CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html class="client-nojs vector-feature-language-in-header-enabled vector-feature-language-in-main-page-header-disabled vector-feature-sticky-header-disabled vector-feature-page-tools-pinned-disabled vector-feature-toc-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-main-menu-pinned-disabled vector-feature-limited-width-clientpref-1 vector-feature-limited-width-content-enabled vector-feature-custom-font-size-clientpref-1 vector-feature-appearance-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-night-mode-disabled skin-theme-clientpref-day vector-toc-available" lang="en" dir="ltr"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <title>Wit - Wikiquote</title> <script>(function(){var className="client-js vector-feature-language-in-header-enabled vector-feature-language-in-main-page-header-disabled vector-feature-sticky-header-disabled vector-feature-page-tools-pinned-disabled vector-feature-toc-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-main-menu-pinned-disabled vector-feature-limited-width-clientpref-1 vector-feature-limited-width-content-enabled vector-feature-custom-font-size-clientpref-1 vector-feature-appearance-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-night-mode-disabled skin-theme-clientpref-day vector-toc-available";var cookie=document.cookie.match(/(?:^|; )enwikiquotemwclientpreferences=([^;]+)/);if(cookie){cookie[1].split('%2C').forEach(function(pref){className=className.replace(new RegExp('(^| )'+pref.replace(/-clientpref-\w+$|[^\w-]+/g,'')+'-clientpref-\\w+( |$)'),'$1'+pref+'$2');});}document.documentElement.className=className;}());RLCONF={"wgBreakFrames":false,"wgSeparatorTransformTable":["",""],"wgDigitTransformTable":["",""],"wgDefaultDateFormat": "dmy","wgMonthNames":["","January","February","March","April","May","June","July","August","September","October","November","December"],"wgRequestId":"546cb957-abe8-4b14-aaa8-63f8455cf9b2","wgCanonicalNamespace":"","wgCanonicalSpecialPageName":false,"wgNamespaceNumber":0,"wgPageName":"Wit","wgTitle":"Wit","wgCurRevisionId":3224848,"wgRevisionId":3224848,"wgArticleId":126268,"wgIsArticle":true,"wgIsRedirect":false,"wgAction":"view","wgUserName":null,"wgUserGroups":["*"],"wgCategories":["Discourse","Semiotics"],"wgPageViewLanguage":"en","wgPageContentLanguage":"en","wgPageContentModel":"wikitext","wgRelevantPageName":"Wit","wgRelevantArticleId":126268,"wgIsProbablyEditable":true,"wgRelevantPageIsProbablyEditable":true,"wgRestrictionEdit":[],"wgRestrictionMove":[],"wgNoticeProject":"wikiquote","wgCiteReferencePreviewsActive":true,"wgMediaViewerOnClick":true,"wgMediaViewerEnabledByDefault":true,"wgVisualEditor":{"pageLanguageCode":"en","pageLanguageDir":"ltr","pageVariantFallbacks":"en"}, "wgMFDisplayWikibaseDescriptions":{"search":true,"watchlist":true,"tagline":true,"nearby":true},"wgWMESchemaEditAttemptStepOversample":false,"wgWMEPageLength":20000,"wgCentralAuthMobileDomain":false,"wgEditSubmitButtonLabelPublish":true,"wgULSPosition":"interlanguage","wgULSisCompactLinksEnabled":false,"wgVector2022LanguageInHeader":true,"wgULSisLanguageSelectorEmpty":false,"wgWikibaseItemId":"Q2238195","wgCheckUserClientHintsHeadersJsApi":["brands","architecture","bitness","fullVersionList","mobile","model","platform","platformVersion"],"wgSiteNoticeId":"2.3"};RLSTATE={"ext.globalCssJs.user.styles":"ready","site.styles":"ready","user.styles":"ready","ext.globalCssJs.user":"ready","user":"ready","user.options":"loading","skins.vector.search.codex.styles":"ready","skins.vector.styles":"ready","skins.vector.icons":"ready","ext.wikimediamessages.styles":"ready","ext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.noscript":"ready","ext.uls.interlanguage":"ready","wikibase.client.init":"ready", "ext.wikimediaBadges":"ready","ext.dismissableSiteNotice.styles":"ready"};RLPAGEMODULES=["site","mediawiki.page.ready","skins.vector.js","ext.centralNotice.geoIP","ext.centralNotice.startUp","ext.urlShortener.toolbar","ext.centralauth.centralautologin","mmv.bootstrap","ext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.init","ext.visualEditor.targetLoader","ext.echo.centralauth","ext.eventLogging","ext.wikimediaEvents","ext.navigationTiming","ext.uls.interface","wikibase.client.vector-2022","ext.checkUser.clientHints","wikibase.sidebar.tracking","ext.dismissableSiteNotice"];</script> <script>(RLQ=window.RLQ||[]).push(function(){mw.loader.impl(function(){return["user.options@12s5i",function($,jQuery,require,module){mw.user.tokens.set({"patrolToken":"+\\","watchToken":"+\\","csrfToken":"+\\"}); }];});});</script> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=ext.dismissableSiteNotice.styles%7Cext.uls.interlanguage%7Cext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.noscript%7Cext.wikimediaBadges%7Cext.wikimediamessages.styles%7Cskins.vector.icons%2Cstyles%7Cskins.vector.search.codex.styles%7Cwikibase.client.init&only=styles&skin=vector-2022"> <script async="" src="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=startup&only=scripts&raw=1&skin=vector-2022"></script> <meta name="ResourceLoaderDynamicStyles" content=""> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=site.styles&only=styles&skin=vector-2022"> <meta name="generator" content="MediaWiki 1.44.0-wmf.4"> <meta name="referrer" content="origin"> <meta name="referrer" content="origin-when-cross-origin"> <meta name="robots" content="max-image-preview:standard"> <meta name="format-detection" content="telephone=no"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=1120"> <meta property="og:title" content="Wit - Wikiquote"> <meta property="og:type" content="website"> <link rel="preconnect" href="//upload.wikimedia.org"> <link rel="alternate" media="only screen and (max-width: 640px)" href="//en.m.wikiquote.org/wiki/Wit"> <link rel="alternate" type="application/x-wiki" title="Edit" href="/w/index.php?title=Wit&action=edit"> <link rel="icon" href="/static/favicon/wikiquote.ico"> <link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" href="/w/rest.php/v1/search" title="Wikiquote (en)"> <link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" href="//en.wikiquote.org/w/api.php?action=rsd"> <link rel="canonical" href="https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Wit"> <link rel="license" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en"> <link rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml" title="Wikiquote Atom feed" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:RecentChanges&feed=atom"> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//meta.wikimedia.org" /> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//login.wikimedia.org"> </head> <body class="skin--responsive skin-vector skin-vector-search-vue mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject mw-editable page-Wit rootpage-Wit skin-vector-2022 action-view"><a class="mw-jump-link" href="#bodyContent">Jump to content</a> <div class="vector-header-container"> <header class="vector-header mw-header"> <div class="vector-header-start"> <nav class="vector-main-menu-landmark" aria-label="Site"> <div id="vector-main-menu-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-main-menu-dropdown vector-button-flush-left vector-button-flush-right" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-main-menu-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-main-menu-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Main menu" > <label id="vector-main-menu-dropdown-label" for="vector-main-menu-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-menu mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-menu"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Main menu</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-main-menu-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> <div id="vector-main-menu" class="vector-main-menu vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-main-menu-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-unpinned" data-feature-name="main-menu-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-main-menu" data-pinned-container-id="vector-main-menu-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-main-menu-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Main menu</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-main-menu.