Obs. exc. Sc. and north. dial. Forms: 1 wisian, 3 wisie, 4–6 (8–9 Sc. and dial.) wyse, (5 vyse, 6 pa. pple. wizde), 7 (9 dial.) wize, 3–7 (9 dial.) wise, 9 Sc. weise, weize. [OE. wísian to show the way = OFris. wîsa, OS. wîsian, MLG., MDu. wîsen (Du. wijzen), OHG. wîsan (MHG. wîsen, G. weisen, now conjugated as a str, vb.), ON. vísa (Sw. visa, Da. vise), Goth. fulla-weisjan πείθειν: f. OTeut. *wîsaz WISE a. (Cf. WIS v.1)]
1. trans. To show the way to (a person); to guide, direct; † hence, to direct or manage the affairs of, govern, rule (obs.); also in mod. dial., to induce, entice away, from...; to instruct, inform.
Beowulf, 320. Stræt wæs stanfah, stiʓ wisode gumum ætgædere.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xxxv. 5. Iacob ferde þa mid ealre his hiwrædene, swa him god wisode.
c. 1205. Lay., 1200. Wise mi & witere … whuder ich mæi liðan.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 973. Þu … seist þu uisest [v.r. wisest] mankunne Þat hi biwepen hore sunne.
c. 1250. Prayer to Our Lady, 2, in O. E. Misc., 192. Þu wisie me nuþe for ich eom eirede.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 10755. Sire steuene of segraue was imad þo hei iustise In sire hubertes stude de boru þut lond wel to wise.
13[?]. Cursor M., 17931 (Gött.). Quen i þe gan wis To þe ȝatis of paradis.
c. 1320. Cast. Love, 297. Wiþ-oute whom he ne mai His kindom wiþ pees wysen.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 2988. Alexander … trottis him to be trod-gate, as him þe torche wyssis [Dubl. vysys].
1400. Song Roland, 303. ‘Now wise vs crist!’ quod Roulond.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., ix. 122. Mahowne he wyse the on thi way.
1575. Turberv., Faulconrie, 130. Alwayes wysing and making your hawke to leane in vpon you.
1594. Carew, Tasso, II. xli. To be wizde what cause her thither drew.
1604. H. Broughton, Advt. Corrupt. Relig., E 3 b. Tremelius might haue wised M. Liuely.
1606. N. B[axter], Sydney’s Ourania, D 2. She [sc. the Moon] wizeth Surgeons when to ope a veine.
1610. H. Broughton, Job xxxv. 11. Who doth teach us more than the beasts of the earth: and wiseth us above the foules of the heaven.
1657. Trapp, Comm. Ezra viii. 16. Being themselves wise, and willing to wise others.
a. 1810. Tannahill, Song, Dear Highland Laddie, ii. The Laird’s wys’d awa’ my braw Highland laddie, O.
1821. Galt, Ann. Parish, xxxviii. 310. She … took me by the hand, and wised me to go back.
1825. Brockett, N. C. Gloss., Wise, to shew or direct, ‘Wise him in.’ ‘Wise him out.’
2. To direct the course or movement of; to move in some direction or into some position; to convey, conduct; to turn (in various connections: see quots.); also fig.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 21272. A … wain men wit four quelis wises.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 13698. His hors on hym [sc. Bokkus] his bridel wysed.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., II. 78. The forgh is best, ille humour out to wise.
1606. N. Baxter, Sidney’s Ourania, C 3. Planets … Knowne to each Figure-flinger … That wize from thence many an vncouth-tale.
1816. Scott, Antiq., vii. Now, weize yoursell a wee easel-ward—a wee mair yet to that ither stane.
1825. Brockett, N. C. Gloss., s.v., Wise off that rope there.
a. 1827. in Scott, Jrnl., 2 Aug. Stuff with moss, and clog with clay, And that will weize the water away.
1830. Galt, Lawrie T., IV. x. (1849), 179. Mr. Bell quietly wised the conversation upon juvenile indiscretions.
1862. Smiles, Engineers, III. 113. Wise on the Hydrogen, Nichol!
1862. Hislop, Prov. Scot., 58. Every miller wad weise the water to his ain mill.
1867. J. K. Hunter, Retrosp. Artist’s Life, xiv. (1912), 135. The little fish rushed to the shore before him, as he in large coils quietly wysed them shoreward.
b. To direct, aim, ‘send,’ shoot (a missile) (Sc.); † fig. to utter.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 24103. Quen i wend word to wise.
1721. Ramsay, Ode to Ph—, ii. Fowk wysing a Jee The Byass Bouls on Tamson’s Green.
1814. Scott, Wav., lviii. Mony o’ them wadna mind a bawbee the weising a ball through the Prince himsell.
c. intr. for refl. To direct one’s course, make one’s way, betake oneself, go.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 10956. Vnto þer contres he bad þem wyse.
1721. Ramsay, Richy & Sandy, 69. But see the Sheep are wysing to the Cleugh.
3. trans. To show, point out (the way). † Also, to cause to be seen, show, reveal (obs.).
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 1135. A wounde ful wyde … con wyse An-ende hys hert þurȝ hyde to-rente.
c. 1400. Rule St. Benet (verse), 138. Wysand vs þe way to heuen.
c. 1450. Pol. Poems (Rolls), II. 226. The printe of a palsy wisith the thy way.
1818. Scott, Rob Roy, xxiii. I’ll hae somebody waiting to weise ye the gate to the place.
