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d of wit; knowing; wise; skillful; judicious; clever; cunning. [Obs.] "The deep-revolving witty Buckingham." Shak.

A witty repartee; a jest.

To make acute or witty; to enliven. Johnson.

nciful, odd, or extravagant notion; a quant fancy; an unnatural or affected conception; a witty thought or turn of expression; a fanciful device; a whim; a quip. On his way to the gibbet, a freak took him in the head to go off with a conceit. L'Estrange. Some to conceit alone their works confine, And glittering thought…

nt; sagacious; judicious; not rash or heedless; cautious. It is the discreet man, not the witty, nor the learned, nor the brave, who guides the conversation, and gives measures to society. Addison. Satire 's my weapon, but I 'm too discreet To run amuck, and tilt at all I meet. Pope. The sea is silent, the sea is discr…

Facetious; witty; humorous. [Archaic] "A facete discourse." Jer. Taylor. "How to interpose" with a small, smart remark, sentiment facete, or unctuous anecdote. Prof. Wilson. -- Fa*cete"ly, adv. -- Fa*cete"ness, n.

Witty or humorous writings or saying; witticisms; merry conceits.

rded as a gem on account of its beauty or value, as a small picture, a verse of poetry, a witty or wise saying. Artificial gem, an imitation of a gem, made of glass colored with metallic oxide. Cf. Paste, and Strass.

; instruction in classical and polite literature. Polished with humanity and the study of witty science. Holland.

Jocose; witty; humorous. Swift.

Witty; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious; as, an ingenious reply.

Something said for the sake of exciting a laugh; something witty or sportive (commonly indicating more of hilarity or humor than jest); a jest; a witticism; as, to crack good-natured jokes. And gentle dullness ever loves a joke. Pope. Or witty joke our airy senses moves To pleasant laughter. Gay.

Mischievously; waggishly; roguishly. "Knavishly witty." Gayton.

dingly; very; very much. "A monstrous thick oil on the top." Bacon. And will be monstrous witty on the poor. Dryden.

A pithy or witty saying; a witticism. [A Gallicism] Here and there turns up a ... savage mot. N. Brit. Rev.

A smart, ready, and witty reply. Cupid was as bad as he; Hear but the youngster's repartee. Prior.

, or reply to, an argument, charge, censure, incivility, taunt, or witticism; a quick and witty or severe response. This is called the retort courteous. Shak.

To practice indirect or evasive methods. All those schoolmen, though they were exceeding witty, yet better teach all their followers to shift, than to resolve by their distinctions. Sir W. Raleigh.

Marked by acuteness or shrewdness; quick in suggestion or reply; vivacious; witty; as, a smart reply; a smart saying. Who, for the poor renown of being smart Would leave a sting within a brother's heart Young. A sentence or two, . . . which I thought very smart. Addison.

A sarcastic speech or publication; a petty lampoon; a brief, witty essay. Who copied his squibs, and reëchoed his jokes. Goldsmith.