verb
1. get wise to (Freq. 1)
-
They wised up to it
• Hypernyms:
• Verb Frames:
-
Somebody ——s
-
Somebody ——s PP
2. cause someone to become aware of something
• Hypernyms: ↑inform
• Verb Frames:
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Somebody ——s somebody
-
Somebody ——s somebody PP
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wise up (slang)
To make or become aware, informed, etc
• • •
Main Entry: ↑wise
* * *
ˌwise ˈup [intransitive] [present tense I/you/we/they wise up he/she/it wises up present participle wising up past tense wised up past participle wised up] informal phrasal verb
to learn or understand the truth about something, or to tell someone the truth about something
When are they going to wise up to the fact that people aren’t interested?
Main entry: wise
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[often in imperative] informal become alert to or aware of something
wise up and sort yourselves out before it's too late
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wise up [phrasal verb]
informal
1 : to become aware of what is really happening
— often + to
They finally wised up to the fact that they were being cheated.
2 : to start to think and act in a more intelligent way
They could lose everything they have if they don't wise up. [=smarten up]
• • •
Main Entry: ↑wise
Useful english dictionary. 2012.