Wit is the ability to use words or ideas in an amusing, clever, and imaginative way.
Boulding was known for his biting wit.
They love her practical attitude to life, her zest and wit.
Synonyms: humour, fun, quips, banter More Synonyms of wit
2. countable noun
If you describe someone as a wit, you mean that they have the ability to use words or ideas in an amusing, clever,and imaginative way.
Holmes was gregarious, a great wit, a man of wide interests.
3. singular noun
If you say that someone has the witto do something, you mean that they have the intelligence and understanding to make the right decision or take the right action in a particular situation.
The information is there and waiting to be accessed by anyone with the wit to useit.
Synonyms: cleverness, mind, reason, understanding More Synonyms of wit
4. plural noun [usually poss NOUN]
You can refer to your ability to think quickly and cleverly in a difficult situation as your wits.
She has used her wits to progress to the position she holds today.
5. plural noun
You can use wits in expressions such as frighten someone out of their wits and scare the wits out of someone to emphasize that a person or thing worries or frightens someone very much.
[emphasis]
You scared us out of our wits. We heard you had an accident.
...a huge bass drum which frightened the wits out of the organist each time it wasbanged.
6.
See have one's wits about one/keep one's wits about one
7.
See to be at your wits' end
8.
See pit one's wits against sb
9.
See to wit
10. battle of wits
More Synonyms of wit
wit in British English1
(wɪt)
noun
1.
the talent or quality of using unexpected associations between contrasting or disparate words or ideas to make a clever humorous effect
2.
speech or writing showing this quality
3.
a person possessing, showing, or noted for such an ability, esp in repartee
4.
practical intelligence (esp in the phrase have the wit to)
5. Scottish and Northern England dialect
information or knowledge (esp in the phrase get wit of)
6. archaic
mental capacity or a person possessing it
7. obsolete
the mind or memory
See also wits
Word origin
Old English witt; related to Old Saxon giwitt, Old High German wizzi (German Witz), Old Norse vit, Gothic witi. See wit2
wit in British English2
(wɪt)
verb
1. archaic
to be or become aware of (something)
adverb
2. to wit
Word origin
Old English witan; related to Old High German wizzan (German wissen), Old Norse vita, Latin vidēre to see
wit in American English1
(wɪt)
noun
1. Obsolete
the mind
2. [pl.]
a.
powers of thinking and reasoning; intellectual and perceptive powers
b.
mental faculties with respect to their state of balance, esp. in their normal condition of sanity
3.
alert, practical intelligence; good sense
4.
a.
the ability to make lively, clever remarks in a sharp, amusing way
b.
the ability to perceive incongruous relationships and express them in a surprising or epigrammatic manner
c.
a person characterized by wit
d.
writing or speech expressing wit; esp., any clever disparagement or raillery
5. Archaic
intellect; reason
Idioms:
at one's wits' end
keep one's wits about one
live by one's wits
SYNONYMY NOTE: wit1 refers to the ability to perceive the incongruous and to express it in quick, sharp,spontaneous, often sarcastic remarks that delight or entertain; , humor is applied to the ability to perceive and express that which is comical, ludicrous,or ridiculous, but connotes kindliness, geniality, sometimes even pathos, in the expressionand a reaction of sympathetic amusement from the audience; , irony1 refers to the humor implicit in the contradiction between literal expression andintended meaning or in the discrepancy between appearance and reality in life; , satire applies to the use, especially in literature, of ridicule, sarcasm, irony, etc. inexposing and attacking vices or follies; , repartee refers to the ability to reply or retort with quick, skillful wit or humor
Word origin
ME < OE, akin to Ger witz: for IE base see wise1
wit in American English2
(wɪt)
verb transitive, verb intransitiveWord forms: wist or ˈwitting
Archaic
to know or learn
wit is conjugated in the present indicative: (I) wot, (thou) wost or wot(t)est, (he, she, it) wot or wot(t)eth, (we, ye, they) wite or witen
Idioms:
to wit
Word origin
ME witen < OE witan, to know: see wise1
Examples of 'wit' in a sentence
wit
His career was sustained by a famously dry wit.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
With her quick wit she has quickly become a fan favourite.
The Sun (2016)
You have the steady nerves and sharp wits to pass a test and prove the doubters wrong.
The Sun (2016)
The audience rewards you for quick thinking and wit.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He was also a great listener who put others at ease with his deferential manner and dry wit.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Please help as we are at our wits' end.
The Sun (2016)
My boyfriend is at his wits' end.
The Sun (2017)
I love the surprises and the gravitas and the brilliance and the wit.
