Wise, wīz, n. way, manner.—In any wise, In no wise, in any way, in no way; On this wise, in this way. [A.S. wíse, orig. wiseness; Ger. weise; akin to wise (1) and wit. Doublet guise.]
Wiseacre, wī′zā-kėr, n. one who pretends to wisdom without grounds, a simpleton quite unconscious of being such. [Perh. through the medium of Dutch from Ger. weissager, a soothsayer, weissagen, to foretell—Old High Ger. wīzago, a prophet.]
Wish, wish, v.i. to have a desire: to long (so in B.): to be inclined.—v.t. to desire or long for: to ask: to invoke: (Shak.) to recommend.—n. desire, longing: thing desired: expression of desire.—n. Wish′er.—adj. Wish′ful, having a wish or desire: eager.—adv. Wish′fully.—ns. Wish′fulness; Wish′ing-bone, Wish′-bone, the furcula or merrythought of a fowl; Wish′ing-cap, a cap by wearing which one obtains everything he wishes. [A.S. wýscan—wúsc, a wish; Ger. wünschen, Sw. önska.]
Wishtonwish, wish′ton-wish, n. the North American prairie-dog. [Amer. Ind.]
Wish-wash, wish′-wosh, n. (coll.) anything wishy-washy.—adj. Wish′y-wash′y, thin and weak, diluted, feeble. [Formed from wash.]
Wisket, wis′ket, n. (prov.) a basket.
Wisp, wisp, n. a small bundle of straw or hay: a small broom: will-o'-the-wisp: a disease affecting the feet of cattle.—v.t. to rub down with a wisp.—adj. Wis′py, like a wisp. [M. E. wisp, wips, conn. with wipe; cf. Low Ger. wiep, Norw. vippa, a wisp.]
Wist, wist, v.pa.t. (B.) knew. [A.S. wiste, pa.t. of witan, 3d pers. sing. pr.t. wát, to know. Cf. Wit.]
Wistaria, wis-tā′ri-a, n. a genus of leguminous plants, some of the species amongst the most magnificent ornamental climbers known in English gardens, named from the American anatomist, Caspar Wistar (1761-1818).
Wistful, wist′fōōl, adj. hushed: full of thought: thoughtful: earnest: eager, wishful, longing.—adv. Wist′fully.—n. Wist′fulness.—adv. Wist′ly (Shak.), silently, earnestly. [Most prob. for whistful, whistly—i.e. silently; and not conn. with wish. Skeat, however, makes it a substitution for wishful, confused with wisly=certainly—Ice. viss, certain (distinct from, yet allied to, víss, wise).]