Englishuse one's wits
Meaning: To use one's intelligence, knowledge, or wisdom.
Example: “Lost without a map, she had to use her wits to find the trail.”
Origin: "Wit" traces to Old English witan, to know, and named mental sharpness and quickness of understanding long before it narrowed to its modern, considerably smaller sense of humor. The related idiom "at one's wits' end" — utterly perplexed, with no idea how to proceed — is documented as far back as William Langland's Piers Plowman, around 1377, describing even astronomers, presumably among the sharpest minds available, as thoroughly stumped. "Use one's wits," drawing on that same old sense of mental faculties, describes actively drawing on quick thinking, resourcefulness, and sound judgment to handle a difficult situation — the positive, active counterpart to being at their end with nothing left to draw on.
More English idioms
- not what it's cracked up to be Not as good as its reputation; not as good as it is supposed to be.
- when the chips are down When the situation is critical; when things are going badly.
- whip someone or something into shape To mold or assemble something into its proper shape quickly.
- white lie A minor, polite, or harmless lie.
- the whole kit and caboodle The entire amount; the whole lot.
- go the whole nine yards To do something completely, holding nothing back.
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