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witless

adj

Etymology

From Middle English witles, from Old English witlēas (“senseless; witless”), from Proto-Germanic *witjalausaz (“witless”), equivalent to wit + -less. Cognate with Swedish vettlös (“senseless; witless; wild”), Icelandic vitlaus (“senseless; witless; foolish; mad”).

  1. inherited from *witjalausaz✻
  2. inherited from witlēas
  3. inherited from witles

Definitions

  1. Lacking wit or understanding

    Lacking wit or understanding; foolish.

    • Then will we march to all thoſe Indian Mines, My witleſſe brother to the Chriſtians loſt: And ranſome them with fame and vſurie.
    • To be his whore, is witles; Out upon't;

  2. Indiscreet

    Indiscreet; not using clear and sound judgment.

  3. Mindless, lacking conscious thought or the capacity for it.

    • Rage warps my clearest cry To witless agony.

The neighborhood

Derived

witless wonder, witlessly, witlessness

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for witless. 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