wist

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

  1. (archaic) simple past 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), http://www.bartleby.com/6/419.html, And lang ere witless Jeanie wist, / Her heart was tint, her peace was stown!

Etymology 2

A misunderstanding, or a joking use of the past indicative of wit; see Etymology 1.

verb

  1. (nonstandard, pseudo-archaic) To know, be aware of.

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