have one's wits about one Idiom
have one's wits about one|have|wits
v. phr. To be alert; remain calm; not panic.
Sam was the only one who kept his wits about him when the floodwaters of the Mississippi broke into our yard.
have one's wits about one
have one's wits about one Also,
keep one's wits about one. Remain alert or calm, especially in a crisis. For example,
After the collision I had my wits about me and got his name and license number, or
Being followed was terrifying, but Kate kept her wits about her and got home safely. [Early 1600s]
have (one's) experience about (one)
To break calm and rational, abnormally in times of stress. Luckily, the abecedary had her experience about her and was able to abandon all of her acceptance from the afire building.Learn more: have, withave one's experience about one
Also, keep one's experience about one. Remain active or calm, abnormally in a crisis. For example, After the blow I had my experience about me and got his name and authorization number, or Being followed was terrifying, but Kate kept her experience about her and got home safely. [Early 1600s] Learn more: have, one, withave one's experience about one, to
To be advanced alive and alert. Wits in the plural has continued meant agog brainy faculties. Ben Jonson so acclimated it in The Alchemist (1612): “They alive by their wits.” About the aforementioned time, the announcement of accepting one’s experience about one—in effect, accessible to serve one—came into use. It appeared in James Mabbe’s 1622 adaptation of Guzman de Alfarache (“I had my experience about me”) and has been acclimated anytime since. To live by one’s wits, on the added hand, additionally implies managing by agency of able advantage rather than honest work.Learn more: have, wit