Wit
Definitions
- Initialism of waterfowl identification test.
-
Sanity. countable, plural-normally, uncountable
- The senses.
- Intellectual ability; faculty of thinking, reasoning.
- The ability to think quickly; mental cleverness, especially under short time constraints.
- Intelligence; common sense.
- Humour, especially when clever or quick.
- A person who tells funny anecdotes or jokes; someone witty.
Equivalents
Españolagudezacorduradivertidograciaimaginativoingeniointelectointelectualidadinteligencialistezamentalidad
Françaispetit malin
Examples
“He's gone completely out of his wits.”
“Where she has gone to is beyond the wit of man to say⟳.”
“My father had a quick wit and a steady hand.”
“The opportunity was right in front of you, and you didn't even have⟳ the wit to take⟳ it!”
“I gif the witt, I gif the strenght, / of all thou sees, of brede & lengthe; / thou shall be wonder⟳ wise. / Myrth and Ioy to haue at will, / All thi likyng to fulfill, / and dwell in paradise.”
I give thee consciousness, I give thee strength over all thou seest, over all its breadth and length thou shalt be wondrously wise. Mirth and joy [you shall] have at will to fulfil all thy liking and dwell in paradise.
“Wel, wel (Meander) thou art deepely read⟳: And hauing thee, I haue a iewell ſure: Go on my Lord, and giue your charge I ſay, Thy wit wil make⟳ vs Conquerors to day.”
“O, learn⟳ to read⟳ what silent love⟳ hath writ: To hear⟳ with eyes belongs to love's fine wit.”
“The best man's speech was hilarious, full of wit and charm.”
“Wit is just as much put⟳ upon—blamed for a thousand impertinences over which it would not have⟳ held for a moment its glittering shield; it is like⟳ the radiant fairy doomed to wander⟳ over earth, concealed and transformed, and only allowed on rare occasions to shine⟳ forth in its true and sparkling form⟳. It is well that wit is an impalpable and ethereal substance, or it must long since have⟳ evaporated in indignation at that peculiarly wretched and mistaken race⟳, its imitators.”
“The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss⟳ Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward⟳ she became her old self again;[…]. Our table in the dining-room became again the abode of scintillating wit and caustic repartee, Farrar bracing up to his old standard, and the demand⟳ for seats in the vicinity rose to an animated competition.”
“Evelyn Peters: "Don't worry⟳, Marge. Her idea of wit is nothing more than an incisive observation humorously phrased and delivered with impeccable timing".”
“[…] the cemetery – which people of shattering wit like⟳ Sampson never tired of calling ‘the dead centre of town’ […]”
“Your friend is quite a wit, isn't he?”
“Tuc[ca]. […] Can thy Author doe it impudently enough? / Hiſt[rio]. O, I warrant you, Captaine: and ſpitefully inough too; he ha's one of the moſt ouerflowing villanous wits, in Rome. He will ſlander any man that breathes; If he diſguſt him. / Tucca. I'le know⟳ the poor, egregious, nitty Raſcall; and he haue ſuch commendable Qualities, I'le cheriſh him: […]”
“[…] here were no Gibers, Cenſurers, Backbiters, Pick-pockets, Highwaymen, Houſebreakers, Attorneys, Bawds, Buffoons, Gameſters, Politicians, Wits, ſplenetick tedious Talkers, Controvertiſts, Raviſhers, Murderers, Robbers, Virtuoſo's; […]”
CEFR level
C1
Advanced
This word is part of the CEFR C1 vocabulary — advanced level.
This word is part of the CEFR C1 vocabulary — advanced level.
See also
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