Forms: 3–5 avis, avys, 5 avise, avyse, avyce (Sc. 4 awyss, 6 awise); 5 advys, 5–6 advyse, 4–8 advise, 6– advice. [a. OFr. avis (cogn. w. Pr. avis, Sp. aviso, It. avviso):— late pop. L. *advīsum view, opinion, f. ad to + vīsum seen, pa. pple. of vidēre to see. Occ. written advis after L. by Fr. scribes in 14th–16th c., a spelling introduced (by Caxton) into Eng., where it permanently changed the word. In 15th c. final -e was added to indicate the length of the ī; and in 16th the s was written c to preserve the breath sound; whence the stages avīs, advīs, advise, advice. Senses 8 and 9 represent Sp. aviso (= Fr. avis), also used unchanged, and in the adapted form ADVISO, q.v.]
† 1. The way in which a matter is looked at or regarded; opinion, judgment. Obs.
1297. R. Glouc., 144. Þe erchbischop of Walis seide ys auys.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 32. Bot as I herd telle I say myn auys.
1366. Maundev., xxviii. 284. But that myghte not ben to myn avys.
1475. Caxton, Jason, 11 b. Me thinketh in myn aduys that the king of Esclauonye doth euyl.
1529. More, Supplic. Soules, Wks. 1557, 334/1. He hath geuen hys aduise therto, and said that they haue to much.
1623. Bingham, Xenophon, 56. I am not of that aduice, quoth Cherisophus.
1633. G. Herbert, Temple, 113. All things … joyn with one advise To honour thee.
1651. Hobbes, Leviathan, II. xix. 95. With power to make known their Advise, or Desires.
† 2. Forethought, prudence, wisdom. Obs.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, X. 269. He knew … hys gret wycht, and hys awyss, Hys traist hart, and hys lele seruice.
c. 1430. Lydg., Bochas, I. i. (1554), 1. Considre fyrst, the Lord in His auyse … He put us bothe into paradise.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froissart, I. cclix. Howe the erle of Cambrydge and the erle of Pembroke toke by great aduyse the garyson of Bourdeile.
† 3. Provision for, endowment, advancement. (OFr. avis, portion de biens qu’un père assigne à ses puinés). Obs. rare.
1433. Mangeard, in E. E. Wills (1882). Thet the seyd Bestall be salde be the vice of the paresshens ther, as for the most avice of the sayd chirche werkes.
† 4. Weighing of opinions; consideration, deliberation, consultation, reckoning. To take advice: to deliberate. Obs.
1366. Maundev., 180. The schipmen taken here Avys here and governe hem by the Lode star.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Melibeus, 285. It semeth þat it suffiseth to han been conseilled by thise conseillours oonly, and wiþ litel Auys [v.r. avis(e, auys(e, avice].
1565. Jewel, Repl. to Harding (1611), 161. Whom vpon verie short aduice, hæ hath condemned.
1596. Shaks., Merch. Ven., IV. ii. 6. Bassanio vpon more aduice, Hath sent you heere this ring.
1611. Bible, Judges xix. 30. Consider of it, take aduise, and speake your mindes.
1654. Goddard, in Burton’s Diary (1828), I. 7. In such manner as the Commissioners of the Admiralty, by advice with the generals of the fleet, shall think fit.
5. Opinion given or offered as to action; counsel. spec. medical or legal counsel.
1393. Gower, Conf., I. 340. So that anone by his advise There was a prive counseil nome.
1413. Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, IV. xxx. (1483), 77. To receyuen goodly good aduys and counceyll withouten indignacion of herte.
1605. Shaks., Macb., IV. ii. 68. If you will take a homely mans aduice, Be not found heere.
1667. Pepys, Diary (1879), IV. 398. He is very ill of his fever, and come only for advice.
1702. Pope, Jan. & May, 84. But fix’d before, and well resolv’d was he; (As men that ask advice are wont to be). Ibid. (1718), Iliad, I. 361. If in my youth, ev’n these esteem’d me wise; Do you, young warriours, hear my sage advise.
1761. Gibbon, Misc. Wks., 1814, V. 211. These are so many advices which it is easy to give, but difficult to follow.
1860. Tyndall, Glaciers, I. § 25, 182. Acting on his advice I had a ladder constructed in two pieces.
Punch. Advice to those about to marry:—‘Don’t.’
† 6. The result of consultation; determination, resolve, intention, plan, design. Obs.
c. 1440. Arthur, 104. Arthour … toke þe castelle & þe town at hys avyse.
1455. Ardern, in Test. Eborac. (1855), II. 195. That thai … myne exequies done and avyce before writen, those gudis distribute.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XII. v. 51. Thay quhilkis are desyrit peace … Ar alterit halely in ane vthir auyse.
1581. Savile, Tacitus, Agricola (1622), 194. Changing aduice on the sudden … they iointly assaulted by night the ninth Legion.
1704. Dryden, Aureng-zebe, III. i. 1035. The fatal Paper rather let me tear, You may, but ’twill not be your best Advice.
† 7. A decision of a deliberative body; an act; a Senatus consultum. Obs. rare.
1661. Bramhall, Just Vind., vii. 173. The advises of Constance conceived by the Deputies of the German Nation in that Councel, against some special abuses of the Pope and his Cardinals: And by the advises of Ments made and concluded in that City by the States of the Empire.
8. Information given, notice; intelligence, news; in pl. communications from a distance. spec. in Comm. Formal or official notice from a party concerned.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, xxii. 82. After wyth this dreme cometh to her aduyse that her cyte and landes of Cartage are all dystroied.
1578. T. N., trans. Conq. W. India, 114. These fifteene were spies and … beganne to flie with feare, or else to give advice.
1633. T. Stafford, Pac. Hib., xxii. (1821), 424. A Pinnace of advice that brought the Kings Letters.
1665. Pepys, Diary (1879), VI. 99. Where some advice from my Lady shall meet your Lordship.
1710. Steele, Tatler, No. 129, ¶ 1. A mail from Holland, which brought me several Advices.
1737. Wesley, Wks., 1830, I. 70. Visiting a dying man, we found him full of the freshest advices.
1745. De Foe, Eng. Tradesm., I. xxviii. 279. He should not pay his money till he has advice that my bills are accepted.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 590. Advices came down to him that many thousands of the citizens had been enrolled as volunteers.
1866. Crump, Banking, v. 133. It is more prudent in all cases to give a banker advice of bills becoming due.
1880. P. O. Guide, 217. The Postmaster has first to see that the signature of the payee be in agreement with the advice.
9. = ADVICE-BOAT. Cf. also pinnace of advice in 8.
1595. Drake, Voy. (1849), 18. We took a frygotte which was an advice of the kinge’s [of Spain].
10. Comb. or Attrib., as advice-giver; advice-yacht = ADVICE-BOAT.
1663. Gerbier, Counsel, d 3 a. The Advice giver to Builders.
1666. Lond. Gaz., lxvi/2. A Pleasure-Boat … after ten hours chace, put on shore near this Harbor, a Dutch Advice-Yacht.
