wise up to (someone or something)
wise up to (someone or something)
1. To become more shrewd, prudent, or aware about someone or something; to exhibit more logic or common sense about someone or something. If you don't wise up to their schemes, these con artists are going to take your company for everything it's worth. He used to really ruffle my feathers when we were younger, but I've wised up to him since then.
2. To cause someone to become more shrewd, prudent, or aware about someone or something; to compel or enable someone to exhibit more logic or common sense about someone or something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "wise" and "up." She tried wising her sister up to him, but Mary just wouldn't listen. Living on my own without a steady job for four years wised me up to some of the difficulties people in poverty face.
See also: up, wise
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
wise up to
Make or become aware, informed or sophisticated, as in It's time someone wised you up to Mary; she's an incorrigible flirt, or As soon as Tony wised up to what the company was doing, he quit. [Slang; early 1900s] Also see put wise.
See also: up, wise
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
wise up (to someone/something)
in. to (finally) begin to understand someone or something; to realize and accept the facts about someone or something. (Also as a command.) Come on, Sally! Wise up!
See also: someone, something, up, wise
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
- be/have done with somebody/something
- be in line with (someone or something)
- better of
- (someone or something) promises well
- begin with
- begin with (someone or something)
- be rough on (someone or something)
- bird has flown, the
- beware of
- beware of (someone or something)