Meaning of wits' end | Babel Free

Definitions

The limit of one's sanity or mental capacity; the point of desperation.

British

Examples

“The Seamen they Bestir their stumps, and at wits end do weep. Wake, Jonas, who saith Heave me over deck.”

“He was so eloquent in drawing the picture of his own neglected merits, and so pathetic in lamenting over it when it was done, that I felt quite at my wits' end how to console him, when it suddenly occurred to me that here was a case for the wholesome application of a bit of Robinson Crusoe.”

“The frightened women were at their wits' end.”

“Our dozen cabin passengers sorely put to wits' end to pass yesterday without cards in observance of the Sabbath.”

“Yet years of talks, threats and sanctions have failed to halt the program, and officials are at their wits' end on how to wean Iran off its nuclear habit.”

CEFR level