keep one's wits about one

wit

K k

Definitions of keep one's wits about one words

noun keep one's wits about one the keen perception and cleverly apt expression of those connections between ideas that awaken amusement and pleasure. Synonyms: drollery, facetiousness, waggishness, repartee. 1
noun keep one's wits about one speech or writing showing such perception and expression. Synonyms: banter, joking, witticism, quip, raillery, badinage, persiflage; bon mot. 1
noun keep one's wits about one a person having or noted for such perception and expression. Synonyms: wag, jester, epigrammatist, satirist. 1
noun keep one's wits about one understanding, intelligence, or sagacity; astuteness. Synonyms: wisdom, sense, mind. 1
noun keep one's wits about one Usually, wits. powers of intelligent observation, keen perception, ingenious contrivance, or the like; mental acuity, composure, and resourcefulness: using one's wits to get ahead. Synonyms: cleverness, cunning, wisdom, insight, perspicacity, sacaciousness, acumen. mental faculties; senses: to lose one's wits; frightened out of one's wits. Synonyms: mind, sanity; brains, marbles. 1
idioms keep one's wits about one at one's wit's end, at the end of one's ideas or mental resources; perplexed: My two-year-old won't eat anything but pizza, and I'm at my wit's end. 1

before 900

One of the 4% oldest English words

before 900; Middle English, Old English: mind, thought; cognate with German Witz, Old Norse vit; akin to wit2

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

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preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 96% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.

Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

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