to wist
9.9
Knew or was aware of something in the past
- verb
- /wɪst/
- Archaic
:
saber
- The queen is quaint, and quick conceit which makes her walk, which way she list, and roots them up that lie in wait to work her treason, 'ere she wist.
Examples
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He wist not the danger that lurked behind the closed door.
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He wist that time was slipping away as he anxiously awaited her arrival.
-
In her heart, she wist the truth about the situation, even if she did not speak it aloud.
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word wist is an old past form of the word 'know' and comes from the same root as wit, which means 'knowledge' or 'being clever'. So when you read 'he wist not', it simply means 'he knew not'.
