live by your wits
idiomPart ofwit
live by your wits — idiom
1. To earn money by being clever and resourceful, sometimes in ways that are not co
1.idiom
Definition
To earn money by being clever and resourceful, sometimes in ways that are not completely honest.
Example
Without a regular job, he survived by living by his wits on the streets of the city.
The character in the novel is a charming trickster who lives by his wits.