wise (redirected from wisest)

*wise as Solomon and *wise as an owl

very wise. (*Also: as ~.) If you are in trouble, get Chris to advise you. He's as wise as Solomon. This is a difficult problem. You'd need to be as wise as an owl to be able to solve it.

*wise to someone or something

fully aware of someone or something. (*Typically: be ~; get ~; put someone ~.) The cops are wise to the plan.

a word to the wise

a good piece of advice; a word of wisdom. (See also .) If I can give you a word to the wise, I would suggest going to the courthouse about an hour before your trial. Here is a word to the wise. Keep your eyes open and your mouth shut.

See also: word

Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.

Prov. Going to bed early and waking up early is good for success. Grandmother: I don't think it's good for you to be staying out so late, dear. Early to bed and early to rise—Grandson: Makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. Yeah, Grandma, I know. Host: Don't leave so soon! The party's just beginning. Guest: It's past my bedtime, I'm afraid. Host: Early to bed, early to rise, huh?

See also: and, bed, early, make, man

It is a wise child that knows its own father.

Prov. You can never have certain proof that a certain man is your father. (Implies that the child in question might be illegitimate.) It is a wise child that knows its own father, but Emily is so much like her dad that there's very little uncertainty.

See also: child, father, know

It is easy to be wise after the event.

Prov. After you see the consequences of a decision, it is easy to tell if the decision was good, but it is also too late, since the consequences have already happened. Jill: I should never have invited Aunt Betsy to stay with me; I haven't had a peaceful moment since she got here. Jane: Well, it's easy to be wise after the event.

See also: after, easy, event

One cannot love and be wise.

Prov. People often fall in love with someone with whom they are not compatible or behave foolishly when they are in love. My son and his girlfriend have decided to get married in the spring. I don't think that's wise, since they won't have enough money saved by then to set up house. But then, one cannot love and be wise.

See also: and, cannot, love, one

penny-wise and pound-foolish

Prov. thrifty with small sums and foolish with large sums. (Describes someone who will go to a lot of trouble to save a little money, but overlooks large expenses to save a little money. Even in the United States, the reference is to British pounds sterling.) Sam: If we drive to six different grocery stores, we'll get the best bargains on everything we buy. Alan: But with gasoline so expensive, that's penny-wise and pound-foolish.

See also: and

still tongue makes a wise head

Prov. If you are wise, you do not talk very much.; You should only speak when you have judged that it is appropriate to do so. Don't chatter about whatever comes to your mind. A still tongue makes a wise head. Kathy really offended Mr. Parker by talking so much about his ex-wife. She needs to learn that a still tongue makes a wise head.

See also: head, make, still, tongue

Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise.

Prov. If knowing something makes you unhappy, it would be better not to know it. (Also the cliché: ignorance is bliss.) Ellen: The doctor didn't tell Dad that Mom probably won't recover from her illness. Do you think we should tell him? Bill: No. It would only make him unhappy and ruin their last months together. Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise.

See also: ignorance

wise someone up (about someone or something)

Inf. to instruct someone about something; to give someone important information. Let me wise you up about the way we do things around here. I will do what I can to wise her up.

See also: up

wise up (to someone or something)

to (finally) begin to understand someone or something; to realize and accept the facts about someone or something. (Also as a command.) Sally finally wised up to Richard. Come on, Sally! Wise up!

See also: up

word to the wise (is enough). and A word to the wise is sufficient.

Prov. You only have to hint something to wise people in order to get them to understand it.; Wise people do not need long explanations. (Often used to signal that you are hinting something.) John's a pleasant man, but I wouldn't trust him with money. A word to the wise, eh? Donna hinted about Lisa's drinking problem to Lisa's fiancé, hoping that a word to the wise would be enough.

See also: word

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a wise guy  (American & Australian informal) also a wise-ass (American very informal!)

someone who is always trying to seem more clever than everyone else in a way that is annoying Okay, wise guy, if you're so damned smart, you can tell everyone how it's done! He's just some wise-ass who thinks he knows all the answers. (American & Australian informal)

See an old head on young shoulders

See also: guy

A word to the wise (is sufficient).

something that you say when you are going to give someone some advice A word to the wise - if you're going to drive, don't go on a Friday night until after the rush hour traffic.

See also: word

an old head on young shoulders  also a wise head on young shoulders

a child or young person who thinks and talks like an older person who has more experience of life My little nephew said people who dislike other people don't like themselves very much. That's an old head on young shoulders.

See also: head, old, shoulder, young

be penny-wise and pound-foolish  (old-fashioned)

to be extremely careful about small amounts of money and not careful enough about larger amounts of money Saving a little bit of money on repairs can lead to long-term damage. You don't want to be penny-wise and pound-foolish, now do you?

See also: and

It's easy to be wise after the event.  (British, American & Australian) also It's easy to be smart after the fact. (American)

something that you say which means that it is easy to understand what you could have done to prevent something bad from happening after it has happened In retrospect I suppose we should have realised that she was in trouble and tried to help her, but then I suppose it's easy to be wise after the event. People often tell me they'd never have taken out a loan if they'd thought about it more carefully - but it's easy to be smart after the fact.

See also: after, easy, event

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be wise to somebody/something also get wise to somebody/something

to know about and not be fooled by someone or something He called in sick almost every Monday, and the boss quickly got wise to him.

Usage notes: often used in the forms wise up (to something/someone) or wise someone up (to something/someone): I finally wised up to their scheme. It's time they wised him up to what's really going on.

penny wise and pound foolish

unwise because doing something small now would prevent much more trouble later Education budget cuts are penny wise and pound foolish – public education is an investment in our future.

See also: and, foolish, penny, pound