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-main-menu.unpin">hide</button> </div> <div id="p-navigation" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-navigation" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Navigation </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="n-mainpage-description" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Main_Page" title="Visit the main page [z]" accesskey="z"><span>Main page</span></a></li><li id="n-portal" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikiquote:Community_Portal" title="About the project, what you can do, where to find things"><span>Community portal</span></a></li><li id="n-Village-pump" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikiquote:Village_pump"><span>Village pump</span></a></li><li id="n-recentchanges" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:RecentChanges" title="A list of recent changes in the wiki [r]" accesskey="r"><span>Recent changes</span></a></li><li id="n-randompage" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:Random" title="Load a random page [x]" accesskey="x"><span>Random page</span></a></li><li id="n-help" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Help:Contents" title="The place to find out"><span>Help</span></a></li><li id="n-Contact-Wikiquote" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikiquote:Contact_us"><span>Contact Wikiquote</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-Wikiquote_links" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-Wikiquote_links" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Wikiquote links </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="n-People" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/List_of_people_by_name"><span>People</span></a></li><li id="n-Literary-works" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/List_of_literary_works"><span>Literary works</span></a></li><li id="n-Proverbs" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Category:Proverbs"><span>Proverbs</span></a></li><li id="n-Films" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/List_of_films"><span>Films</span></a></li><li id="n-TV-shows" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/List_of_television_shows"><span>TV shows</span></a></li><li id="n-Themes" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Category:Themes"><span>Themes</span></a></li><li id="n-Categories" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Category:Categories"><span>Categories</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <a href="/wiki/Main_Page" class="mw-logo"> <img class="mw-logo-icon" src="/static/images/icons/wikiquote.svg" alt="" aria-hidden="true" height="50" width="50"> <span class="mw-logo-container skin-invert"> <img class="mw-logo-wordmark" alt="Wikiquote" src="/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikiquote-wordmark-fr.svg" style="width: 4.8125em; height: 2.5em;"> </span> </a> </div> <div class="vector-header-end"> <div id="p-search" role="search" class="vector-search-box-vue vector-search-box-collapses vector-search-box-show-thumbnail vector-search-box-auto-expand-width vector-search-box"> <a href="/wiki/Special:Search" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only search-toggle" title="Search Wikiquote [f]" accesskey="f"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-search mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-search"></span> <span>Search</span> </a> <div class="vector-typeahead-search-container"> <div class="cdx-typeahead-search cdx-typeahead-search--show-thumbnail cdx-typeahead-search--auto-expand-width"> <form action="/w/index.php" id="searchform" class="cdx-search-input cdx-search-input--has-end-button"> <div id="simpleSearch" class="cdx-search-input__input-wrapper" data-search-loc="header-moved"> <div class="cdx-text-input cdx-text-input--has-start-icon"> <input class="cdx-text-input__input" type="search" name="search" placeholder="Search Wikiquote" aria-label="Search Wikiquote" autocapitalize="sentences" title="Search Wikiquote [f]" accesskey="f" id="searchInput" > <span class="cdx-text-input__icon cdx-text-input__start-icon"></span> </div> <input type="hidden" name="title" value="Special:Search"> </div> <button class="cdx-button cdx-search-input__end-button">Search</button> </form> </div> </div> </div> <nav class="vector-user-links vector-user-links-wide" aria-label="Personal tools"> <div class="vector-user-links-main"> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-preferences" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-userpage" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <nav class="vector-appearance-landmark" aria-label="Appearance"> <div id="vector-appearance-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown " title="Change the appearance of the page's font size, width, and color" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-appearance-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-appearance-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Appearance" > <label id="vector-appearance-dropdown-label" for="vector-appearance-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-appearance mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-appearance"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Appearance</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-appearance-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-notifications" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-overflow" class="vector-menu mw-portlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-sitesupport-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="//donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserRedirector?utm_source=donate&utm_medium=sidebar&utm_campaign=C13_en.wikiquote.org&uselang=en" class=""><span>Donate</span></a> </li> <li id="pt-createaccount-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CreateAccount&returnto=Wit" title="You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory" class=""><span>Create account</span></a> </li> <li id="pt-login-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=Wit" title="You are encouraged to log in; however, it is not mandatory [o]" accesskey="o" class=""><span>Log in</span></a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div id="vector-user-links-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-user-menu vector-button-flush-right vector-user-menu-logged-out" title="More options" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-user-links-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-user-links-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Personal tools" > <label id="vector-user-links-dropdown-label" for="vector-user-links-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-ellipsis mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-ellipsis"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Personal tools</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="p-personal" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-personal user-links-collapsible-item" title="User menu" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-sitesupport" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="//donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserRedirector?utm_source=donate&utm_medium=sidebar&utm_campaign=C13_en.wikiquote.org&uselang=en"><span>Donate</span></a></li><li id="pt-createaccount" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CreateAccount&returnto=Wit" title="You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-userAdd mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-userAdd"></span> <span>Create account</span></a></li><li id="pt-login" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=Wit" title="You are encouraged to log in; however, it is not mandatory [o]" accesskey="o"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-logIn mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-logIn"></span> <span>Log in</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-user-menu-anon-editor" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-user-menu-anon-editor" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Pages for logged out editors <a href="/wiki/Help:Introduction" aria-label="Learn more about editing"><span>learn more</span></a> </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-anoncontribs" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:MyContributions" title="A list of edits made from this IP address [y]" accesskey="y"><span>Contributions</span></a></li><li id="pt-anontalk" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:MyTalk" title="Discussion about edits from this IP address [n]" accesskey="n"><span>Talk</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </header> </div> <div class="mw-page-container"> <div class="mw-page-container-inner"> <div class="vector-sitenotice-container"> <div id="siteNotice"><div id="mw-dismissablenotice-anonplace"></div><script>(function(){var node=document.getElementById("mw-dismissablenotice-anonplace");if(node){node.outerHTML="\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-dismissable-notice\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-dismissable-notice-close\"\u003E[\u003Ca tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"\u003Ehide\u003C/a\u003E]\u003C/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-dismissable-notice-body\"\u003E\u003C!-- CentralNotice --\u003E\u003Cdiv id=\"localNotice\" data-nosnippet=\"\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"anonnotice\" lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"position:absolute; z-index:100; right:100px; top:-0px;\" class=\"metadata\" id=\"donate\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align:right; font-size:80%\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EYour \u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fundraising\" class=\"extiw\" title=\"wikimedia:Fundraising\"\u003Econtinued donations\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/b\u003E keep Wikiquote running!