nimble-witted

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English

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Adjective

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nimble-witted (comparative more nimble-witted, superlative most nimble-witted)

  1. Quick-witted.
    • 1581, Walter Haddon et al., translated by James Bell, Against Ierome Osorius Byshopp of Siluane in Portingall[1], London: John Daye, Book 3, p. 381b:
      Forth rusheth Sathan by and by, and of a gnatte maketh more then an Elephant of India, and of a very litle geometriall point, draweth forth an infinite Sphere: so ingenious, & nimble witted is Dame Slaunder.
    • 1893, Robert Louis Stevenson, chapter 17, in Catriona[2], London: Thomas Nelson, pages 203–204:
      The nimble-witted Miller had already smelt where I was travelling to, and made haste to get on the same road.
    • 1929, Dashiell Hammett, chapter 23, in The Dain Curse[3]:
      Then Fitzstephan went to Whidden with an offer of a thousand dollars for Eric’s murder. Whidden refused at first, but he wasn’t nimble-witted, and Fitzstephan could be persuasive enough, so the bargain had been made.

Derived terms

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