by one's wits
by (one's) wits
Through one's intellect and resourcefulness. When I lost everything, I had to live by my wits, and it made me a stronger, more savvy person.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
by one's wits
see live by one's wits.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.