Obs. Forms: 1 wissian, 2–3 wissien, (2 -ine), 3 wissi(n, wyssye, 3–5 wisse(n, 4 wiss, 4–5 wyssen, wis, 4–6 wys(se, 5 wyss. β. 5 wissh(e, wysshe, wysh, wish (wych), 5–6 wyshe, 6 Sc. wische. [OE. wissian, f. wis certain (cf. WIS sb.) + -ian, -Y3: a late formation on the model of the synonymous wísian WISE v.1]
1. trans. To make known, give information of, indicate; esp. to show, point out (the way).
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xxxiii. 15. Ic bidde ðe þæt ðu nyme þe ladmenn of minum ʓeferum ðæt þe weʓas wission.
a. 1250. Prov. Ælfred, 29, in O. E. Misc., 104. He ou wolde wyssye wisliche þinges.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 25447 Lauerd … wiss me waies þare Þare santes has þair seli sete.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. VI. 24. Const þou wissen vs þe wey wher þat he dwelleþ?
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxxviii. (Adrian), 619. I sal wis ȝou þe rycht way.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 689. Is oȝt þi werid to þe wissid [v.r. wist]? Ibid., 4997. And quat þou will of þaim to wete wis in þi saghe.
c. 1440. Capgrave, Life St. Kath., V. 1929. Þat she may vs wisse A stedefast lore for to amende oure mysse.
1460. Paston Lett., I. 518. If my feodaryes … may ought wisse therin, let them se it.
β. c. 1400. Beryn, 3200. Met I nevir creature þat me coudo wissh or say Reedynes of my ffadir, dede othir a-lyve.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xv. 156. He that this warld began, wysh vs the way!
1535. Lyndesay, Satyre, 1929. Wische me the richt way till Sanct-Androes.
b. Const. dependent interrog. clause.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Saints’ Lives, v. 253. Se cræft sceolde wissian ʓewisslice be steorrum hwæt ʓehwilcum menn ʓelumpe on his lifes endebyrdnysse.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 37. He is iset bi-twihan god almihtin and þe for þe wissine hu þu scalt et god seolf habben þine sunne forȝeuene.
c. 1325. Spec. Gy Warw., 119. What it is i wole þe wisse.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. XII. 40. She wolde me wisse wher þe toun were.
c. 1412. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 1245. Wisseth me how to gete a golden salue.
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 2633. Þou may me wysse How lang þe kyngdome sall be hyss.
2. To show the way to (a person); to direct, guide; to lead, conduct (lit. or fig.). Also absol.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Hom., I. 324. Ælces mannes weorc cyðað hwilc gast hine wissað.
a. 1023. Wulfstan, Hom., xix. (1883), 103. Þa ðe him betæhte sindon for gode to wissianne.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 89. Gedes ȝife us wissað [Ælfric, Hom., I. 312 ʓewissað] to his willen.
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 390/41. God … us leue … ore lif so wisse Þat we … comen to heouene blisse.
c. 1340. Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 9304. God … þat þam gun wysse Til mekenes.
1340–70. Alisaunder, 86. Amon þe grete God … Schall þee wisse fro wo.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 739. Þe knyȝt … To Mary made his mone, Þat ho … wysse hym to sum wone.
c. 1425. Engl. Conq. Ireland, 95. He wissed the hors sydlynge ayeynes the watyr asquynt.
c. 1425. Seven Sag. (P.), 2366. Thy seven Clerkys, That wyssys the to wykkyd werkys.
c. 1430. Pistill of Susan, 213 (Cott. MS.). Wylyly hyr wenches she wyssed a-way.
c. 1440. York Myst., i. 157. To all I sall wirke be ȝhe wysshyng.
c. 1530. Songs, Carols, etc. (E.E.T.S.), 51. & vertuosly me wysse to godward!
c. 1550. Wever, Lusty Juventus (facs. Awdely), A ij b. I pray you wyshe me thether, For I am going to seeke them.
b. To manage, rule, govern, control.
c. 1000. Ælfric, in Morris, O. E. Hom., I. 302. Rex we cwæþað cyning, þæt is ʓecweden wissiʓend, forþam þe he sceal wissiʓan mid wisdome his folce.
c. 1205. Lay., 5280. Þe sculden witen þat lond & wissien þa leoden.
c. 1290. Beket, 1059, in S. Eng. Leg., 136. Vnneþe he miȝte with is hondene þeos þre þingus do; blessi þat folk and bere þe croiz and is bridel wisse.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 5292. Þe lauerd-hed of al his land To wiss and ledd.
a. 1470. Harding, Chron., CXX. xxii. (1812), 232. He made duke Harold protectoure Of his cousyne, to gouerne and to wysse Edgar Athelyng.
3. with person as obj. (orig. dat.) and (freq.) inf. with to: To give directions or instructions to; to direct, order; to instruct, show how (to do something); also gen. to teach, instruct.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Num. xxiii. 6. He witeʓode þa, swa him wissode god.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 7. He … wisseþ us to leden ure lif on clennesse.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 17201. If þou wil werc als i þe wiss. Ibid., 20536. Thritti winter and sumdel mare, I lenged man to wiss in lare.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, I. 622. Thow koudest neuere yn loue þyn seluen wysse.
1399. Langl., Rich. Redeles, Prol. 31. For to written him a writte to wissen him better.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 9. And wysse me to werpe owte some worde.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, e iv. And ye speke of the Bucke the fyrst yere he is A fawne sowkyng on his dam say, as I yow wis.
