wist
See also: -wist
English edit
Pronunciation edit
Etymology 1 edit
Past indicative of wit: from Old English witan, from Proto-Germanic *witaną, from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“see, know”). Cognate with Dutch weten, German wissen, Swedish veta, and Latin videō (“I see”). Compare guide.
Verb edit
wist
- (archaic) simple past and past participle of wit.
- a1796, Robert Burns, "Bonie Jean: A Ballad", in Poems and Songs, P.F. Collier & Son (1909–14), Bartleby.com (2001), [1],
- And lang ere witless Jeanie wist, / Her heart was tint, her peace was stown!
- 1837, Thomas Carlyle, The French Revolution: A History […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Chapman and Hall, →OCLC, (please specify the book or page number):
- Did the maledicent Bodyguard, getting (as was too inevitable) better malediction than he gave, load his musketoon, and threaten to fire; and actually fire? Were wise who wist!
- a1796, Robert Burns, "Bonie Jean: A Ballad", in Poems and Songs, P.F. Collier & Son (1909–14), Bartleby.com (2001), [1],
Etymology 2 edit
A misunderstanding, or a joking use of the past indicative of wit; see Etymology 1.
Verb edit
wist (third-person singular simple present wists, present participle wisting, simple past and past participle wisted)
- (nonstandard, pseudo-archaic) To know, be aware of.
Usage notes edit
- This use of wist was never a part of the regular English language; rather, it resulted from the erroneous attempted use of archaisms.
Anagrams edit
Dutch edit
Pronunciation edit
Verb edit
wist
- singular past indicative of weten
- inflection of wissen:
Old English edit
Pronunciation edit
Etymology 1 edit
From Proto-West Germanic *wisti (“essence”).
Noun edit
wist f
Declension edit
Declension of wist (strong i-stem)
Derived terms edit
Descendants edit
Etymology 2 edit
From Proto-West Germanic *wisti (“food”).
Noun edit
wist f
- provisions, food
- feast, meal
- delicacy
- abundance, plenty
- The Legend of St. Andrew in Verse
- ...Ne ġedafenað þē nū þē dryhten ġeaf welan and wiste and woruldspēde,...
- ...It befitteth thee not since to thee the Lord hath given wealth and abundance and worldly prosperity,...
- The Legend of St. Andrew in Verse
Declension edit
Polish edit
Etymology edit
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
wist m inan
- whist (card game)
Declension edit
Declension of wist