wit

The ability to think quickly and find clever answers or solutions.

• Her quick wit saved the day.
• He used his wits to escape the locked room.
• You need sharp wit to answer that quickly.

Similar words: cleverness, quick thinking, resourcefulness

Common phrases: quick wit, sharp wit, use your wit

Your ability to notice danger and respond sensibly, usually used in the plural.

• Keep your wits about you here.
• She gathered her wits before crossing the busy road.
• He regained his wits after the sudden explosion.

How to use it: keep your wits about you (Keep your wits about you when walking through the crowd.)

Similar words: senses, awareness

Common phrases: gather your wit, retain your wit

The ability to think normally and understand what is real, usually used in the plural.

• She feared she was losing her wits.
• That sudden crash scared me out of my wits.
• Has the old king lost his wits?

Similar words: sanity, reason

Opposites: insanity

Common phrases: lose one's wit, scared out of wit

To know something or be aware of it.

• The letter names two heirs, to wit, Anne and Paul.
• I wit nothing of his secret journey.
• They wit not what danger awaits them.

How to use it: wit of something (I wit nothing of this matter.); to wit (He left one possession, to wit, his watch.)

Similar words: know

Common phrases: to wit, wit of something