advise

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ədˈvaɪz/^[1]

Etymology

It is Middle English avisen, borrowed from Old French aviser (“to look at, consider, reflect”),^[2][3][4] from avis, opinion (see advice),^[2][3] from the phrase ço m'est à vis, it seems to me, or Vulgar Latin *mi est visum, in my view,^[2] ultimately from Latin vīsum, the past participle of vidēre (“to see”);^[2][5] NODE derives it from Latin ad- and vīsere, to look at.^[5] The spelling with d, after Latin, replaced avisen in the late 15th century.^[3][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

To look at, view, consider: 1297 in the OED, the late 13th century in Etymonline; obsolete.^[6][2]

Semantic evolution

NODE notes that the original senses included to look at and consider, hence to consult with others.^[5] To examine, find out, decide or devise are senses of about 1300.^[3][6] To give counsel to is from the late 14th century.^[2] To inform or notify is a formal sense,^[7][8] and advise with, to consult, is chiefly American or obsolete,^[8] though it survived in Scots and Yorkshire dialect.^[9] Adviser is from 1611, and the later advisor a back-formation from advisory (1778) or from Late Latin advisor.^[3]

Timeline

• 1297 – to look at (obsolete).^[6]
• c. 1300 – to examine, consider.^[3]
• late 14th century – to counsel.^[2]
• late 15th century – spelling advise.^[3]
• 1611 – adviser.^[3]

Modern meaning

Verb

1. To give advice to; to counsel.
2. To recommend: to advise caution.
3. (formal) To inform or notify.
4. (advise with, chiefly US) To consult.

Word family

• advisee
• advisory
• misadvise
• readvise
• advice
• advisable
• advisement
• adviser

Related words

• visit
• vision

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
4. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
5. ^ a b c Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
8. ^ a b Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
9. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)