\u003C/i\u003E\n\u003C/div\u003E\u003C/div\u003E\n\u003C/div\u003E\u003C/div\u003E\u003C/div\u003E\u003C/div\u003E";}}());</script></div> </div> <div class="vector-column-start"> <div class="vector-main-menu-container"> <div id="mw-navigation"> <nav id="mw-panel" class="vector-main-menu-landmark" aria-label="Site"> <div id="vector-main-menu-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="vector-sticky-pinned-container"> <nav id="mw-panel-toc" aria-label="Contents" data-event-name="ui.sidebar-toc" class="mw-table-of-contents-container vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-toc-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> <div id="vector-toc" class="vector-toc vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-toc-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-pinned" data-feature-name="toc-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-toc" > <h2 class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Contents</h2> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-toc.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-toc.unpin">hide</button> </div> <ul class="vector-toc-contents" id="mw-panel-toc-list"> <li id="toc-mw-content-text" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a href="#" class="vector-toc-link"> <div class="vector-toc-text">Beginning</div> </a> </li> <li id="toc-Quotes" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Quotes"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1</span> <span>Quotes</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Quotes-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Quotes subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Quotes-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Hoyt's_New_Cyclopedia_Of_Practical_Quotations" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Hoyt's_New_Cyclopedia_Of_Practical_Quotations"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.1</span> <span><i>Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations</i></span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Hoyt's_New_Cyclopedia_Of_Practical_Quotations-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-listBullet mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-listBullet"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Toggle the table of contents</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Wit</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 8 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-8" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">8 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bg mw-list-item"><a href="https://bg.wikiquote.org/wiki/%D0%9E%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%83%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%B5_%E2%80%94_%D0%94%D1%83%D1%85%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82" title="Остроумие — Духовитост – Bulgarian" lang="bg" hreflang="bg" data-title="Остроумие — Духовитост" data-language-autonym="Български" data-language-local-name="Bulgarian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Български</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eo mw-list-item"><a href="https://eo.wikiquote.org/wiki/Sprita%C4%B5o" title="Spritaĵo – Esperanto" lang="eo" hreflang="eo" data-title="Spritaĵo" data-language-autonym="Esperanto" data-language-local-name="Esperanto" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Esperanto</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikiquote.org/wiki/Sentido_del_humor" title="Sentido del humor – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Sentido del humor" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-et mw-list-item"><a href="https://et.wikiquote.org/wiki/Teravmeelsus" title="Teravmeelsus – Estonian" lang="et" hreflang="et" data-title="Teravmeelsus" data-language-autonym="Eesti" data-language-local-name="Estonian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Eesti</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikiquote.org/wiki/%D7%A9%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%AA" title="שנינות – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="שנינות" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-lt mw-list-item"><a href="https://lt.wikiquote.org/wiki/S%C4%85mojis" title="Sąmojis – Lithuanian" lang="lt" hreflang="lt" data-title="Sąmojis" data-language-autonym="Lietuvių" data-language-local-name="Lithuanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Lietuvių</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikiquote.org/wiki/%D0%9E%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%83%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%B5" title="Остроумие – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Остроумие" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a href="https://uk.wikiquote.org/wiki/%D0%9F%D0%BE%D1%87%D1%83%D1%82%D1%82%D1%8F_%D0%B3%D1%83%D0%BC%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%83" title="Почуття гумору – Ukrainian" lang="uk" hreflang="uk" data-title="Почуття гумору" data-language-autonym="Українська" data-language-local-name="Ukrainian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Українська</span></a></li> </ul> <div class="after-portlet after-portlet-lang"><span class="wb-langlinks-edit wb-langlinks-link"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q2238195#sitelinks-wikiquote" title="Edit interlanguage links" class="wbc-editpage">Edit links</a></span></div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <div class="vector-page-toolbar"> <div class="vector-page-toolbar-container"> <div id="left-navigation"> <nav aria-label="Namespaces"> <div id="p-associated-pages" class="vector-menu vector-menu-tabs mw-portlet mw-portlet-associated-pages" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-nstab-main" class="selected vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wit" title="View the content page [c]" accesskey="c"><span>Page</span></a></li><li id="ca-talk" class="new vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Talk:Wit&action=edit&redlink=1" rel="discussion" class="new" title="Discussion about the content page (page does not exist) [t]" accesskey="t"><span>Discussion</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="vector-variants-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown emptyPortlet" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-variants-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-variants-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Change language variant" > <label id="vector-variants-dropdown-label" for="vector-variants-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">English</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="p-variants" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-variants emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> <div id="right-navigation" class="vector-collapsible"> <nav aria-label="Views"> <div id="p-views" class="vector-menu vector-menu-tabs mw-portlet mw-portlet-views" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-view" class="selected vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wit"><span>Read</span></a></li><li id="ca-edit" class="vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wit&action=edit" title="Edit this page [e]" accesskey="e"><span>Edit</span></a></li><li id="ca-history" class="vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wit&action=history" title="Past revisions of this page [h]" accesskey="h"><span>View history</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> <nav class="vector-page-tools-landmark" aria-label="Page tools"> <div id="vector-page-tools-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-tools-dropdown" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-tools-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-tools-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Tools" > <label id="vector-page-tools-dropdown-label" for="vector-page-tools-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Tools</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-tools-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> <div id="vector-page-tools" class="vector-page-tools vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-page-tools-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-unpinned" data-feature-name="page-tools-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-page-tools" data-pinned-container-id="vector-page-tools-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-page-tools-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Tools</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-page-tools.