wise
having or prompted by wisdom or discernment
How often you will meet it
Rank 936 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 19,656 times across 175,112 chapters — 0.009% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 1,000 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
adjective
- having or prompted by wisdom or discernment a wise leadera wise and perceptive comment
- marked by the exercise of good judgment or common sense in practical matters also: judicious, heady judicious use of one's moneya wise decision
- evidencing the possession of inside information also: knowing, wise to
- improperly forward or bold also: fresh, impertinent, impudent, overbold, smart, saucy don't be fresh with meimpertinent of a child to lecture a grownup
noun
- a way of doing or being in no wisein this wise
- United States Jewish leader (born in Hungary) (1874-1949) also: Stephen Samuel Wise
- United States religious leader (born in Bohemia) who united reform Jewish organizations in the United States (1819-1900) also: Isaac Mayer Wise
wise in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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He seemed in no wise anxious to run after the fugitive.
Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1
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Be wise; I will make you friends, and you shall go to bed together.
The White Devil · John Webster · Chapter 1
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I didn't think it wise, so I went to the cloak room with you, intending to see you home.
The Abandoned Room · Wadsworth Camp · Chapter 1
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He was a silent, modest man, who never spoke much of what he knew, or of himself in any wise.
Christian's Mistake · Dinah Maria Mulock Craik · Chapter 1
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In one of the houses lived a wise old Hyup named Bini Aru, who used to be a clever Sorcerer.
The Magic of Oz · L. Frank (Lyman Frank) Baum · Chapter 1