wist

Wist is an archaic English verb meaning “knew,” historically the past tense form of the verb wit, which means “to know.” In contemporary English, the standard past tense is “knew,” and wist survives primarily in historical, poetic, or stylistic contexts.

Origin and usage: The form emerges from Old and Middle English language stages, where wit (to know) had various inflected forms. Wist appears in Early Modern English literature as a past-tense variant, and it is often encountered in historical texts, translations, or dramatic works that aim to evoke archaic flavor.

In literature and linguistics: Wist is frequently cited in discussions of archaic diction and in quotations from authors such as those writing in Shakespearean or King James Bible-era English. When readers encounter wist, it signals a deliberately old-fashioned or formal register. Because it is not part of modern standard usage, it is usually understood only in context by contemporary readers.

Modern usage: Today, wist is typically restricted to stylistic effects in poetry, fantasy, or historical fiction, or in linguistic studies that examine language change. It is seldom used in everyday speech or contemporary prose, where “knew” dominates as the past tense of know.

See also: Wit, Wot, Old English, Middle English, English verbs, Archaic language.