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-page-tools.unpin">hide</button> </div> <div id="p-cactions" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-cactions emptyPortlet vector-has-collapsible-items" title="More options" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Actions </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-more-view" class="selected vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wit"><span>Read</span></a></li><li id="ca-more-edit" class="vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wit&action=edit" title="Edit this page [e]" accesskey="e"><span>Edit</span></a></li><li id="ca-more-history" class="vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wit&action=history"><span>View history</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-tb" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-tb" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> General </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="t-whatlinkshere" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:WhatLinksHere/Wit" title="A list of all wiki pages that link here [j]" accesskey="j"><span>What links here</span></a></li><li id="t-recentchangeslinked" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:RecentChangesLinked/Wit" rel="nofollow" title="Recent changes in pages linked from this page [k]" accesskey="k"><span>Related changes</span></a></li><li id="t-upload" class="mw-list-item"><a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:UploadWizard" title="Upload files [u]" accesskey="u"><span>Upload file</span></a></li><li id="t-specialpages" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:SpecialPages" title="A list of all special pages [q]" accesskey="q"><span>Special pages</span></a></li><li id="t-permalink" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wit&oldid=3224848" title="Permanent link to this revision of this page"><span>Permanent link</span></a></li><li id="t-info" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wit&action=info" title="More information about this page"><span>Page information</span></a></li><li id="t-cite" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CiteThisPage&page=Wit&id=3224848&wpFormIdentifier=titleform" title="Information on how to cite this page"><span>Cite this page</span></a></li><li id="t-urlshortener" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UrlShortener&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikiquote.org%2Fwiki%2FWit"><span>Get shortened URL</span></a></li><li id="t-urlshortener-qrcode" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:QrCode&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikiquote.org%2Fwiki%2FWit"><span>Download QR code</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-coll-print_export" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-coll-print_export" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Print/export </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="coll-create_a_book" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:Book&bookcmd=book_creator&referer=Wit"><span>Create a book</span></a></li><li id="coll-download-as-rl" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:DownloadAsPdf&page=Wit&action=show-download-screen"><span>Download as PDF</span></a></li><li id="t-print" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wit&printable=yes" title="Printable version of this page [p]" accesskey="p"><span>Printable version</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-wikibase-otherprojects" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-wikibase-otherprojects" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> In other projects </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="wb-otherproject-link wb-otherproject-wikipedia mw-list-item"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wit" hreflang="en"><span>Wikipedia</span></a></li><li id="t-wikibase" class="wb-otherproject-link wb-otherproject-wikibase-dataitem mw-list-item"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q2238195" title="Link to connected data repository item [g]" accesskey="g"><span>Wikidata item</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> </div> <div class="vector-column-end"> <div class="vector-sticky-pinned-container"> <nav class="vector-page-tools-landmark" aria-label="Page tools"> <div id="vector-page-tools-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> </div> </nav> <nav class="vector-appearance-landmark" aria-label="Appearance"> <div id="vector-appearance-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> <div id="vector-appearance" class="vector-appearance vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-appearance-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-pinned" data-feature-name="appearance-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-appearance" data-pinned-container-id="vector-appearance-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-appearance-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Appearance</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.unpin">hide</button> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div id="bodyContent" class="vector-body" aria-labelledby="firstHeading" data-mw-ve-target-container> <div class="vector-body-before-content"> <div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikiquote</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><p><b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wit" class="extiw" title="w:Wit">Wit</a></b> is a form of intellectual humor, and a wit is someone skilled in making witty remarks. Forms of wit include the quip and repartee. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Quotes">Quotes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wit&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Quotes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>For when the wine is in, the wit is out. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Thomas_Becon" title="Thomas Becon">Thomas Becon</a>, <i>Catechism</i>, 375</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>WIT, n. The salt with which the American humorist spoils his intellectual cookery by leaving it out. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ambrose_Bierce" title="Ambrose Bierce">Ambrose Bierce</a>, <i>The Devil's Dictionary</i> (1911).</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>WITTICISM, n. A sharp and clever remark, usually quoted, and seldom noted; what the Philistine is pleased to call a "joke." <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ambrose_Bierce" title="Ambrose Bierce">Ambrose Bierce</a>, <i>The Devil's Dictionary</i> (1911).</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Essere la natura de' motti cotale, che essi come la pecora morde deono cosi mordere l'uditore, e non come 'l cane: percio che, se come cane mordesse il motto, non sarebbe motto, ma villania.</i> <ul><li>The nature of wit is such that its bite must be like that of a sheep rather than a dog, for if it were to bite the listener like a dog, it would no longer be wit but abuse.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Giovanni_Boccaccio" title="Giovanni Boccaccio">Giovanni Boccaccio</a>, <i>The Decameron</i> (c. 1350), Sixth Day, Third Story (tr. G. H. McWilliam)</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Aristotle" title="Aristotle">Aristotle</a> said * * * <b>melancholy men of all others are most witty.</b> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Robert_Burton" title="Robert Burton">Robert Burton</a>, <i>The Anatomy of Melancholy</i> (1621), Part I, Section III. Memb. 1. Subsect. 3.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>We grant, although he had much wit,<br />H' was very shy of using it,<br />As being loth to wear it out,<br />And therefore bore it not about;<br />Unless on holy days or so,<br />As men their best apparel do. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Samuel_Butler_(poet)" title="Samuel Butler (poet)">Samuel Butler</a>, <i>Hudibras</i>, Part I (1663-64), Canto I, line 45.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Great wits and valours, like great states,<br />Do sometimes sink with their own weights. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Samuel_Butler_(poet)" title="Samuel Butler (poet)">Samuel Butler</a>, <i>Hudibras</i>, Part II (1664), Canto I, line 269.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>His wit invites you by his looks to come,<br />But when you knock, it never is at home. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Cowper" title="William Cowper">William Cowper</a>, <i>Conversation</i> (1782), line 303.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Great" class="mw-redirect" title="Great">Great</a> wits are sure to madness near allied,<br />And thin partitions do their bounds divide.</b> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/John_Dryden" title="John Dryden">John Dryden</a>, <i>Absalom and Achitophel</i> (1681), Part I, line 163.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Their heads sometimes so little that there is no room for wit; sometimes so long, that there is no wit for so much room. