wit

Wit is the ability to use words or ideas in an amusing, clever, and imaginative way.

If you say that someone has the wit to do something, you mean that they have the intelligence and understanding to make the right decision or take the right action in a particular situation.

You can refer to your ability to think quickly and effectively in a difficult situation as your wits.

You can use wits in expressions such as frighten someone out of their wits and scare the wits out of someone to emphasize that a person or thing worries or frightens someone very much.