wisdom
noun /ˈwɪzdəm/
/ˈwɪzdəm/
[uncountable]Idioms - the ability to make sensible decisions and give good advice because of the experience and knowledge that you have
- She was known to be a woman of great wisdom.
- Do you have any more words of wisdom for us?
- He is too lacking in worldly wisdom to be a politician.
Extra ExamplesTopics Life stagesb2, Personal qualitiesb2- Consultants are too often seen as the source of all wisdom.
- Do you have any wisdom to impart on this subject?
- He entertained the audience for two hours with his wit and wisdom.
- The former world champion imparted a few words of wisdom to the young runners.
- Children need to feel that their parents are in control; they don't have the experience or wisdom to know best.
- I was not quite so lacking in worldly wisdom as to accept this invitation from a complete stranger.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- deep
- great
- profound
- …
- challenge
- doubt
- have doubts about
- …
- dictate something
- have it that…
- hold something
- …
- according to… wisdom
- contrary to… wisdom
- a fount of wisdom
- a source of wisdom
- in somebody’s wisdom
- …
- wisdom of (doing) something how sensible something is
- I question the wisdom of giving a child so much money.
Extra Examples- It's easy enough to see what we should have done, with the wisdom of hindsight.
- The latest unemployment figures prove the wisdom of the government's policy.
- Several people questioned the wisdom of building in that particular spot.
- Many commentators doubted the political wisdom of introducing a new tax.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- deep
- great
- profound
- …
- challenge
- doubt
- have doubts about
- …
- dictate something
- have it that…
- hold something
- …
- according to… wisdom
- contrary to… wisdom
- a fount of wisdom
- a source of wisdom
- in somebody’s wisdom
- …
- the knowledge that a society or culture has gained over a long period of time
- the collective wisdom of the Native American people
Extra Examples- You cannot just ignore the accumulated wisdom of a whole culture.
- Native American wisdom was passed on from generation to generation.
- All the religions of the past contain vast amounts of wisdom that can be of service to mankind.
- the accumulated wisdom of generations
- We need to combine ancient wisdom and modern knowledge.
- Those who seek wisdom at the shrine will find it.
- They would go to the holy shrines to seek wisdom.
- She devoted her life to the pursuit of wisdom.
- The monks dedicate their lives to prayer and the pursuit of wisdom.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- deep
- great
- profound
- …
- challenge
- doubt
- have doubts about
- …
- dictate something
- have it that…
- hold something
- …
- according to… wisdom
- contrary to… wisdom
- a fount of wisdom
- a source of wisdom
- in somebody’s wisdom
- …
Word OriginOld English wīsdōm (see wise, -dom).
Idioms
conventional/received/popular wisdom
- the view or belief that most people hold
- Conventional wisdom has it that riots only ever happen in cities.
Extra Examples- Conventional wisdom has it that all sense of community has gone, but that is not the case where I live.
- The received wisdom is that the book is always better than the film.
- Contrary to conventional wisdom, stress is not a bad thing.
- Popular wisdom has it that higher oil prices are bad for economic growth.
in his/her/its, etc. (infinite) wisdom
- used when you are saying that you do not understand why somebody has done something
- The government in its wisdom has decided to support the ban.
Extra Examples- In their infinite wisdom they have decided to close the main road during the holiday season.
- In their infinite wisdom, the council closed the swimming pool for the school holidays.
- In their infinite wisdom, they closed the swimming pool at the busiest time of year.
a pearl of wisdom
- (usually ironic) a wise remark
- Thank you for those pearls of wisdom.
Extra Examples- students eager to catch pearls of wisdom from the professor's lips
- They would treat these pearls of wisdom with some scepticism.
- His journals are full of dubious pearls of homespun wisdom.