process

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for worldly-wise

She was worldly-wise in her way, and thought it best to leave well alone.
Elster's Folly|Mrs. Henry Wood
Jack looked across the room into the keen, worldly-wise old face.
With Edged Tools|Henry Seton Merriman
Before you grew to be a worldly-wise old lady, and before I had become a cynical old man.
Ainslee's, Vol. 15, No. 6, July 1905|Various
He was worldly-wise enough to suspect that Zen also felt that charm.
Dennison Grant|Robert Stead

They felt, on the whole, older than she was, and worldly-wise in comparison.
Non-combatants and Others|Rose Macaulay

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