inwit

English

Etymology

From Middle English inwit (“mind, reason, intellect, understanding; soul, spirit; feeling; the collection of inner faculties; one of five inner faculties; one of the outer bodily senses.; inward awareness of right or wrong, conscience”), from Old English *inwitt, inġewitnes (“consciousness, conscience, knowledge, knowing”), equivalent to in- +‎ wit. Compare Scots inwit, Saterland Frisian Gewieten, West Frisian gewisse, Dutch geweten, German Low German Geweten, German Gewissen.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɪnwɪt/

Noun

inwit (uncountable)

1. (archaic) Inward knowledge or understanding.
   • 1990, Midori Snyder, Sadar's Keep, New York: Tom Doherty Associates:

     "Will it make you happy?" / "Probably not," Kai said irritably. "Inwit tells me that you're trouble from the beginning."

2. (obsolete) Conscience; inward sense of morality.
   • 1920, James Joyce, Ulysses:

     Speaking to me. They wash and tub and scrub. Agenbite of inwit. Conscience.

   • 1960, Marcia Davenport, Constant Image:

     "I knew that was so. Every time that inwit twanged ─ I have conscience like you, reverend sir!"

Derived terms

• angel's inwit

Middle English

Alternative forms

• ynwitt, inwitt, inwytt, ynwytt, inwyt, inwytte, ine-wyt

Etymology

From Old English *inwitt; equivalent to in- +‎ witt.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈinwit/, /ənˈwit/

Noun

inwit (uncountable)

1. reasoning, mental acuity, brainpower.
2. attitude, impression, essence
3. A mental process or power
4. morality, moral code; judgement
5. (rare) plan, intent, purpose.

Descendants

• English: inwit (archaic)

References

• “inwit, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-05-02.

Old High German

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *inwidją (“malice, wickedness”). Cognate with Old Saxon inwid (“fraud”), Old English inwid, Old Norse ívið (“deceit, evil”) (attested in compound íviðgjarn). Further root-related to Old Norse íviðja (“malicious female being(?)”). (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.).

Noun

inwit n

1. deceit, cunning, craftiness