WISDOM

[noun] [U]One certainly hopes to gain a little wisdom as one grows older.He's got a weekly radio programme in which he dispenses wisdom (= gives his opinions) on a variety of subjects.I tend to doubt the wisdom of separating a child from its family whatever the circumstances.Did we ever stop to question the wisdom of going to war?Before I went off to university my father gave me a few words of wisdom.Conventional/Received/Popular wisdom (= What most people think) has it that women are more emotional than men, but in my experience it often just isn't the case.Unfortunately the council, in their wisdom (= for some reason that I do not completely understand but consider stupid), have decided I must pay back the money they lent me immediately.With the wisdom of hindsight (= Because of experience) we now know that the old-fashioned aerosol sprays were a mistake.Your wisdom teeth are the four teeth at the back of the jaw that are the last to grow.She's having her wisdom teeth out. -wise (IN THIS WAY) [suffix] - in this way or in this directionAs an actor he had his own peculiar way of walking crabwise across a stage.Cut the fish open lengthwise.That's interesting - you use the spoon clockwise to whip food and I do it in the opposite direction. -wise (RELATING TO) [suffix] [informal] - relating toWhat shall we do foodwise - do you fancy going out to eat?Moneywise, of course, I'm much better off than I used to be.What do we need to take with us clothes-wise?We were very lucky weather-wise yesterday.