inwit
English edit
Etymology edit
From Middle English inwit (“mind, reason, intellect, understanding; soul, spirit; feeling; the collection of inner faculties; one of five inner faculties; one of the outer bodily senses.; inward awareness of right or wrong, conscience”), from Old English *inwitt, inġewitnes (“consciousness, conscience, knowledge, knowing”), equivalent to in- + wit. Compare Scots inwit, Saterland Frisian Gewieten, West Frisian gewisse, Dutch geweten, German Low German Geweten, German Gewissen.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
inwit (uncountable)
- (archaic) Inward knowledge or understanding.
- 1990, Midori Snyder, Sadar's Keep, New York: Tom Doherty Associates:
- "Will it make you happy?" / "Probably not," Kai said irritably. "Inwit tells me that you're trouble from the beginning."
- (obsolete) Conscience; inward sense of morality.
- 1920, James Joyce, Ulysses:
- Speaking to me. They wash and tub and scrub. Agenbite of inwit. Conscience.
- 1960, Marcia Davenport, Constant Image:
- "I knew that was so. Every time that inwit twanged ─ I have conscience like you, reverend sir!"
Derived terms edit
Middle English edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
From Old English *inwitt; equivalent to in- + witt.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
inwit (uncountable)
- reasoning, mental acuity, brainpower.
- attitude, impression, essence
- A mental process or power
- morality, moral code; judgement
- (rare) plan, intent, purpose.
Descendants edit
- English: inwit (archaic)
References edit
- “inwit, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-05-02.
Old High German edit
Etymology edit
From Proto-Germanic *inwidją (“malice, wickedness”). Cognate with Old Saxon inwid (“fraud”), Old English inwid, Old Norse ívið (“deceit, evil”) (attested in compound íviðgjarn). Further root-related to Old Norse íviðja (“malicious female being(?)”). (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.).
Noun edit
inwit n