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wis

adv
/waɪs/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English wis (“certain, sure”), from an aphetic form of Middle English iwis, ywis (“certain, sure”) (from Old English ġewiss (“certain, sure”)), or of North Germanic origin, cognate with Icelandic viss (“certain, sure”), Dutch gewis (“certain, sure”), and German gewiss (“certain, sure”). Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *gawissaz. More at iwis.

  1. inherited from *gawissaz✻
  2. inherited from ġewiss
  3. inherited from wis

Definitions

  1. Certainly, surely.

    • So I wis would the Dragon under him […]

  2. Really, truly.

  3. Indeed.

    • As wis God help me.
  4. ›+ 6 more definitions

    1. Certain.

    2. Sure.

      • He was wis on his word.
      • I am wis that it will happen.

    3. To know.

    4. To think, suppose.

      • Howe'er you wis.

    5. To imagine, ween

      To imagine, ween; to deem.

      • And oh, that I should see that star remote / Yet His near Glory miss / Whereto the sun itself and stars do float / As motes, I wis!
      • As sure as Heaven shall rescue me, / I have no thought what men they be; / Nor do I know how long it is / (For I have lain in fits, I wis) […]

    6. Abbreviation of wisdom point.

The neighborhood

Derived

I wis, wisly

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for wis. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA