Word of the Day

: July 23, 2017

advise

verb ud-VYZE

What It Means

1 a : to give a recommendation about what should be done : to give advice to

b : caution, warn

c : recommend

2 : to give information or notice to : inform

3 : to talk with someone in order to decide what should be done : consult

advise in Context

Betty's doctor advised her to exercise more carefully if she hoped to avoid re-injuring her sprained ankle.

"Many travelers underestimate the costs of meals, snacks and tips, says guidebook author James Kaiser. He advises bringing your own food or buying it at a store when you arrive at your destination to save money." — Devon Delfino, The Cherokee County (Kansas) News-Advocate, 23 May 2017

Did You Know?

Today's word was borrowed into Middle English in the 14th century as avise (spelling variants with the d found in the Modern English advise began showing up in the 15th century). The word is derived from the Anglo-French aviser, itself from avis, meaning "opinion." That avis is not to be confused with the Latin word avis, meaning "bird" (an ancestor of such English words as avian and aviation). Instead, it results from the Old French phrase ce m'est a vis ("that appears to me"), a partial translation of Latin mihi visum est, "it seemed so to me" or "I decided." We advise you to remember that the verb advise is spelled with an s, whereas the related noun advice includes a stealthy c.