wit
part of speech
noun (wit, wits)
meaning for a pupil
1) Wit is the ability to say clever and funny things quickly. tree →
2) A wit is a person who is clever and funny with words. tree →
3) Wits (plural) are your ability to think clearly and quickly: «keep your wits about you». tree →
4) (old) «To wit» is an old, formal way of saying «that is to say» or «namely». tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: In the old English of the Bible, "to wit" means "that is to say" or "namely", and it introduces a list or explanation. In the primary lessons: In English lessons, writers and characters show wit through puns, jokes and quick answers; Oscar Wilde was a famous wit. In safety lessons, «keep your wits about you» means stay alert. In olympiad and puzzle work, wit means quick, clever thinking. Phrases: «quick wit», «at your wits' end» (so worried you don't know what to do), «scared out of your wits», «battle of wits», «live on your wits».
examples
- Get thee an associate, and look into it together, you will then understand." At once, Abraham went to his teacher Shem. and stayed wit him three years. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →
- And Shaharaim begot children in the field of Moab, after he had sent them away, to wit, Hushim and Baara his wives; (Writings 1CH.8.8, JPS 1917) tree →
- to wit, the prophets of Israel that prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and that see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord GOD. (Prophets EZK.13.16, JPS 1917) tree →
- Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go back home; wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in fierce anger. (Writings 2CH.25.10, JPS 1917) tree →
- Her quick wit made the whole class laugh. tree →
- Oscar Wilde was a famous wit. tree →
- Keep your wits about you when crossing busy roads. tree →
- Mum was at her wits' end when the dog ran away. tree →
- The ghost story scared me out of my wits. tree →
- The puzzle was a real battle of wits. tree →
- (old, formal) There were three winners, to wit: Ava, Ben and Chloe. tree →
- Gathering his wits together, he said: tree →
note
«Wit» (cleverness, uncountable) vs «wits» (your mind, plural). Apostrophe: «at your wits' end» (plural wits). Adjective: witty (funny and clever). «Witless» means stupid. Not the same as «with»: wit has no «h».
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «wit» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.