wit

Use this forum to suggest Good Words for Professor Beard.
gwray
Lexiterian
Posts: 124
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 10:36 am

wit

Postby gwray » Sun Jul 25, 2021 8:32 pm

So often this word seems to be applied to someone able to make quick and humorous banter. But I would like to focus on the meaning "astuteness of perception or judgment".

I was drawn to suggest this word by the intriguing phrasing in this stanza from a hymn "To show by touch and word" by Fred Kaan

Let love from day to day be yardstick, rule, and norm,
and let our lives portray Your word in human form.
Now come with us that we may have
Your wits about us where we live.
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver Proverbs 25:11

Audiendus
Wordmaster
Posts: 908
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2010 6:08 pm
Location: London, UK

Re: wit

Postby Audiendus » Mon Jul 26, 2021 2:13 am

Now come with us that we may have
Your wits about us where we live.
'Have your wits about you' is a common idiom, but the idea of having someone else's wits about you is new to me!

We can also say "He didn't have the wit (i.e. intelligence, common sense) to see the solution to the problem".

gwray
Lexiterian
Posts: 124
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 10:36 am

Re: wit

Postby gwray » Sun Feb 05, 2023 6:36 am

Indeed, it is not a common phase. That is why it struck me; it is unusual to have a play on words in a hymn. This hymn is essentially a prayer so the "someone else" is God.
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver Proverbs 25:11


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