The Sun (2016)
He had a dry wit.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He was loved for his genial sportsmanship and dry wit.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
When writing a script it is far more entertaining to use wit and humour than mindless violence.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
His wit was loved especially because of the great solemnity with which it was delivered.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Wit and intelligence are infinitely more potent than mere youth.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
She has a wit that always makes me chuckle.
Christianity Today (2000)
Politicians also get the sharp end of his wit.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Pop and jazz standards delivered with wit and wisdom by urbane vocalist.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
We all enjoyed his quick wit and his skill as a raconteur.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Yet they sell it with a sharp wit that blends into an excitingly fluent physicality.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
His ready wit could become very sharp and acerbic.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It cannot be beyond the wit of man.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Instead we survive by means of our wits.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
We can use our wits and freedom of movement to bounce back.
The Sun (2011)
He loves pitting his wits against the big four.
The Sun (2009)
Their banners and slogans display wit and intelligence.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
This is a production of charm, wit and intelligence.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
They are at their wits' end.
The Sun (2011)
What his first recital lacked was the subtle shading, delicacy and wit to bring less stormy movements to life.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Often it successfully makes a virtue of intimacy and simplicity, bringing wit and humanity to a work susceptible to hollow spectacle.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
But his midfield ace insists'the gaffer' is far more than just a quick wit and repartee act.
The Sun (2010)
OK, it does not quite match some of the old Bond scripts for sparkling wit and repartee.
The Sun (2010)
Quotations
True wit is nature to advantage dress'd, What oft was thought, but ne'er so well expressedAlexander PopeAn Essay on Criticism
Brevity is the soul of witWilliam ShakespeareHamlet
Next to being witty yourself, the best thing is being able to quote another's witChristian N. Bovee
Wit is the epitaph of an emotionFriedrich NietzscheMenschliches, Allzumenschliches
In other languages
wit
British English: wit /wɪt/ NOUN
Wit is the ability to use words or ideas in an amusing and clever way.
He writes beautifully and with great wit.
American English: wit
Arabic: فِطْنَة
Brazilian Portuguese: perspicácia
Chinese: 智力
Croatian: domišljatost
Czech: důvtip
Danish: vid
Dutch: scherpzinnigheid
European Spanish: ingenio
Finnish: nokkeluus
French: esprit sens de la répartie
German: geistige Wendigkeit
Greek: ευστροφία
Italian: arguzia
Japanese: 機知
Korean: 재치
Norwegian: vett
Polish: dowcip
European Portuguese: perspicácia
Romanian: umor
Russian: остроумие
Latin American Spanish: ingenio
Swedish: intellekt
Thai: คำพูดหรือข้อเขียนที่แสดงเชาน์ปัญญา
Turkish: nükte
Ukrainian: дотепність
Vietnamese: sự hóm hỉnh
All related terms of 'wit'
to wit
To wit is used to indicate that you are about to state or describe something more precisely .
half-wit
a stupid or silly person; fool
mother wit
native practical intelligence ; common sense
rapier wit
ability to deliver witty and cutting remarks
Attic salt
refined incisive wit
Attic salt (or wit)
graceful , piercing wit
at one's wits' end
at a loss to know how to proceed
Chinese translation of 'wit'
wit
(wɪt)
n
(u) (= wittiness) 风(風)趣 (fēngqù)
(c) (= person) 风(風)趣的人 (fēngqù de rén) (个(個), gè)
(u) (= sense) 领(領)悟力 (lǐngwùlì)
Derived Forms
witsn pl (= intelligence) 才智 (cáizhì) : to be at one's wits' end智穷(窮)计(計)尽(盡) (zhì qióng jì jìn) , to have one's wits about one保持头(頭)脑(腦)清醒 (bǎochí tóunǎo qīngxǐng)
1 (noun)
Definition
(used to introduce a statement or explanation) that is to say
Bill was known for his biting wit.
Synonyms
humour
She couldn't ignore the humour of the situation.
fun
quips
banter
She heard them exchanging good-natured banter.
puns
pleasantry
repartee
clever chat-up lines or witty repartee
wordplay
He amused friends and colleagues with his clever wordplay.
levity
At the time, he had disapproved of such levity.
witticisms
badinage
She tried to respond to his light-hearted badinage.
jocularity
facetiousness
drollery
raillery
waggishness
wittiness
Opposites
gravity
,
seriousness
,
sobriety
,
solemnity
,
dullness
,
humourlessness
2 (noun)
Definition
a person possessing this ability
a man who fancied himself as a great wit
Synonyms
humorist
a political humorist
card (informal)
comedian
After a career as a comedian, he turned to serious drama.
wag
My dad's always been a bit of a wag.
joker
He is, by nature, a joker, a witty man with a sense of fun.
dag (New Zealand, informal)
He does all these great impersonations – he's such a dag.
punster
farceur (French)
epigrammatist
3 (noun)
Definition
practical intelligence
The information is there for anyone with the wit to use it.
