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Wit’s End – Catch Phrase
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Introducing our new service aimed at English Language learners.
Hello, I’m Dan and welcome to Catch Phrase, Learn English with Storynory.
In each episode, I explain a phrase from one of the many audio stories that can be downloaded, for free, from Storynory .com.
Rudyard Kipling’s story ‘The Cat that Walked by Himself‘ is a classic of his ‘Just So Stories’ and has some really interesting phrases which are used in everyday English conversations.
For example, here’s the Woman in the story complaining that she’s at her wits’ end, because the baby won’t stop crying. Do you have any idea what ‘to be at your wits’ end’ might mean?
[Clip - I will do so,’ said the Woman, ‘because I am at my wits’ end; but I will not thank you for it.’]
If you are at your wits’ end it means you’re very frustrated and don’t know what to do. It’s what you might say if you’ve tried lots of ways to solve a problem, but none of them have worked.
Let’s hear some examples:
A: I’ve been looking for my keys everywhere and I still can’t find them. I’m at my wits’ end!
B: My nephew and niece are visiting this weekend, and I’m at my wits’ end thinking of ways to amuse them.
In this context, wit means imagination or creativity. So if you’re at your wits’ end, then you can’t think of any more solutions.
Let’s hear the clip again. The woman here is really upset because her baby is crying and won’t be quiet; she’s at her wits’ end and is willing to try anything, even the Cat’s solution, which sounds very strange.
[Clip - ‘O my Enemy and Wife of my Enemy and Mother of my Enemy,’ said the Cat, ‘take a strand of the wire that you are spinning and tie it to your spinning-wheel and drag it along the floor, and I will show you a magic that shall make your Baby laugh as loudly as he is now crying.’
‘I will do so,’ said the Woman, ‘because I am at my wits’ end; but I will not thank you for it.’]
So the Cat says that if the Woman pulls a piece of wire along the floor will make her baby stop crying. It sounds very strange, but the Woman has no more ideas; she’s at her wits’ end and will try anything!
I hope you’re not at your wits’ end trying to learn English. Tune in next time for more phrases from Storynory. com.
Thanks for listening and goodbye!
By Dan Walker Smith for Storynory
We select an English phrase from one of our stories and explain its meaning. For English language learners and young people who want to improve their English with stories.
I don’t know what to do.
this is boring!
now you make me at my wits end!!!!!!!
I liked it a lot! I thought it was good!
i dont like this story
Maybe Merkel and company are on the verge of insanity,at their wits’ end, thinking in the best way to get Europe out of the crisis…
wow.. this is really helpful..
thank’s…
I really enjoy listening to your stories and learning English at the same time, thanks for helping us improve our language learning.
I am here for the First time. I try to learn English and this idea is very useful for me. Thank you!!!
i dont like it
haha thanks!
this’s a new expression i just hear .. we tried before to express over upset or frustrated in one word but we couldn’t thank you for helping .. we need more and more stories
yeah, it’s a very good ideal cause there are many ESLs here and i’m one of them :). Thank you so much!
nice
I love storynory
with storynory I can learn a lot of things
thank you
[...] on this link to hear the phrase “Wit’s End” described. Do you think this site would be [...]
Wonderful website- storynary,com.
Wonderful website- storynary,com.
thank u very much
iam very interstand , it is good idea
it’s so helpful for learning Enlish.Thanks
nice nice
thank u so much
italy
I really love your website cause it’s fun to learn english through listening different stories and remind me to young age.
^^
Nice Site, I’m very interested!
Thanks a lot for doing so much for us English learners.Listening to your stories is always
a special treat for me.
Greetings from Germany
I have SOMEONE that wits’ ends me… Hahaha! Just Kidding! It’s really , really, really nice… keep on! :) I adore your wonderful site!
Here is a wonderful site for learning English. Thank a lot.
I LOVE THIS SITE! THANKS..
Help me i have a lot of dificiltis in english!!!!!!
Thank you
Thanks a lot! It’s a wondeful idea! I like to learn English with your site!
Hello Dan,
what amazing work, I realy enjoyed it.
Thank you from my heart
Oh,Thanks ! I love it~
From Malaysia.
i love it
Thanks for adding this new feature. It’s amazing for the learners like me.
Thank you . I’m not in my wit’s end learning English , after i found this new lessons .
Yours website is really amazing. Thanks for all your help
from Poland
Very interesting to add color to the language we use. We are accustomed to use one word expression to convey the same idea such as “frustrated” or “exasperated”. The use of this idiom will make our expression more artistic and not sound trite.
Thank you!It’s a brilliant idea!
Thank you for this new idea. I’m very interested!
Dear Wayne and Michelle…
The new story will come later and it will be an Awaking Beauty. This is an EXTRA for English Language Learners…
I’ll take it out of Latest Stories to avoid confusion.
Huh. No story. Kinda boring. but thx
kinda boring