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Thomas_Fuller" title="Thomas Fuller">Thomas Fuller</a>, <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Holy_State_and_the_Profane_State" class="extiw" title="w:The Holy State and the Profane State">The Holy State and the Profane State</a></i> (1642), Book IV, Chapter XII. Of Natural Fools. Maxim I.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>As a wit, if not first, in the very first line. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Oliver_Goldsmith" title="Oliver Goldsmith">Oliver Goldsmith</a>, <i>Retaliation</i> (1774), line 96.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><b>He must be a dull Fellow indeed, whom neither <a href="/wiki/Love" title="Love">Love</a>, <a href="/wiki/Malice" title="Malice">Malice</a>, nor <a href="/wiki/Necessity" title="Necessity">Necessity</a>, can inspire with Wit.</b> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Jean_de_La_Bruy%C3%A8re" title="Jean de La Bruyère">Jean de La Bruyère</a>, <i>The Characters or Manners of the Present Age</i> (1688), Chapter IV.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>To the many, witticisms not only require to be explained, like riddles, but are also like new shoes, which people require to wear many times before they get accustomed to them. <ul><li>Full context: [striving to pervert some poor innocent and ill-used word from its lawful meaning till it ceases to have any at all — worrying some unfortunate idea till, like the hunted hare, it is worried to death — dealing in witticisms whose edge has long since been worn off by constant use ; and truly to the many, witticisms not only require to be explained, like riddles, but are also like new shoes, which people require to wear many times before they get accustomed to them.]</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Letitia_Elizabeth_Landon" title="Letitia Elizabeth Landon">Letitia Elizabeth Landon</a>, <a href="/wiki/Francesca_Carrara" title="Francesca Carrara">Francesca Carrara</a> (1834) Chapter 77, combined edition</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>After all, wit is something like sunshine in a frost—very sharp, very bright, but very cold and uncomfortable. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Letitia_Elizabeth_Landon" title="Letitia Elizabeth Landon">Letitia Elizabeth Landon</a>, <a href="/wiki/Ethel_Churchill_(or_The_Two_Brides)" title="Ethel Churchill (or The Two Brides)">Ethel Churchill</a> (1838) Vol 1 Chapter 17.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>On peut dire que son esprit brille aux dépens de sa mèmoire.</i> <ul><li>One may say that his wit shines at the expense of his memory.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Alain-Ren%C3%A9_Lesage" title="Alain-René Lesage">Alain-René Lesage</a>, <i>Gil Blas</i> (1715-1735), III, XI. Of Carlos Alonso de la Ventoleria.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Wit's an unruly engine, wildly striking<br /> Sometimes a friend, sometimes the engineer:<br />Hast thou the knack? pamper it not with liking;<br /> But if thou want it, buy it not too deare<br />Many affecting wit beyond their power,<br />Have got to be a deare fool for an houre. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/George_Herbert" title="George Herbert">George Herbert</a>, <i>The Temple</i> (1633), <i>The Church Porch</i>, Stanza 41.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>This man [Chesterfield] I thought had been a lord among wits; but I find he is only a wit among lords. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Samuel_Johnson" title="Samuel Johnson">Samuel Johnson</a>, reported in <a href="/wiki/James_Boswell" title="James Boswell">James Boswell</a>, <i>Life of Samuel Johnson</i> (1764).</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Wit: a form of sex display. <ul><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Richard_Orage" class="extiw" title="w:Alfred Richard Orage">A. R. Orage</a>, <i>On Love, with Some Aphorisms and Other Essays</i> (London: The Janus Press, 1957), "Aphorisms", p. 61.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><b>There's a hell of a distance between wise-cracking and wit. Wit has truth in it; wise-cracking is simply calisthenics with words.</b> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Dorothy_Parker" title="Dorothy Parker">Dorothy Parker</a>, <i>The Paris Review</i> (Summer 1956)</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>For wit and judgment often are at strife,<br />Though meant each other's aid, like man and wife. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alexander_Pope" title="Alexander Pope">Alexander Pope</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/An_Essay_on_Criticism" title="An Essay on Criticism">An Essay on Criticism</a></i> (1709), line 82.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>So modest plainness sets off sprightly wit,<br />For works may have more wit than does 'em good,<br />As bodies perish through excess of blood. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alexander_Pope" title="Alexander Pope">Alexander Pope</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/An_Essay_on_Criticism" title="An Essay on Criticism">An Essay on Criticism</a></i> (1709), line 302.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>How the wit brightens! how the style refines! <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alexander_Pope" title="Alexander Pope">Alexander Pope</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/An_Essay_on_Criticism" title="An Essay on Criticism">An Essay on Criticism</a></i> (1709), line 421.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>If faith itself has different dresses worn,<br />What wonder modes in wit should take their turn? <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alexander_Pope" title="Alexander Pope">Alexander Pope</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/An_Essay_on_Criticism" title="An Essay on Criticism">An Essay on Criticism</a></i> (1709), line 446.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><b> True wit is <a href="/wiki/Nature" title="Nature">nature</a> to advantage dress'd,<br />What oft was <a href="/wiki/Thought" title="Thought">thought</a>, but ne'er so well expressed.</b> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alexander_Pope" title="Alexander Pope">Alexander Pope</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/An_Essay_on_Criticism" title="An Essay on Criticism">An Essay on Criticism</a></i> (1709), Part II, line 97. "Wit is that which has been often thought, but never before was well expressed." As paraphrased by Johnson, <i>Life of Cowley</i>.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>You have a nimble wit; I think it was made of Atalanta's heels. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Shakespeare" title="William Shakespeare">William Shakespeare</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/As_You_Like_It" title="As You Like It">As You Like It</a></i> (c.1599-1600), Act III, scene 2, line 292.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Make the doors upon a woman's wit and it will out at the casement; shut that and 'twill out at the key-hole; stop that, 'twill fly with the smoke out at the chimney. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Shakespeare" title="William Shakespeare">William Shakespeare</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/As_You_Like_It" title="As You Like It">As You Like It</a></i> (c.1599-1600), Act IV, scene 1, line 162.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><b>Since brevity is the <a href="/wiki/Soul" title="Soul">soul</a> of wit,<br />And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,<br />I will be brief.</b> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Shakespeare" title="William Shakespeare">William Shakespeare</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Hamlet" title="Hamlet">Hamlet</a></i> (1600-02), Act II, scene 2, line 90.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><b>They have a plentiful lack of wit.</b> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Shakespeare" title="William Shakespeare">William Shakespeare</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Hamlet" title="Hamlet">Hamlet</a></i> (1600-02), Act II, scene 2, line 201.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>I am not only witty in myself, but the cause that wit is in other men. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Shakespeare" title="William Shakespeare">William Shakespeare</a>, <a href="/wiki/Henry_IV,_Part_2" title="Henry IV, Part 2"><i>Henry IV</i>, Part II</a> (c. 1597-99), Act I, scene 2, line 11.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Rudeness is a sauce to his good wit,<br />Which gives men stomach to digest his words,<br />With better appetite. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Shakespeare" title="William Shakespeare">William Shakespeare</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Julius_Caesar_(play)" title="Julius Caesar (play)">Julius Cæsar</a></i> (1599), Act I, scene 2, line 304.