Synonyms
cleverness
He congratulated himself on his cleverness.
mind
an excellent training for the young mind
reason
a conflict between emotion and reason
understanding
They have to have a basic understanding of computers.
sense
When he was younger he had a bit more sense.
brains
smarts (slang, mainly US)
judgment
Publication of the information was a serious error in judgment.
perception
It did not require a great deal of perception to realise what he meant.
wisdom
a woman respected for her wisdom and insight
insight
He was a man of considerable insight and diplomatic skills.
common sense
Her mother acted with remarkable common sense.
intellect
Do the emotions develop in parallel with the intellect?
comprehension
The situation was utterly beyond her comprehension.
ingenuity
acumen
Her sharp business acumen meant she quickly rose to the top.
nous (British, slang)
discernment
their lack of discernment and acceptance of inferior quality
practical intelligence
Opposites
ignorance
,
folly
,
stupidity
,
foolishness
,
silliness
,
obtuseness
,
lack of perception
idiom
See at your wits' end
Quotations
True wit is nature to advantage dress'd, What oft was thought, but ne'er so well expressed [Alexander Pope – An Essay on Criticism]Brevity is the soul of wit [William Shakespeare – Hamlet]Next to being witty yourself, the best thing is being able to quote another's wit [Christian N. Bovee]Wit is the epitaph of an emotion [Friedrich Nietzsche – Menschliches, Allzumenschliches]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of acumen
Definition
the ability to make good decisions
Her sharp business acumen meant she quickly rose to the top.
Synonyms
judgment,
intelligence,
perception,
wisdom,
insight,
wit,
ingenuity,
sharpness,
cleverness,
keenness,
shrewdness,
discernment,
perspicacity (formal),
sagacity,
smartness,
smarts (slang, US),
astuteness,
acuteness,
perspicuity
in the sense of badinage
Definition
playful and witty conversation
She tried to respond to his light-hearted badinage.
Synonyms
banter,
joking,
teasing,
mockery,
chaff,
pleasantry,
repartee,
wordplay,
drollery,
raillery,
persiflage
in the sense of banter
Definition
teasing or joking conversation
She heard them exchanging good-natured banter.
Synonyms
joking,
kidding (informal),
ribbing (informal),
teasing,
jeering,
quipping,
mockery,
derision,
jesting,
chaff,
pleasantry,
repartee,
wordplay,
joshing,
badinage,
chaffing,
raillery,
persiflage
Synonyms of 'wit'
wit
Explore 'wit' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of comedian
Definition
a person who performs in comedy
After a career as a comedian, he turned to serious drama.
Synonyms
comic,
laugh (informal),
wit,
clown,
funny man,
humorist,
wag,
joker,
jester,
dag (New Zealand, informal),
card (informal),
joculator or (fem.) joculatrix
in the sense of common sense
Definition
good practical understanding
Her mother acted with remarkable common sense.
Synonyms
good sense,
sound judgment,
level-headedness,
practicality,
prudence,
nous (British, slang),
soundness,
reasonableness,
gumption (British, informal),
horse sense,
native intelligence,
mother wit,
smarts (slang, US),
wit
in the sense of comprehension
Definition
understanding
The situation was utterly beyond her comprehension.
Synonyms
understanding,
grasp,
conception,
realization,
sense,
knowledge,
intelligence,
judgment,
perception,
discernment
in the sense of dag
Definition
an amusing person
He does all these great impersonations – he's such a dag.
Synonyms
joker,
comic,
wag,
wit,
comedian,
clown,
kidder (informal),
jester,
humorist,
prankster
in the sense of discernment
their lack of discernment and acceptance of inferior quality
Synonyms
judgment,
discrimination,
perception,
understanding,
intelligence,
awareness,
insight,
penetration,
ingenuity,
sharpness,
acumen,
cleverness,
keenness,
shrewdness,
perspicacity (formal),
sagacity,
astuteness,
acuteness,
perceptiveness,
clear-sightedness,
percipience
in the sense of drollery
Synonyms
humour,
fun,
wit,
farce,
absurdity,
pleasantry,
buffoonery,
jocularity,
archness,
whimsicality,
waggishness,
comicality
in the sense of insight
Definition
a penetrating understanding, as of a complex situation or problem
He was a man of considerable insight and diplomatic skills.
