live by one's wits

Manage by clever expedience rather than hard work or wealth. For example, Alan's never held a steady job but manages to live by his wits. This expression uses wits in the sense of "keen mental faculties." [c. 1600]

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Shulamit	-	Hebrew
Eliza	i-LIE-zə (English), e-LEE-zah (Polish)	English, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Zoya	ZO-yah (Russian)	Russian, Ukrainian
Georgie	['dʒɔ:dʒi]
HjÁLmarr	-	Ancient Scandinavian
Laurinda	[lɔ'rində]