wise1

 
Pronunciation: /wʌɪz/

adjective

  • having or showing experience, knowledge, and good judgement: she seems kind and wise a wise precaution
  • sensible or prudent: it would be wise to discuss the matter with the chairman
  • having knowledge in a specified subject: he is wise in the ways of haute couture
  • (wise to) informal aware of, especially so as to know how to act: at seven she was already wise to the police

verb

[no object] (wise up) [often in imperative] informal
  • become aware of or informed about something: wise up to the flavours of North Africa

Phrases

be wise after the event

understand and assess a situation only after its implications have become obvious: it is easy to be wise after the event

be none (or not any) the wiser

not understand something, even though it has been explained: she said an awful lot but he wasn’t any the wiser I am still none the wiser about the meaning of the word

Derivatives

wisely

adverb

Origin:

Old English wīs, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wijs and German weise, also to wit2