Chit

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɪt

From Middle English chitte ("a young animal, cub, whelp"), from Old English *ċietten, from Proto-Germanic *kittīną ("young animal, fawn, kid"). Cognate with Scots chit ("chit"), Low German kitte ("young animal"), German Kitz ("fawn, kid"). See also kid.

Full definition of chit

Noun

1. A child or babe; a young, small, or insignificant person or animal.
• Thackeraya little chit of a woman
• 1922, made by W. C. Firebaugh"These are returns," I said, "quite fit
  To me, who nursed you when a chit.
  For shame, lay by this envious art;
  Is this to act a sister's part?"
2. A pert young woman.
3. A sassy (saucy) or forward young person.
4. The embryonic growing bud of a plant; a shoot; a sprout; a seedling.the chits of Indian corn or of potatoes
5. (obsolete) An excrescence on the body, as a wart.

Verb

1. (intransitive, British, dialect) To sprout; to shoot, as a seed or plant.
• MortimerI have known barley chit in seven hours after it had been thrown forth.
2. (transitive, British, dialect) To damage the outer layers of a seed such as Lupinus or to assist germination.
3. (transitive, British, dialect) To initiate sprouting of tubers, such as potatoes, by placing them in special environment, before planting into the soil.
• 2012, Growing Your Own Fruit and Veg For Dummies, UK Edition, page 173Gardeners argue among themselves about how necessary chitting is, but I do chit my seed potatoes.

From chitty from Hindi चिट्ठी (ciṭṭhī, "letter, note") or चिट्टी (ciṭṭī, "letter, chit, written message"), possibly from Sanskrit चित्ति (citti, "thoughts").

Noun

1. (US and British dated) A small sheet or scrap of paper with a hand-written note as a reminder or personal message.
2. (pharmacology) A small sheet of paper on which is written a prescription to be filled; a scrip.
3. (Gaming) A smaller cardboard counter generally used not to directly represent something but for another, more transient, purpose such as tracking or randomization.
• 2005, The unofficial, updated Third Edition of the Magic Realm Rules, by Richard Hamblen, Teresa Michelsen and Stephen McKnight1.4.3 Also on the board, but turned face down at the beginning of the game, are chits representing treasure sites and sounds and warnings of monsters that may arrive on the map. When characters end a turn in the hex, these chits are revealed. As characters move around the board, more and more of these chits will be revealed, letting the players know where monsters and treasures are to be found.
4. (India, China) A signed voucher or memorandum of a small debt, as for food and drinks at a club.
• 1901, , by Joseph ConradHe just longed to get away from here and try his luck somewhere else, but for the sake of his sister he hung on and on till he ran himself into debt over his ears—I can tell you. I, myself, could show a handful of his chits for meals and drinks in my drawer.
5. (US, slang) A debt or favor owed in return for a prior loan or favor granted, especially a political favor.
• 2007, New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/13/us/politics/13bill.html?_r=1&hp&oref=sloginAnd he is cashing in chits for her that Mr. Gore, post-impeachment, never asked him to do.
• 2003, Linda Fairstein, The Bone Vault, Scribner, p98:Harry would call in a chit with some desk manager who owed him a favor.

Noun

1. A small tool used in cleaving laths. Compare: froe.

Euphemistic variation of shit

Noun

1. (US, slang, euphemistic) Alternative to using the vulgarity, shit.

Interjection

1. (US, slang, euphemistic) Alternative to using the vulgarity, shit.

Anagrams

• itch
• tich