Wiseacre to Wit-cracker
Wiseacre
(Wise"a*cre) n. [OD. wijssegger or G. weissager a foreteller, prophet, from weissagen to
foretell, to prophesy, OHG. wissagn, corrupted (as if compounded of the words for wise and say) fr.
wizzagn, fr. wizzag a prophet, akin to AS. witiga, witga, from the root of E. wit. See Wit, v.]
1. A learned or wise man. [Obs.]
Pythagoras learned much . . . becoming a mighty wiseacre.
Leland. 2. One who makes undue pretensions to wisdom; a would-be-wise person; hence, in contempt, a simpleton; a
dunce.
Wise-hearted
(Wise"-heart`ed) a. Wise; knowing; skillful; sapient; erudite; prudent. Ex. xxviii. 3.
Wise-like
(Wise"-like`) a. Resembling that which is wise or sensible; judicious.
The only wise-like thing I heard anybody say.
Sir W. Scott. Wiseling
(Wise"ling) n. One who pretends to be wise; a wiseacre; a witling. Donne.
Wisely
(Wise"ly), adv. In a wise manner; prudently; judiciously; discreetly; with wisdom.
And wisely learn to curb thy sorrows wild.
Milton. Wiseness
(Wise"ness), n. Wisdom. [Obs.] Spenser.
Wish
(Wish) v. i. [imp. & p. p. Wished ; p. pr. & vb. n. Wishing.] [OE. wischen, weschen, wuschen,
AS. wscan; akin to D. wenschen, G. wünschen, Icel. æeskja, Dan. önske, Sw. önska; from AS. wsc a
wish; akin to OD. & G. wunsch, OHG. wunsc, Icel. sk, Skr. vacha a wish, vach to wish; also to Skr.
van to like, to wish. . See Winsome, Win, v. t., and cf. Wistful.]
1. To have a desire or yearning; to long; to hanker.
They cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.
Acts xxvii. 29.
This is as good an argument as an antiquary could wish for.
Arbuthnot. Wish
(Wish) v. t.
1. To desire; to long for; to hanker after; to have a mind or disposition toward.
I would not wish
Any companion in the world but you.
Shak.
I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper.
3. John 2. 2. To frame or express desires concerning; to invoke in favor of, or against, any one; to attribute, or cal
down, in desire; to invoke; to imprecate.
I would not wish them to a fairer death.
Shak.
I wish it may not prove some ominous foretoken of misfortune to have met with such a miser as I am.
Sir P. Sidney.
Let them be driven backward, and put to shame, that wish me evil.
Ps. xl. 14. 3. To recommend; to seek confidence or favor in behalf of. [Obs.] Shak.
I would be glad to thrive, sir,
And I was wished to your worship by a gentleman.
B. Jonson.
