(a) Possessed of prudence, discretion, or good judgment in temporal matters, discerning; disposed to act judiciously or sagaciously, properly governed; also, capable of reason, intellectually able, thoughtful; ~ of dom (red, wit, etc.); (b) possessed of spiritual insight, able to apprehend spiritual truth; wise through divine guidance; disposed to act in accordance with religious injunctions; also, well versed in scripture or doctrine; (c) possessed of profound understanding of a mental discipline, an art or a science, a subject of study, etc., learned, adept [sometimes difficult to distinguish from (a)]; ~ in the sterres (of lore, of the olde laue, etc.); (d) possessed of skill at a trade or craft, proficient, well trained; knowledgeable about or competent in practical matters, capable, resourceful; also, clever, sharp-witted; possessed of subtlety or cunning;—occas. used of animals; also iron. [quot. a1425 Dial.Reason & A.]; ~ of craft (in werkinge, upon wode-craftes); ~ fightinge, ~ of here (werre), skilled in warfare, accomplished as a warrior; ~ of nese, of an animal: good at discerning by smell, having an acute olfactory sense; ~ of speche (to carpen), fluent, facile at speaking; ~ witti, ?keen-witted, bright; wei ~, familiar with a road or route; (e) well informed, aware; also, alert, vigilant, cautious; ~ and snel (ware), ware and ~, fully cognizant of one’s situation, quick to assess and react to circumstances; also, attentive to detail; ?also, not easily taken off guard; ben more ~ (the wisere), to know all about something, be the wiser; also, have knowledge (of sth.); maken ~ of, alert (sb.) to (sth.), apprise of; (f) of God or Christ: possessed of perfect wisdom, all-wise; ?also, provident or omniscient [quot. a1425 Wycl.Serm.].

As noun: (a) a person endowed with sapience, prudence, or discretion in temporal matters; someone capable of reason, a reasonable person;—also coll.; also as epithet; the ~; thin wisere, wiser men than yourself; (b) a person displaying or possessing spiritual wisdom; also, a prophet, religious teacher;—usu. as epithet; also coll.; the ~; (c) a learned person, master of an art or a discipline; someone who is proficient in a trade or practical art, a skilled person; also, a clever or resourceful person; someone who is shrewd;—also coll.; also as epithet; ~ of the se, men knowledgeable about the sea, skilled mariners; the olde ~, a sage, wise man, philosopher; a wisere, someone cleverer or more skilled than oneself.

In proverbs and prov. expressions.

(a) Reflecting the employment of prudence, discretion, or soundness of judgment; also, proceeding from or grounded in wisdom regarding temporal matters; ~ iworded, disposed to wise speech; your ~ discrecioun(s, as an honorific used in an address to a person or persons [see also discrecioun n. 4.]; maken hit ~, to make it a matter requiring deliberation; (b) displaying spiritual insightfulness, reflecting or embodying spiritual truth; also, proceeding from the apprehension of spiritual truth; (c) reflecting learning, proficiency, or cleverness, learned, skilled; also, reflecting cunning or deviousness; (d) reflecting divine wisdom or omniscience.

The word ‘wise’ in a grammatical paradigm.

In surnames.