outwit

English

Etymology

From out- +‎ wit.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /aʊtˈwɪt/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪt

Verb

outwit (third-person singular simple present outwits, present participle outwitting, simple past and past participle outwitted)

1. (transitive) To get the better of; to outsmart, to beat in a competition of wits.
   • 1777, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal, IV.iii:

     But my dear Lady Teazle 'tis your own fault if you suffer it—when a Husband entertains a groundless suspicion of his Wife and withdraws his confidence from her—the original compact is broke and she owes it to the Honour of her sex to endeavour to outwit him—

Synonyms

• outfox, outguess, outsmart, overreach

Derived terms

• outwittal
• outwitter

Translations

to beat in a battle of wits — see also outsmart

French: être (fr) plus malin Maori: whakawareware, rorerau Spanish: engañar (es), aventajar (es), burlar (es), ser más listo que Swedish: överlista (sv)