wit

wit
wit /wɪt/ noun1.  AMUSING  [uncountable] the ability to say things that are clever and amusing:
    a woman of great wit and charm
    quick/dry/sharp etc wit
    His sharp wit had them all smiling.
2.  AMUSING PERSON  [countable] someone who is able to say clever and amusing things
3. wits [plural] your ability to think quickly and make the right decisions:
    Alone and penniless, I was forced to live on my wits.
    keep/have your wits about you (=be ready to think quickly and do what is necessary in a difficult situation)
4. frighten/scare/terrify somebody out of their wits informal to frighten someone very much:
    I was terrified out of my wits at the very idea.
5. gather/collect/recover etc your wits to make yourself think about what you are going to do next after you have been surprised by something:
    I felt helpless, but tried to gather my wits.
6. pit your wits against somebody to compete against someone in a test of knowledge or intelligence
7. be at your wits’ end to be very upset and not know what to do, because you have tried everything possible to solve a problem
8. have the wit to do something formal to be clever enough to know the right thing to do:
    Thankfully, Reid had the wit to see what was wrong with the plan.
9. not be beyond the wit of somebody formal not be too difficult for someone to do:
    It’s surely not beyond the wit of man to come up with a solution.
10. to wit old use formal used to introduce additional information which makes it clear exactly who or what you are talking about
   SYN  namely:
    This does not stop me giving you a little treat. To wit, an invitation to dine at Brown’s.
⇨ battle of wits at battle¹(5), ⇨ half-wit, ⇨ live by your wits at live¹(15), ⇨ outwit, quick-witted, witty