What does wiles mean?
Word: Wiles
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Wiles means clever tricks or charming ways that someone uses to get what they want or to make someone do something.
Synonyms: tricks, ruses
Word origin: Comes from late Old English wil, probably from an Old Norse word meaning a trick or a craft.
How do you spell wiles?
Syllables: wiles
Tricky part: Wiles sounds exactly like the start of while, which begins with wh, so the h is the letter to watch: wiles has none.
Watch out for: wiels, willes
Memory tip: Wiles and wag both start with a plain w: a puppy wags its tail and uses its wiles, with no h in either word.
Wiles in a sentence
Example 1: The puppy used all his wiles to get a piece of my sandwich.
Example 2: My little sister tried all her wiles to stay up after bedtime.
Example 3: With a big smile and a little song, Aarav used his wiles to get an extra turn on the swing.
Fun Fact
Oxford Learner's Dictionary lists wiles only in the plural, like clothes and thanks: you talk about a puppy's wiles, not a single wile.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell Spies
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) profiles
b) wyles
c) domiciles
d) reconciles
Show answer
b) wyles. Wiles has an i after the w, not a y; profiles, reconciles and domiciles are all spelt correctly.
Sound Check
Which word does not rhyme with wiles?
a) aisles
b) wilds
c) tiles
d) smiles
Show answer
b) wilds. Wilds has a d sound before the s, while smiles, aisles and tiles end exactly as wiles does.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with the word closest in meaning:
1. wiles 2. haste 3. relish a. enjoy b. ploys c. hurry
a) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
b) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
c) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a
d) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
Show answer
d) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a. Wiles are ploys, clever tricks to get your way; haste means hurry, and to relish something is to enjoy it.
Spell Probe
One word in the sentence is misspelt. Choose the meaning of that word:
The kitten tried every one of her wiles, but my grandmother would not be perswaded to open a second tin of fish.
a) a young cat
b) to make someone agree to do something by giving good reasons
c) the mother of your father or mother
d) clever tricks that someone uses to get what they want
Show answer
b) to make someone agree to do something by giving good reasons. Perswaded should be persuaded, with a u after the s; to persuade is to make someone agree by giving good reasons.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A salesperson's wiles are usually meant to ___.
a) teach you a new game
b) help you find the way
c) warn you about the rain
d) make you buy something
Show answer
d) make you buy something
2. In which sentence is wiles used correctly?
a) She wiles her bike to school every day.
b) The kitten used its wiles to get more milk.
c) We waited for a long wiles at the station.
d) The wiles of the river were cold and deep.
Show answer
b) The kitten used its wiles to get more milk.
