wise

I. wise¹ S3 /waɪz/ BrE AmE adjective
[Language: Old English; Origin: wis]
1. DECISION/IDEA ETC wise decisions and actions are sensible and based on good judgment SYN sensible
it is wise to do something
It’s wise to check whether the flight times have changed before you leave for the airport.
be wise to do something
I think you were wise to leave when you did.
a wise precaution
I don’t think that would be a very wise move (=not be a sensible thing to do).
2. PERSON someone who is wise makes good decisions, gives good advice etc, especially because they have a lot of experience of life:
a wise old man
At the time I thought he was wonderful, but I’m older and wiser now.
As a manager, Sanford was wise in the ways of (=knew a lot about) company politics.
3. be none the wiser/not be any the wiser
a) to not understand something even after it has been explained to you:
Charlie explained how the system works, but I’m still none the wiser.
b) used for saying that no one will find out about something bad that someone has done:
He could easily have taken the money and no one would have been any the wiser.
4. get/be wise to somebody/something informal to realize that someone is being dishonest:
Teachers quickly get wise to students who are cheating. ⇨ wise up at ↑wise²
5. wise guy especially informal American English an annoying person who thinks they know more than they really do:
OK, wise guy, shut up and listen!
6. be wise after the event to realize what you should have done in a situation after it has happened:
It’s easy to be wise after the event.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

wise

wise [wise wises wised wising wiser wisest] adjective, verb [waɪz] [waɪz]

adjective (wiser, wis·est)
1. (of people) able to make sensible decisions and give good advice because of the experience and knowledge that you have
• a wise old man

• I'm older and wiser after ten years in the business.

2. (of actions and behaviour) sensible; based on good judgement
Syn: prudent
• a wise decision
• It was very wise to leave when you did.
• The wisest course of action is just to say nothing.
• I was grateful for her wise counsel.
Word Origin:
Old English wīs, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wijs and German weise.
Example Bank:
• It was not considered wise to move her to another hospital.
• He was known to be a wise and gentle ruler.
• He was too wise and experienced to try to escape.
• I'm older and wiser after ten years in the business.
• It was very wise of you to leave when you did.
• Locking your car doors is always a wise precaution.
Idioms: none the wiser ▪ not be any the wiser ▪ put somebody wise ▪ wise after the event ▪ wise to somebody
Derived Word: wisely

Derived: wise up

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

wise / waɪz / adjective

B2 approving having or showing the ability to make good judgments, based on a deep understanding and experience of life:

I think you made a wise choice.

"I never drink more than three glasses of wine." "How wise."

Looking at the weather, I think we made a wise decision not to go to the coast this weekend.

I think it would be wiser to wait and see how much money you've got left before you make any decisions.

I never used to save money but now I'm a little older and wiser I can see the sense in it.

Was it Thomas More who said that the wise man learns from the experience of others?

wise to sth informal understanding a dishonest situation or way of doing something:

I used to be scrupulously honest then I got wise to the system.

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

wise

[wa͟ɪz]
♦♦♦
wises, wising, wised, wiser, wisest
1) ADJ-GRADED A wise person is able to use their experience and knowledge in order to make sensible decisions and judgements.
  She has the air of a wise woman...
  You're a wise old man: tell me what to do.
  Ant:
  foolish
  Derived words:
  wisely ADV-GRADED ADV with v The three of us stood around the machine nodding wisely.
2) ADJ-GRADED: oft it v-link ADJ to-inf A wise action or decision is sensible.
  It's never wise to withhold evidence...
  She had made a very wise decision...
  It is wise to seek help and counsel as soon as possible.
  Syn:
  sensible
  Derived words:
  wisely ADV-GRADED usu ADV with v They've invested their money wisely... Our man had wisely decided to be picked up at the farm.
3) PHRASE: PHR to-inf If someone says to you that it would be wise to do something, they are advising you to do it, because it is the most sensible and reasonable action or decision in a particular situation.
  It would be wise to get his eyes checked to ensure there is no problem.
4) PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n If you get wise to something, you find out about it, especially when someone has been trying to keep it secret. [INFORMAL]
  Dealers have already got wise to the trend and increased their prices accordingly.
  Syn:
  wise up to
5) PHRASE: v-link PHR If you say that someone is none the wiser after an event or an explanation, or that nobody is any the wiser after it, you mean that they have failed to understand it, or are not fully aware of what happened.
  The brewers are still none the wiser about the shape the Government envisages for the industry...
  We could have stolen the original from the warehouse without you being any the wiser.
  Phrasal Verbs:
  - wise up

[-waɪz]
1) COMB in ADV: ADV with cl -wise is added to nouns to form adverbs indicating that something is the case when considering the particular thing mentioned.
  Career-wise, this illness couldn't have come at a worse time...
  It was a much better day weather-wise...
  Because the work was voluntary it was flexible, time-wise.
2) COMB in ADV: ADV after v -wise is added to nouns to form adverbs indicating that someone behaves in the same way as the person or thing that is mentioned.
  We were housed student-wise in dormitory rooms...
  Kenny, struggling with too many chairs, moved crabwise towards the door.
  Syn:
  -like

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

¹wise /ˈwaɪz/ adj wis·er; -est
1 : having or showing wisdom or knowledge usually from learning or experiencing many things
• a wise old woman
• a wise saying
• I'm a little wiser now than I was back then.
- see also penny-wise, streetwise
2 : based on good reasoning or information : showing good sense or judgment
• The wisest course of action would be to leave.
• It was wise of you to ask permission first. = You were wise to ask permission first.
• That was a wise choice.
• Many have benefited from her wise counsel/advice.
3 US informal : saying things that are rude or insulting
• Don't you get wise [=smart, fresh] with me, young man!
a word to the wise
- see ¹word
crack wise
- see ¹crack
none the wiser or not any the wiser
1 : not knowing or understanding anything more about something
• The investigation has been going on for months, and we're still none the wiser about the true cause of the accident. [=we still don't know anything more about the true cause]
2 also never the wiser
- used to describe someone who is not at all aware of something that has happened
• I borrowed his car and returned it, and he was none the wiser. [=he did not know that I had borrowed his car]
• We left early, and no one was any the wiser. [=no one noticed that we had left]
wise in the ways of : having knowledge about or experience with (someone or something)
• Don't worry. They're wise in the ways of finances.
• She is wise in the ways of the world.
wise to informal : not fooled by (someone or something)
• I'm wise to you. = I'm wise to what you're doing. [=I know what you're doing; I know that you are trying to do something dishonest] : aware of (something, especially something dishonest)
• When she got wise to [=became aware of] his scheme, she left.
• He told me I'd better get wise to what was happening.
• (chiefly US) Let me put/make you wise to [=tell you about] their plans.
- wise·ly adv [more ~; most ~]
• The witness wisely refused to answer the question.
• If you invest wisely, you can make a lot of money.
• Try to choose your words more wisely.