英和和英

名詞

wits' end (複数形 wits' ends)

1. (idiomatic) Limit of one's sanity or mental capacity; point of desperation.
   • 1699, Edward Taylor, in The Poems of Edward Taylor (1989 edition), page 136:

     The Seamen they

     Bestir their stumps, and at wits end do weep.

     Wake, Jonas, who saith

     Heave me over deck.

   • 1868, Wilkie Collins, The Moonstone, ch. 22:

     He was so eloquent in drawing the picture of his own neglected merits, and so pathetic in lamenting over it when it was done, that I felt quite at my wits' end how to console him.

   • 1906, Upton Sinclair, The Jungle, ch. 18:

     The frightened women were at their wits' end.

   • circa 1911, John Muir, in John Muir and Michael P. Branch, John Muir's Last Journey: South to the Amazon and East to Africa (2002 edition), page 138:

     Our dozen cabin passengers sorely put to wits' end to pass yesterday without cards in observance of the Sabbath.

   • 2010 Dec. 10, Leo Cendrowicz, "Talks on Iran's Nuclear Program Produce ... More Talks," Time:

     Yet years of talks, threats and sanctions have failed to halt the program, and officials are at their wits' end on how to wean Iran off its nuclear habit.

使用する際の注意点

• Note that the apostrophe is placed after the s of wits (meaning abilities), not after wit (one's humour または intelligence).