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>His eye begets occasion for his wit;<br />For every object that the one doth catch,<br />The other turns to a mirth-moving jest. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Shakespeare" title="William Shakespeare">William Shakespeare</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Love%27s_Labour%27s_Lost" title="Love's Labour's Lost">Love's Labour's Lost</a></i> (c. 1595-6), Act II, scene 1, line 69.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Your wit's too hot, it speeds too fast, 'twill tire. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Shakespeare" title="William Shakespeare">William Shakespeare</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Love%27s_Labour%27s_Lost" title="Love's Labour's Lost">Love's Labour's Lost</a></i> (c. 1595-6), Act II, scene 1, line 120.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Great men may jest with <a href="/wiki/Saints" title="Saints">saints</a>; 'tis wit in them;<br />But, in the less, foul profanation. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Shakespeare" title="William Shakespeare">William Shakespeare</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Measure_for_Measure" title="Measure for Measure">Measure for Measure</a></i> (1603), Act II, scene 2, line 127.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>He doth, indeed, show some sparks that are like wit. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Shakespeare" title="William Shakespeare">William Shakespeare</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Much_Ado_About_Nothing" title="Much Ado About Nothing">Much Ado About Nothing</a></i> (1598-99), Act II, scene 3, line 193.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>A good old man, sir: he will be talking, as they say, When the age is in, the wit is out. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Shakespeare" title="William Shakespeare">William Shakespeare</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Much_Ado_About_Nothing" title="Much Ado About Nothing">Much Ado About Nothing</a></i> (1598-99), Act III, scene 5, line 36.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Sir, your wit ambles well; it goes easily. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Shakespeare" title="William Shakespeare">William Shakespeare</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Much_Ado_About_Nothing" title="Much Ado About Nothing">Much Ado About Nothing</a></i> (1598-99), Act V, scene 1, line 159.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Thy wit is as quick as the greyhound's mouth; it catches. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Shakespeare" title="William Shakespeare">William Shakespeare</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Much_Ado_About_Nothing" title="Much Ado About Nothing">Much Ado About Nothing</a></i> (1598-99), Act V, scene 2, line 11.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>To leave this keen encounter of our wits,<br />And fall somewhat into a slower method. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Shakespeare" title="William Shakespeare">William Shakespeare</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Richard_III_(play)" title="Richard III (play)">Richard III</a></i> (c. 1591), Act I, scene 2, line 115.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Thy wit is a very bitter sweeting: it is most sharp sauce. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Shakespeare" title="William Shakespeare">William Shakespeare</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Romeo_and_Juliet" title="Romeo and Juliet">Romeo and Juliet</a></i> (1597), Act II, scene 4, line 87.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Look, he's winding up the watch of his wit; by and by it will strike. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Shakespeare" title="William Shakespeare">William Shakespeare</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/The_Tempest" title="The Tempest">The Tempest</a></i> (c. 1610-1612), Act II, scene 1, line 12.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Those wits that think they have thee, do very oft prove fools; and I, that am sure I lack thee, may pass for a wise man; for what says Quinapalus? "<b>Better a witty <a href="/wiki/Fool" class="mw-disambig" title="Fool">fool</a> than a foolish wit.</b>" <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Shakespeare" title="William Shakespeare">William Shakespeare</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Twelfth_Night" title="Twelfth Night">Twelfth Night</a></i> (c. 1601-02), Act I, scene 5, line 37.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Against their wills what numbers ruin shun,<br />Purely through want of wit to be undone!<br /><a href="/wiki/Nature" title="Nature">Nature</a> has shown by making it so rare,<br />That wit's a jewel which we need not wear. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Edward_Young" title="Edward Young">Edward Young</a>, <i>Epistle to Mr. Pope</i>, Epistle II, line 80.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>As in smooth oil the razor best is whet,<br />So wit is by politeness sharpest set;<br />Their want of edge from their offence is seen,<br />Both <a href="/wiki/Pain" title="Pain">pain</a> us least when exquisitely keen. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Edward_Young" title="Edward Young">Edward Young</a>, <i>Love of Fame</i> (1725-28), Satire II, line 118.</li></ul></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Hoyt's_New_Cyclopedia_Of_Practical_Quotations"><span id="Hoyt.27s_New_Cyclopedia_Of_Practical_Quotations"></span><i>Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations</i></h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wit&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <dl><dd><small>Quotes reported in <i><a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Hoyt%27s_New_Cyclopedia_Of_Practical_Quotations_(1922)" class="extiw" title="wikisource:Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922)">Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations</a></i> (1922), p. 883-86.</small></dd></dl> <ul><li>An ounce of wit is worth a pound of sorrow. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Richard_Baxter" title="Richard Baxter">Richard Baxter</a>, <i>Of Self-Denial</i>.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Que les gens d'esprit sont bêtes.</i> <ul><li>What silly people wits are<i>!</i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pierre_de_Beaumarchais" class="mw-redirect" title="Pierre de Beaumarchais">Pierre de Beaumarchais</a>, <i>Barbier de Séville</i>, I. 1.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Votre esprit en donne aux autres.</i> <ul><li>Your wit makes others witty.</li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Catherine_II&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Catherine II (page does not exist)">Catherine II</a>, <i>Letter to Voltaire</i>.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Don't put too fine a point to your wit for fear it should get blunted. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Miguel_de_Cervantes" title="Miguel de Cervantes">Miguel de Cervantes</a>, <i>The Little Gypsy</i>.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>I am a fool, I know it; and yet, Heaven help me, I'm poor enough to be a wit. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Congreve" title="William Congreve">William Congreve</a>, <i>Love for Love</i>, Act I, scene 1.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Wit, now and then, struck smartly, shows a spark. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Cowper" title="William Cowper">William Cowper</a>, <i>Table Talk</i>, line 665.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Ev'n wit's a burthen, when it talks too long. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/John_Dryden" title="John Dryden">John Dryden</a>, <i>Sixth Satire of Juvenal</i>, line 573.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Wit will shine<br />Through the harsh cadence of a rugged line. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/John_Dryden" title="John Dryden">John Dryden</a>, <i>To the Memory of Mr. Oldham</i>.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Mit wenig Witz und viel Behagen<br />Dreht jeder sich im engen Zirkeltanz<br />Wie junge Katzen mit dem Schwanz.</i> <ul><li>With little wit and ease to suit them,<br /> They whirl in narrow circling trails,<br /> Like kittens playing with their tails.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Johann_Wolfgang_von_Goethe" title="Johann Wolfgang von Goethe">Johann Wolfgang von Goethe</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Goethe%27s_Faust" title="Goethe's Faust">Faust</a></i>, I. 5. 94.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Les beaux esprits lernen einander durch dergleichen rencontre erkennen.</i> <ul><li>It is by such encounters that wits come to know each other.