Hello everyone!
Welcome to Idiom 100, where we learn 100 commonly used idioms by native English speakers.
All of the explanations are in English, so it might be challenging for you,
but just try to imagine the meanings in your head and study hard and soon you'll be able to use these idioms in your conversations.
Is everyone ready? Let's begin.
Hello everyone! Nice to see you.
Today's idiom is: at my wit's end.
I'm at my wit's end.
Alright, wit... at my wit's end.
So, did you know 'wit' is kind of, the meaning is your sanity or your sanity, your calmness, okay?
So, let's imagine you have like a bubble around your head, right?
And in this bubble, you can be calm and you can make good decisions and you can understand and be sane, right, not crazy.
And this bubble is called your wit, your wit, right?
Your good composition, right?
And when something is really bothering you, something is really bad, you start to lose, right, and here is your wit's end.
So, you have a problem and finally you reach your wit's end and then go crazy right after that.
So, let's imagine this as we listen to some examples of 'I'm at my wit's end'.
I have my paper due tomorrow, but I don't even know where to start. I'm at my wit's end!
Don't worry. I'll help you study!
Alright, so in this case, he has a paper due and he can't start it.
He doesn't know what to do.
He's kind of, 'Ah, what do I do? I can't imagine how to solve this problem.'
So, he's kind of losing his calmness and he's at his wit's end, alright?
Let's listen to the second example.
My computer froze on me and I have all my important data on there! I'm totally at my wit's end on what to do!
Don't worry. I have a friend who is a computer whiz. I'll have him fix it for you!
Alright, so his computer froze and he doesn't know how to save his data. He doesn't know what to do.
So, he's calm, right, thinking about what to do, no answer, getting crazy... at his wit's end, right?
What do I do?!
Alright, so 'to be at your wit's end' means you don't have a solution for the problem, okay?
Or you're just about to lose your calmness. You don't know what to do. You're going crazy, alright?
So, let's think of an example, maybe you're looking for your keys, right?
You're looking everywhere for your keys and starting to get really nervous and really scared, yeah.
The problem: I can't find my keys. I'm looking, I'm looking, I don't have a solution.
I'm at my wit's end, right?
Then, oh, there they are. They're right under my nose, yeah.
Oh, you almost went crazy looking, yeah, you were at your wit's end, but then you found it.
Good job!
Alright, so next time you have a situation, you're really, really bothered and really losing your calm,
starting to go crazy, worrying or not knowing what to do, you can explain your feeling as,
'I'm at my wit's end,' or, 'He's at his wit's end.'
Alright, but I hope you're not at your wit's end often and I hope you can stay calm and enjoy your English lessons.
And I'll see you around next time.