wiss

See also: Wiss

English

Alternative forms

• wis

Etymology

Perhaps an alteration of wis, taken from the incorrect division of iwis (which means "sure(ly), certain(ly)", from Middle English iwis, ywis ‎(“sure(ly), certain(ly)”), from Old English gewis ‎(“certain, positive, sure”)) as "I wis(s) ", which was mistaken for a verb. Perhaps from (certainly akin to) Old English witan ‎(“to know”). See wit.

Verb

wiss ‎(third-person singular simple present wisses, present participle wissing, simple past and past participle wissed)

1. (archaic) To know, to understand.
   • 1652, Elias Ashmole, Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum:

     Now with their might they downe me pull, and bring me where they woll, the Blood of myne heart I wiss now causeth both Joy and blisse.

   • 1874, Dodsley et al., A Select Collection of Old English Plays:

     And though that the water be gross and heavy, yet nothing so gross as the earth, I wiss; therefore by heat it is vapoured up lightly, and in the air maketh clouds and mists.