Sentences:  “Here I stand, your slave, A poor, ____, weak, and
despis’d old man.”  A[n] ____ old man shuffled along with the aid of a
cane.  Though still in his youth, he was ____ from intemperance and fast
living.  A fellow who does that has a[n] ____ mind.  He staggered about
trying to strike his opponent, but rage and his wound rendered him for the
time ____.  The grasp of the old man was so ____ that the cup trembled in
his hand.  “Like rich hangings in a homely house, So was his will in his
old ____ body.”  After his long illness he was as ____ as a child.  He made
but a[n] ____ attempt to defend himself.

Wise, learned, erudite, sagacious, sapient, sage, judicious, prudent, provident, discreet. (Compare the distinction between knowledge and wisdom under Words Often Confused above.)

Wise implies sound and discriminating judgment, resulting from either learning or experience. Learned denotes the past acquisition of much information through study. Erudite means characterized by extensive or profound knowledge. Sagacious implies far-sighted judgment and intuitive discernment, especially in practical matters. Sapient is now of infrequent use except as applied ironically or playfully to one having or professing wisdom. Sage implies deep wisdom that comes from age or experience. Judicious denotes sound judgment or careful discretion in weighing a matter with reference to its merits or its consequences. Prudent conveys a sense of cautious foresight in judging the future and planning for it upon the basis of the circumstances at hand. Provident suggests practical foresight and careful economy in preparing for future needs. Discreet denotes care or painstakingness in doing or saying the right thing at the right time, and the avoidance thereby of errors or unpleasant results.

Sentences:  Against the time when his children would be going to
college he had been ____.  “Most ____ judge!” The ____ old warrior could
not be deceived by any such ruse.  “Be ye therefore as ____ as serpents,
and harmless as doves.”  The ____ advice of his elders was wasted on him. 
The course was ____, not rash.  He was ____ in avoiding all reference to
the subject.  “Type of the ____, who soar but never roam, True to the
kindred points of heaven and home.”  Even by those scholars, those
specialists, he was deemed ____.  How ____ the young man is!  “Where
ignorance is bliss, ’Tis folly to be ____.”  Is it ____ to spend money thus
lavishly?  He considered the matter well and gave a most ____ answer.  To
spend every cent of one’s income is surely not to be ____.

Work, labor, toil, drudgery.

All of us, at times anyhow, get out of as much work as we can.  We even use the word work and its synonyms loosely and indolently.  Perhaps this is a literary aspect of the labor problem.  If, however, we can shake off our sluggishness and exert ourselves in discriminating our terms, we shall use work as a general word for effort, physical or mental, to some purposive end; labor for hard, physical work; toil for wearying or exhaustive work; and drudgery for tedious, monotonous, or distasteful work, especially of a low or menial kind.