wise
1. wise \'wi-z\ n [ME, fr. OE wi-se; akin to OHG wi-sa manner, Gk eidos f]orm, idein to see - more at WIT : MANNER, WAY 2. wise aj [ME wis, fr. OE wi-s; akin to OHG wi-s wise, OE wita]n to know - more at WIT 1a: having wisdom : SAGE 1b: exercising sound judgment : PRUDENT 2: evidencing or hinting at the possession of inside information : KN OWING; also : CRAFTY, SHREWD obs 3: skilled in magic or divination LE, SANE: WISE suggests great understanding of people and of situations and unusual discernment and judgment in dealing with them; SAGE suggests wide experience, great learning, and wisdom; SAPIENT is chiefly ironical and implies chiefly an appearance of sageness; JUDICIOUS stresses a capacity for reaching wise decisions or just conclusions; PRUDENT suggests exercise of the restraint of sound practical wisdom and discretion; SENSIBLE applies to action guided and restrained by good sense and rationality; SANE stresses mental soundness, rationality, and levelheadedness - wise.ly av SYN syn SAGE, SAPIENT, JUDICIOUS, PRUDENT, SENSIB 3. wise vt : INFORM, INSTRUCT - usu. used with up to become info rmed or knowledgeable : LEARN - used with up 4. wise vt [ME wisen, fr. OE wi-sian; akin to ON vi-sa to show the] way, OE wi-s wise chiefly Scot 1a: DIRECT, GUIDE 1b: ADVISE, PERSUADE chiefly Scot 2: to divert or impel in a given direction : SEND
Webster's English Dictionary