keep your wits about you
be ready to think and act quickly
TRANSLATION
keep your wits about you = wachsam sein, auf der Hut sein, beim klaren Verstand sein --- GOOGLE INDEX keep your wits about you: approximately 3,000,000 Google hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
Iran’s 32-year-old centre-back will have to KEEP HIS WITS ABOUT HIM against Argentina’s talented attack. The spotlight will be on him as he tries to stop Messi from sparkling like he did in the second half against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
(The Daily Mail)
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Learning a second language could help you KEEP YOUR WITS ABOUT YOU for longer, according to researchers.
(Science magazine)
(The Daily Mail)
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Learning a second language could help you KEEP YOUR WITS ABOUT YOU for longer, according to researchers.
(Science magazine)
Did you
know?
keep your wits about you
idiom
- to be ready to think quickly in a situation and react to things that you are not expecting
(Cambridge Dictionary)
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When used in the singular, wit means the ability to use words in a clever and humours way. In the expression "keep your wits about you," the plural wits refers to intelligence and the ability to think quickly. This is a very fine, but important difference. While stemming from Old English, both words are ultimately related to the German Witz (humour) and Wissen (knowledge).
Wits is found in a few other expressions and phrases such as:
- at wit's end = at the end of one's mental resources (I'm at wits end with these computer problems!)
- frightened/scared out of one's wits = to be very frightened (We almost had an accident with the car that frightened me out of my wits)
- match wits = to have an intellectual competition with someone (I could never match wits with my father)
- live by one's wits = to survive by being clever (In this business, you have to live by your wits if you want to be successful)
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SYNONYMS
remain calm, be cool, think clearly, keep a clear head, stay composed, don't get excited
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SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"You really have to keep your wits about you when driving in heavy traffic."
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Thanks to Sabine for suggesting today's word!
idiom
- to be ready to think quickly in a situation and react to things that you are not expecting
(Cambridge Dictionary)
---
When used in the singular, wit means the ability to use words in a clever and humours way. In the expression "keep your wits about you," the plural wits refers to intelligence and the ability to think quickly. This is a very fine, but important difference. While stemming from Old English, both words are ultimately related to the German Witz (humour) and Wissen (knowledge).
Wits is found in a few other expressions and phrases such as:
- at wit's end = at the end of one's mental resources (I'm at wits end with these computer problems!)
- frightened/scared out of one's wits = to be very frightened (We almost had an accident with the car that frightened me out of my wits)
- match wits = to have an intellectual competition with someone (I could never match wits with my father)
- live by one's wits = to survive by being clever (In this business, you have to live by your wits if you want to be successful)
---
SYNONYMS
remain calm, be cool, think clearly, keep a clear head, stay composed, don't get excited
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"You really have to keep your wits about you when driving in heavy traffic."
---
Thanks to Sabine for suggesting today's word!
