by one's wits

1. see live by one's wits.

Example Sentences

Sidney Wendall, the widow, was another early riser, as one needs be when earning a living for a whole family by one's wits.

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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.

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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.

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He was a personage who first established the fashion of living by one’s wits.

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"Fund," says this experienced ornament of the art of living by one's wits, "fund is an excellent word; but re-fund is the very worst in the language."

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