wist
See also: -wist
English
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /wɪst/
- Rhymes: -ɪst
Etymology 1
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
wist
- (archaic) simple past tense 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), ,
- And lang ere witless Jeanie wist, / Her heart was tint, her peace was stown!
- 1837, Thomas Carlyle, The French Revolution: A History […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Chapman and Hall, OCLC 1026761782, (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), ,
Etymology 2
A misunderstanding, or a joking use of the past indicative of wit; see Etymology 1.
Verb
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
- This use of wist was never a part of the regular English language; rather, it resulted from the erroneous attempted use of archaisms.
Anagrams
- WITs, WSIT, wits
Dutch
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -ɪst
audio (file)
Verb
wist
- singular past indicative of weten
- second- and third-person singular present indicative of wissen
- (archaic) plural imperative of wissen
Old English
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /wist/
Etymology 1
From Proto-Germanic *wistiz (“essence”).
Noun
wist f
- being, existence
- well-being
Declension
Declension of wist (strong i-stem)
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | wist | wiste, wista |
| accusative | wist, wiste | wiste, wista |
| genitive | wiste | wista |
| dative | wiste | wistum |
Derived terms
- andwist
- midwist
- samodwist
Descendants
- Middle English: wiste, wyste
Etymology 2
From Proto-Germanic *wistiz (“food”).
Noun
wist f
- provisions, food
- feast, meal
- delicacy
- abundance, plenty
Declension
Declension of wist (strong i-stem)
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | wist | wiste, wista |
| accusative | wist, wiste | wiste, wista |
| genitive | wiste | wista |
| dative | wiste | wistum |
Polish
Etymology
Borrowed from English whist.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /vist/
Audio (file) - Rhymes: -ist
- Syllabification: wist
Noun
wist m inan
- whist (card game)
Declension
Declension of wist
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | wist | wisty |
| genitive | wistu | wistów |
| dative | wistowi | wistom |
| accusative | wist | wisty |
| instrumental | wistem | wistami |
| locative | wiście | wistach |
| vocative | wiście | wisty |
Further reading
- wist in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
- wist in Polish dictionaries at PWN