</li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Andreas_Gryphius&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Andreas Gryphius (page does not exist)">Andreas Gryphius</a>, <i>Horribilicribfax</i>, Act IV, scene 7. Voltaire, letter to Thieriot, June 30, 1760, used the expression. See Büchmann, <i>Geflügelte Worte</i>. Ed. 10, p. 123.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Wit is the salt of conversation, not the food. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/William_Hazlitt" title="William Hazlitt">William Hazlitt</a>, <i>Lectures on the English Comic Writers</i>, Lecture I.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>At our wittes end. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/John_Heywood" title="John Heywood">John Heywood</a>, <i>Proverbs</i>, Part I, Chapter VIII. Psalms CVII. 27. ("Their wits").</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Wit is the clash and reconcilement of incongruities; the meeting of extremes round a corner. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Leigh_Hunt" title="Leigh Hunt">Leigh Hunt</a>, <i>Wit and Humour</i>.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Wit, like money, bears an extra value when rung down immediately it is wanted. Men pay severely who require credit. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Douglas_Jerrold" class="mw-redirect" title="Douglas Jerrold">Douglas Jerrold</a>, <i>Specimens of Jerrold's Wit</i>, <i>Wit</i>.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Je n'ai jamais d'esprit qu'au bas de l'escalier.</i> <ul><li>I never have wit until I am below stairs.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jean_de_La_Bruy%C3%A8re" title="Jean de La Bruyère">Jean de La Bruyère</a>, according to J. J. Rousseau. Esprit de l'escalier, backstair wit, is credited to M. de Treville by Pierre Nicole. For use of this phrase see The King's English, p. 32. Note.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>A man does not please long when he has only one species of wit. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_de_La_Rochefoucauld" title="François de La Rochefoucauld">François de La Rochefoucauld</a>, <i>Maxims</i>. No. 438.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>A small degree of wit, accompanied by good sense, is less tiresome in the long run than a great amount of wit without it. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_de_La_Rochefoucauld" title="François de La Rochefoucauld">François de La Rochefoucauld</a>, <i>Maxims</i>. No. 529.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Medio de fonte leporum<br />Surgit amari aliquid quod in ipsis floribus angat.</i> <ul><li>In the midst of the fountain of wit there arises something bitter, which stings in the very flowers.</li> <li>Lucretius, IV. 1,133.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Mother Wit. (Nature's mother wit). <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Christopher_Marlowe" title="Christopher Marlowe">Christopher Marlowe</a>, <i>Prologue to Tamerlaine the Great</i>, Part I. Middleton, <i>Your five Gallants</i> (1607), Act I, scene 1. Dryden, <i>Ode to St. Cecilia</i>. Spenser, <i>Faerie Queene</i>, Book IV, Canto X, Stanza 21. <i>Taming of the Shrew</i>, Act II, scene 1.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Have you summoned your wits from wool-gathering? <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Thomas_Middleton" title="Thomas Middleton">Thomas Middleton</a>, <i>The Family of Love</i> (1602-07), Act V, scene 3.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Nul n'aura de l'esprit, hors nous et nos amis.</i> <ul><li>No one shall have wit save we and our friends.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Moli%C3%A8re" title="Molière">Molière</a>, <i>Let Femmes Savantes</i>, III. 2.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>L'impromptu est justement la pierre de touche de l'esprit.</i> <ul><li>Repartee is precisely the touchstone of the man of wit.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Moli%C3%A8re" title="Molière">Molière</a>, <i>Les Prècieuses Ridicules</i>, X.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>La raillerie est un discours en faveur de son esprit contre son bon naturel.</i> <ul><li>Raillery is a mode of speaking in favor of one's wit at the expense of one's better nature.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Charles_de_Montesquieu" class="mw-redirect" title="Charles de Montesquieu">Charles de Montesquieu</a>, <i>Pensèes Diverses</i>.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Whose wit, in the combat, as gentle as bright,<br />Ne'er carried a heart-stain away on its blade. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Thomas_Moore" title="Thomas Moore">Thomas Moore</a>, <i>Lines on the Death of Sheridan</i>, Stanza 11.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Wit is the most rascally, contemptible, beggarly thing on the face of the earth. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Arthur_Murphy" title="Arthur Murphy">Arthur Murphy</a>, <i>The Apprentice: A Farce in Two Acts</i> (1756).</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li><i>Sal Atticum.</i> <ul><li>Attic wit.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pliny_the_Elder" title="Pliny the Elder">Pliny the Elder</a>, <i>Natural History</i>, 31. 7. 41.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>A wit with dunces, and a dunce with wits. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alexander_Pope" title="Alexander Pope">Alexander Pope</a>, <i>Dunciad</i>, Book IV, line 92.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>You beat your pate, and fancy wit will come;<br />Knock as you please, there's nobody at home. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alexander_Pope" title="Alexander Pope">Alexander Pope</a>, <i>Epigram</i>. Last phrase in <a href="/wiki/Charles_Dickens" title="Charles Dickens">Charles Dickens</a>, <i>Nicholas Nickleby</i>.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Some men's wit is like a dark lantern, which serves their own turn and guides them their own way, but is never known (according to the Scripture phrase) either to shine forth before men, or to glorify their Father in heaven. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alexander_Pope" title="Alexander Pope">Alexander Pope</a>, <i>Thoughts on Various Subjects</i>.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Generally speaking there is more wit than talent in this world. Society swarms with witty people who lack talent. <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Comte_de_Rivarol&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Comte de Rivarol (page does not exist)">Comte de Rivarol</a>, on <a href="/wiki/Anne_Louise_Germaine_de_Sta%C3%ABl" title="Anne Louise Germaine de Staël">Mme. de Staël</a>.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Fine wits destroy themselves with their own plots, in meddling with great affairs of state. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/John_Selden" title="John Selden">John Selden</a>, <i>Table Talk</i>, Wit.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Man could direct his ways by plain reason, and support his life by tasteless food; but God has given us wit, and flavour, and brightness, and laughter, and perfumers, to enliven the days of man's pilgrimage, and to "charm his pained steps over the burning marle." <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Sydney_Smith" title="Sydney Smith">Sydney Smith</a>, <i>Dangers and Advantages of Wit</i>.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Surprise is so essential an ingredient of wit that no wit will bear repetition;—at least the original electrical feeling produced by any piece of wit can never be renewed. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Sydney_Smith" title="Sydney Smith">Sydney Smith</a>, <i>Lectures on Moral Philosophy</i>, No. 10.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>One wit, like a knuckle of ham in soup, gives a zest and flavour to the dish, but more than one serves only to spoil the pottage. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Tobias_Smollett" title="Tobias Smollett">Tobias Smollett</a>, <i>Humphrey Clinker</i>.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Wit consists in knowing the resemblance of things which differ, and the difference of things which are alike. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Anne_Louise_Germaine_de_Sta%C3%ABl" title="Anne Louise Germaine de Staël">Anne Louise Germaine de Staël</a>, <i>Germany</i>, Part III, Chapter VIII.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>It is having in some measure a sort of wit to know how to use the wit of others. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Stanis%C5%82aw_Leszczy%C5%84ski" title="Stanisław Leszczyński">Stanisław Leszczyński</a> (King of Poland), <i>Maxims and Moral Sentences</i>.