mass noun
1
- mental sharpness and inventiveness; keen intelligence颖悟力; 聪颖, 机智, 才智：
he does not lack perception or native wit.
他并不缺乏洞察力或天生的颖悟力。
1.1
wits
the intelligence required for normal activity; basic human intelligence智力：he needed all his wits to figure out the way back.
他需开动脑筋想出回去之路。
1.2
- with infinitive good sense解决实际问题的智慧; 判断力：
I had the wit to realize that the only way out was up.
我凭借自己的判断力认识到惟一的出路就是向上。
2
- a natural aptitude for using words and ideas in a quick and inventive way to create humour风趣：
his caustic wit cuts through the humbug.
他用讥讽风趣的话拆穿那个骗子。
2.1
- count noun a person who has such an aptitude风趣的人：
she is such a wit.
她是这么一个说话风趣的人。
短语
be at one's wits' end
- be overwhelmed with difficulties and at a loss as to what to do next茫然不知所措; 智穷计尽。
be frightened（或scared）out of one's wits
- be extremely frightened; be immobilized by fear吓得魂不附体。
gather（或collect）one's wits
- allow oneself to think calmly and clearly in a demanding situation镇定下来。
have（或keep）one's wits about one
- be constantly alert and vigilant保持机警; 保持头脑冷静。
live by one's wits
- earn money by clever and sometimes dishonest means, having no regular employment靠耍花招骗人过日子。
pit one's wits against
- compete with (someone or something)与（某人或物）竞争。
派生词
witted
adjective脑筋迟钝的。
词源
Old English wit(t)， gewit(t)， denoting the mind as the seat of consciousness， of Germanic origin; related to Dutch weet and German Witz, also to WIT2.
(wot, witting; past and past participle wist)no obj.
1
- archaic have knowledge〈古〉知道：
I addressed a few words to the lady you wot of
我与你认识的那位女士说了几句话
with obj. I wot that but too well.我对那件事再清楚不过了。
2
to wit
that is to say (used to make clearer or more specific something already said or referred to)即, 就是（用于更为清楚或具体地指明所说过或提及的事情）：the textbooks show an irritating parochialism, to wit an almost total exclusion of papers not in English.
这些教材显示了一种令人恼火的狭隘主义, 即几乎概不收入非英语论文。
词源
Old English witan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch weten and German wissen, from an Indo-European root shared by Sanskrit veda 'knowledge' and Latin videre 'see'.