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live by one's wits
Idioms and Phrases
Manage by clever expedience rather than hard work or wealth. For example, Alan's never held a steady job but manages to live by his wits . This expression uses wits in the sense of “keen mental faculties.” [c. 1600]Example Sentences
A slight man with reddish brown hair, Sherrill at 36 has an old-young face lit with intelligence and sudden flashes of humor, but worn by the anxiety that comes from having to live by one's wits too early.
And, meantime, Steenie was finding that when one has a handsome face and jolly humour, it is easy to live by one's wits, even though honour be in the mire.
Away ran the slave heels over head, for she had seen the flash and dreaded the thunder; and while she was filling the leather bag, she turned to look again at the beautiful image, and said, "Me fool to fetch water! better live by one's wits; such a pretty girl indeed to serve a bad mistress!"
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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