have one's wits about one

Variant of wit

wit definition

wit (wit)

noun

  1. Obsolete the mind
    1. powers of thinking and reasoning; intellectual and perceptive powers
    2. mental faculties with respect to their state of balance, esp. in their normal condition of sanity
  3. alert, practical intelligence; good sense
    1. the ability to make lively, clever remarks in a sharp, amusing way
    2. the ability to perceive incongruous relationships and express them in a surprising or epigrammatic manner
    3. a person characterized by wit
    4. writing or speech expressing wit; esp., any clever disparagement or raillery
  5. Archaic intellect; reason

Etymology: ME < OE, akin to Ger witz: for IE base see wise

wit Idioms

at one's wits' end

at a point where one's mental resources are exhausted; at a loss as to what to do

keep one's wits about one

or have one's wits about one
to remain mentally alert; function with undiminished acumen, as in an emergency

live by one's wits

to live by trickery or craftiness

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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