wit

Universal Words noun 1 [U,sing.] the ability to say or write things that are both clever and amusing: to have a quick / sharp / dry / ready wit * a woman of wit and intelligence * a book full of the wit and wisdom of his 30 years in politics 2 [C] a person who has the ability to say or write things that are both clever and amusing: a well-known wit and raconteur 3 (wits) [pl.] your ability to think quickly and clearly and to make good decisions: He needed all his wits to find his way out. * The game was a long battle of wits. * Kate paused and gathered her wits. * a chance to pit your wits against (= compete with, using your intelligence) our quiz champion 4 (-witted) (in adjectives) having the type of intelligence mentioned: a quick-witted group of students 5 [U] ~ to do sth the intelligence or good sense to know what is the right thing to do: At least you had the wit to ask for help. * It should not be beyond the wit of man to resolve this dispute. seealsoWITLESS IDIOMS be at yours wits' end to be so worried by a problem that you do not know what to do next: She was at her wit's end wondering how she'd manage it all in the time. be frightened / scared / terrified out of your wits to be very frightened have / keep your wits about you to be aware of what is happening around you and ready to think and act quickly to wit (old-fashioned, formal) you use to wit when you are about to be more exact about sth that you have just referred to: Pilot error, to wit failure to follow procedures, was the cause of the accident. moreatLIVE ______________________________ WORDFAMILY wit n. witty adj. witticism n. outwit v. ______________________________