Jazz musicians do treat some material with reverence, but they can also bring to it irony, bemusement, savage wit, irreverence or elaborate one-upmanship.

Barley's savage wit ranges over bureaucrats, police, customs officials, Dowayos, Americans, Germans, French - and his own British.

What Ghaznavi had considered animal intuition or some sixth sense was merely the razor-edged faculties and savage wit of the barbarian.

He is a mixture of savage wit and mean-spirited cruelty.

In their hearts, they say, they are brilliant and incisive social analysts whose savage wit can change the very course of current events.

She sometimes smiles and becomes momentarily engaged in conversation; once in a while she even shows traces of her old savage wit.

In principle, that would be a constructive move, if the book had principles, savage wit and a display of heart you could trust.

But first came savage wit and righteous anger.

She had a savage wit.

The Journal quickly became popular in Louisville, largely because of Prentice's biting editorials and the savage wit of his replies to detractors.