wit

Etymology 1

From Middle English wit, from Old English witt (“understanding, intellect, sense, knowledge, consciousness, conscience”), from Proto-West Germanic *witi, from Proto-Germanic *witją (“knowledge, reason”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“see, know”). Cognate with Dutch weet, German Witz, Danish vid, Swedish vett, Norwegian Bokmål vett, Gothic 𐌿𐌽𐍅𐌹𐍄𐌹 (unwiti, “ignorance”), Latin vīdī (“see (pf.)”), Bulgarian вям (vjam), Russian ве́дать (védatʹ), Sanskrit विद्या (vidyā). Compare wise.

noun

1. (now usually in the plural) Sanity.
   He's gone completely out of his wits.
2. (obsolete, usually in the plural) The senses.
3. Intellectual ability; faculty of thinking, reasoning.
   Where she has gone to is beyond the wit of man to say.
4. The ability to think quickly; mental cleverness, especially under short time constraints.
   My father had a quick wit and a steady hand.
5. Intelligence; common sense.
   The opportunity was right in front of you, and you didn't even have the wit to take it!
   1460-1500, The Towneley Playsː I give the wit, I give the strength, of all thou seest, of breadth and length; thou shalt be wonder-wise, mirth and joy to have at will, all thy liking to fulfill, and dwell in paradise.
6. Humour, especially when clever or quick.
   The best man's speech was hilarious, full of wit and charm.
   Evelyn Peters: "Don't worry, Marge. Her idea of wit is nothing more than an incisive observation humorously phrased and delivered with impeccable timing". 04 February 1996, Jennifer Crittenden, “Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield”, in The Simpsons, season 7, episode 14, production code 3F13
7. A person who tells funny anecdotes or jokes; someone witty.
   Your friend is quite a wit, isn't he?

Etymology 2

From Middle English witen, from Old English witan, from Proto-West Germanic *witan, from Proto-Germanic *witaną, from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“see, know”). Cognate with Icelandic vita, Dutch weten, German wissen, Swedish veta, and Latin videō (“I see”). Compare guide.

verb

1. (transitive, intransitive, chiefly archaic) Know, be aware of (constructed with of when used intransitively).
   You committed terrible actions — to wit, murder and theft — and should be punished accordingly.
   They are meddling in matters that men should not wit of.
   Truly, said fair Elaine, I shall do all that I may do, for as fain would I know and wit where he is become as you or any of his kin, or queen Guenever, and cause great enough have I thereto as well as any other. And wit ye well, said fair Elaine to Sir Bors, I would lose my life for him rather than he should be hurt. 1483, Thomas Malory, Le morte d'Arthur
   but soon having wist How sky-breadth and field-silence and this day Are symbols also in some deeper way, She looked through these to God and was God’s priest. 1849, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, St. Luke the Painter, lines 5–8

Etymology 3

From with.

prep

1. (Southern US) Pronunciation spelling of with.