put wise

[ostap77]

Would this expression be properly used in the following context to mean that I want to make someone aware of something?

"I'll put you guys wise to what we're going to do today."

[shroob]

Would this expression be properly used in the following context to mean that I want to make someone aware of something?

"I'll put you guys wise to what we're going to do today."

Not a teacher only a native.

That doesn't sound right to me.

A more natural phrase could be:
'I'll fill you in on what we're going to do'.

Or simply, 'Here's what we're going to do'.

Would either of these work in the context you are imagining?

[Raymott]

Would this expression be properly used in the following context to mean that I want to make someone aware of something?

"I'll put you guys wise to what we're going to do today."

If you're a 1930s gangster, or pretending to be one, it might work.

[ostap77]

If you're a 1930s gangster, or pretending to be one, it might work.

I wonder why dictionaries don't say that it's old-fashioned.

Wise - definition of Wise by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.


" (chiefly US) Let me put/make you wise to [=tell you about] their plans."

Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary

[emsr2d2]

I wonder why dictionaries don't say that it's old-fashioned.

Wise - definition of Wise by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.


" (chiefly US) Let me put/make you wise to [=tell you about] their plans."

Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary

I realise I'm a BrE speaker so the words "Chiefly US" should give me a clue, but I'll be interested to see how many AmE speakers on here would say "Let me put you wise to their plans".

[Ouisch]

As mentioned above "put wise" is typically associated with gangsters in Prohibition-era movies: "You're new in town, kid, so I'm gonna put you wise to a few facts. Mr. Capone runs the rackets in this town, and we ever catch you trying to cut in on his action you're gonna find yourself swimming with the fishes wearing a pair of cement shoes."

AmE speakers would understand what you meant if you used the phrase, but it's not really that common. It is usually used in a context where someone is clueing you in to something going on without your knowledge, for example: "We've been friends for a long time, Fred, so I've got to put you wise to what's going on - Bill has been spending a lot of time with your wife during the day when you're at work."

[Raymott]

I wonder why dictionaries don't say that it's old-fashioned.

Some of the better dictionaries will flag words as being archaic or obsolete. But the usage of words with various meanings comes and goes. A dictionary could not possibly give a usage paragraph for all words or phrases:

wise ... chiefly US, not as common as it was, connotations of 1930s gangsters; could be used in jest. Occasionally used seriously in the following US States ( ) ... by the following groups of people ... in the following circumstances ...

It would be useful if they could.