witting

See also: Witting

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwɪtɪŋ/
• Rhymes: -ɪtɪŋ

Etymology 1

Partly from Old Norse vitand, partly from the present participle of wit.

Noun

witting (uncountable)

1. (obsolete) Knowledge, awareness.
   • 1600, John Stow, The Annales of England, page 728:

     Howbeit, as great is growyng, if we suffer thys yong king in our enemies hande, which without his witting might abuse the name of his commandement, to ante of our knowing, which thing God and good provision forbid.

   • 1758, Philip Carteret Webb ·, A State of Facts in Defence of His Majesty's Right to Certain Fee-Farm Rents in the County of Norfolk, page 91:

     All such particular sums of money which he hath levied or lawfully might have levied to his witting or knowledge within his bailiwick, as part or parcel, […]

   • 1849, Charles Eyre, The History of St. Cuthbert, page 204:

     He received holy water, but no holy bread to his witting.

   • 1897, Sir Thomas Malory, Sir Edward Strachey, Le Morte Darthur:

     I have seen Sir Tristram fight, said Sir Palamides, but never Sir Launcelot to my witting.

Etymology 2

Participle adjective of wit.

Adjective

witting (comparative more witting, superlative most witting)

1. aware, knowledgeable
   • 2011, James M. Olson, Fair Play: The Moral Dilemmas of Spying:

     Sometimes the committing authority, who is usually located in the United States, is the only person who is witting of the CIA officer's true affiliation.

Antonyms

• unwitting

Derived terms

• wittingly

Verb

witting

1. present participle and gerund of wit