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>It is with wits as with razors, which are never so apt to cut those they are employed on as when they have lost their edge. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Jonathan_Swift" title="Jonathan Swift">Jonathan Swift</a>, <i>Tale of a Tub: Author's Preface</i>.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Too much wit makes the world rotten. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alfred_Tennyson" class="mw-redirect" title="Alfred Tennyson">Alfred Tennyson</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Idylls_of_the_King" title="Idylls of the King">Idylls of the King</a></i> (published 1859-1885), The Last Tournament.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>And wit its honey lent, without the sting. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alfred_Tennyson" class="mw-redirect" title="Alfred Tennyson">Alfred Tennyson</a>, <i>To the Memory of Lord Talbot</i>.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Good wits will jump. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/George_Villiers,_2nd_Duke_of_Buckingham" title="George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham">George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham</a>, <i>The Chances</i> (1682), Act IV, scene 1. John Byrom, <i>The Winners</i>, line 39. Cervantes, <i>Don Quixote</i>, Part II, Chapter XXXVIII. Sterne, <i>Tristram Shandy</i>.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>He had too thoughtful a wit: like a penknife in too narrow a sheath, too sharp for his body. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Izaak_Walton" title="Izaak Walton">Izaak Walton</a>, <i>Life of George Herbert</i>. Reported as Herbert's saying about himself.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Nae wut without a portion o' impertinence. <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=John_Wilson&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="John Wilson (page does not exist)">John Wilson</a>, <i>Noctes Ambrosianæ</i>.</li></ul></li></ul> <ul><li>Though I am young, I scorn to flit<br />On the wings of borrowed wit. <ul><li><a href="/wiki/George_Wither" title="George Wither">George Wither</a>, <i>The Shepherd's Hunting</i>.</li></ul></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wit&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="noprint" style="clear: right; border: solid #aaa 1px; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; font-size: 90%; background: #f9f9f9; width: 250px; padding: 4px; spacing: 0px; text-align: left; float: right;"> <div style="float: left;"><figure class="mw-halign-none" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Wikipedia-logo-v2.svg" class="mw-file-description" title="Wikipedia"><img alt="Wikipedia" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/Wikipedia-logo-v2.svg/50px-Wikipedia-logo-v2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="46" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/Wikipedia-logo-v2.svg/75px-Wikipedia-logo-v2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/Wikipedia-logo-v2.svg/100px-Wikipedia-logo-v2.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="103" data-file-height="94" /></a><figcaption>Wikipedia</figcaption></figure></div> <div style="margin-left: 60px;"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia">Wikipedia</a> has an article about: <div style="margin-left: 10px;"><i><b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wit" class="extiw" title="wikipedia:Wit">Wit</a></b></i></div> </div> </div> <div class="noprint metadata" style="clear: right; border: solid #aaa 1px; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; font-size: 90%; background: #f9f9f9; width: 250px; padding: 4px; spacing: 0px; text-align: left; float: right;"> <div style="float: left;"><figure class="mw-halign-none" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Wiktionary-logo.svg" class="mw-file-description" title="Wiktionary"><img alt="Wiktionary" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/Wiktionary-logo.svg/50px-Wiktionary-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="47" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/Wiktionary-logo.svg/75px-Wiktionary-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/Wiktionary-logo.svg/100px-Wiktionary-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="370" data-file-height="350" /></a><figcaption>Wiktionary</figcaption></figure></div> <div style="margin-left: 60px;">Look up <i><b><a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/wit" class="extiw" title="wiktionary:wit">wit</a></b></i> in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiktionary" class="extiw" title="w:Wiktionary">Wiktionary</a>, the free dictionary</div> </div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikiquote.org/w/index.php?title=Wit&oldid=3224848">https://en.wikiquote.org/w/index.php?title=Wit&oldid=3224848</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Special:Categories" title="Special:Categories">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Discourse" title="Category:Discourse">Discourse</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Semiotics" title="Category:Semiotics">Semiotics</a></li></ul></div></div> </div> </main> </div> <div class="mw-footer-container"> <footer id="footer" class="mw-footer" > <ul id="footer-info"> <li id="footer-info-lastmod"> This page was last edited on 30 December 2022, at 00:40.</li> <li id="footer-info-copyright">Text is available under the <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="//creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License</a>; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the <a class="external text" href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Terms_of_Use">Terms of Use</a> and <a class="external text" href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy_policy">Privacy Policy.</a></li> </ul> <ul id="footer-places"> <li id="footer-places-privacy"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy_policy">Privacy policy</a></li> <li id="footer-places-about"><a href="/wiki/Wikiquote:About">About Wikiquote</a></li> <li id="footer-places-disclaimers"><a href="/wiki/Wikiquote:General_disclaimer">Disclaimers</a></li> <li id="footer-places-wm-codeofconduct"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Universal_Code_of_Conduct">Code of Conduct</a></li> <li id="footer-places-developers"><a href="https://developer.wikimedia.org">Developers</a></li> <li id="footer-places-statslink"><a href="https://stats.wikimedia.org/#/en.wikiquote.org">Statistics</a></li> <li id="footer-places-cookiestatement"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Cookie_statement">Cookie statement</a></li> <li id="footer-places-mobileview"><a href="//en.m.wikiquote.org/w/index.php?title=Wit&mobileaction=toggle_view_mobile" class="noprint stopMobileRedirectToggle">Mobile view</a></li> </ul> <ul id="footer-icons" class="noprint"> <li id="footer-copyrightico"><a href="https://wikimediafoundation.org/" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button--enabled"><img src="/static/images/footer/wikimedia-button.svg" width="84" height="29" alt="Wikimedia Foundation" loading="lazy"></a></li> <li id="footer-poweredbyico"><a href="https://www.mediawiki.org/" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button--enabled"><img src="/w/resources/assets/poweredby_mediawiki.svg" alt="Powered by MediaWiki" width="88" height="31" loading="lazy"></a></li> </ul> </footer> </div> </div> </div> <div class="vector-settings" id="p-dock-bottom"> <ul></ul> </div><script>(RLQ=window.RLQ||[]).push(function(){mw.config.set({"wgHostname":"mw-web.codfw.main-f69cdc8f6-44cqd","wgBackendResponseTime":149,"wgPageParseReport":{"limitreport":{"cputime":"0.033","walltime":"0.050","ppvisitednodes":{"value":175,"limit":1000000},"postexpandincludesize":{"value":1309,"limit":2097152},"templateargumentsize":{"value":86,"limit":2097152},"expansiondepth":{"value":5,"limit":100},"expensivefunctioncount":{"value":0,"limit":500},"unstrip-depth":{"value":0,"limit":20},"unstrip-size":{"value":0,"limit":5000000},"entityaccesscount":{"value":0,"limit":400},"timingprofile":["100.00% 6.927 1 -total"," 59.69% 4.135 1 Template:Wikipedia"," 39.47% 2.734 1 Template:Wiktionary"," 29.03% 2.011 1 Template:Sisterproject"]},"cachereport":{"origin":"mw-web.eqiad.main-7c479b968-jpxwk","timestamp":"20241115124252","ttl":2592000,"transientcontent":false}}});});</script> <script type="application/ld+json">{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Article","name":"Wit","url":"https:\/\/en.wikiquote.org\/wiki\/Wit","sameAs":"http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q2238195","mainEntity":"http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q2238195","author":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Contributors to Wikimedia projects"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.wikimedia.org\/static\/images\/wmf-hor-googpub.png"}},"datePublished":"2011-04-20T20:52:30Z","dateModified":"2022-12-30T00:40:38Z","headline":"form of humour"}</script> </body> </html>