Synonyms
perception,
understanding,
intelligence,
sense,
knowledge,
vision,
judgment,
awareness,
grasp,
appreciation,
intuition,
penetration,
comprehension,
acumen,
discernment,
perspicacity (formal)
in the sense of intellect
Definition
the ability to understand, think, and reason
Do the emotions develop in parallel with the intellect?
Synonyms
intelligence,
mind,
reason,
understanding,
sense,
brains (informal),
judgment
in the sense of joker
Definition
a person who jokes a lot
He is, by nature, a joker, a witty man with a sense of fun.
Synonyms
comedian,
comic,
wit,
clown,
wag,
kidder (informal),
jester,
dag (New Zealand, informal),
prankster,
buffoon,
trickster,
humorist
in the sense of judgment
Definition
the ability to make critical distinctions and achieve a balanced viewpoint
Publication of the information was a serious error in judgment.
Synonyms
sense,
common sense,
good sense,
judiciousness,
reason,
understanding,
taste,
intelligence,
smarts (slang, US),
discrimination,
perception,
awareness,
wisdom,
wit,
penetration,
prudence,
sharpness,
acumen,
shrewdness,
discernment,
perspicacity (formal),
sagacity,
astuteness,
percipience
Additional synonyms
in the sense of levity
Definition
a frivolous or too light-hearted attitude to serious matters
At the time, he had disapproved of such levity.
Synonyms
light-heartedness,
frivolity,
silliness,
triviality,
fickleness,
flippancy,
giddiness,
skittishness,
facetiousness,
flightiness,
light-mindedness
in the sense of mind
Definition
intelligence as opposed to feelings or wishes
an excellent training for the young mind
Synonyms
intelligence,
reason,
reasoning,
understanding,
sense,
spirit,
brain(s) (informal),
wits,
mentality,
intellect,
grey matter (informal),
ratiocination
in the sense of perception
Definition
insight or intuition
It did not require a great deal of perception to realise what he meant.
Synonyms
understanding,
intelligence,
observation,
discrimination,
insight,
sharpness,
cleverness,
keenness,
shrewdness,
acuity,
discernment,
perspicacity (formal),
astuteness,
incisiveness,
perceptiveness,
quick-wittedness,
perspicuity
in the sense of reason
Definition
sanity
a conflict between emotion and reason
Synonyms
sense,
mind,
reasoning,
understanding,
brains,
judgment,
logic,
mentality,
intellect,
comprehension,
apprehension,
sanity,
rationality,
soundness,
sound mind,
ratiocination
in the sense of repartee
Definition
a sharp witty remark made as a reply
clever chat-up lines or witty repartee
Synonyms
wit,
banter,
riposte,
pleasantry,
sally,
wordplay,
witticism,
bon mot,
badinage,
raillery,
persiflage,
wittiness
in the sense of sense
Definition
sound practical judgment or intelligence
When he was younger he had a bit more sense.
Synonyms
intelligence,
reason,
understanding,
brains (informal),
smarts (slang, US),
judgment,
discrimination,
wisdom,
wit(s),
common sense,
sanity,
sharpness,
tact,
nous (British, slang),
cleverness,
quickness,
discernment,
gumption (British, informal),
sagacity,
clear-headedness,
mother wit
in the sense of understanding
Definition
the ability to learn, judge, or make decisions
They have to have a basic understanding of computers.
Synonyms
perception,
knowledge,
grasp,
sense,
know-how (informal),
intelligence,
judgment,
awareness,
appreciation,
insight,
skill,
penetration,
mastery,
comprehension,
familiarity with,
discernment,
proficiency
in the sense of wag
Definition
a humorous or witty person
My dad's always been a bit of a wag.
Synonyms
joker,
comic,
wit,
comedian,
clown,
card (informal),
kidder (informal),
jester,
dag (New Zealand, informal),
prankster,
buffoon,
trickster,
humorist,
joculator or (fem.) joculatrix
in the sense of wisdom
Definition
the ability to use one's experience and knowledge to make sensible decisions or judgments
a woman respected for her wisdom and insight
Synonyms
understanding,
learning,
knowledge,
intelligence,
smarts (slang, US),
judgment,
insight,
enlightenment,
penetration,
comprehension,
foresight,
erudition,
discernment,
sagacity,
sound judgment,
sapience
in the sense of wordplay
He amused friends and colleagues with his clever wordplay.