Quit
Pronunciation
- enPR: kwÄt, IPA: /kwɪt/
- Rhymes: -ɪt
Origin 1
From Anglo-Norman quiter, Old French quiter, from quite ("acquited, quit"), ultimately from Latin quietus.
Full definition of quit
Verb
- (transitive, archaic) To pay (a debt, fine etc.).
- ShakespeareEnkindle all the sparks of nature
To quit this horrid act. - Fairfaxthat judge that quits each soul his hire
- (transitive, obsolete) To repay (someone) for (something).
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book II:twyes smote I hym doune, & thenne he promysed to quyte me on my best frynde, and so he wounded my sone ....
- (transitive, obsolete) To repay, pay back (a good deed, injury etc.).
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, III.v:Vnthankfull wretch (said he) is this the meed,
With which her soueraigne mercy thou doest quight? - (reflexive, archaic) To conduct or acquit (oneself); to behave (in a specified way).
- Bible, 1 Sam. iv. 9Be strong, and quit yourselves like men.
- MiltonSamson hath quit himself like Samson.
- (transitive, archaic) To carry through; to go through to the end.
- DanielNever worthy prince a day did quit
With greater hazard and with more renown. - (transitive) To set at rest; to free, as from anything harmful or oppressive; to relieve; to clear; to liberate.
- WakeTo quit you of this fear, you have already looked Death in the face; what have you found so terrible in it?
- (transitive) To release from obligation, accusation, penalty, etc.; to absolve; to acquit.
- MiltonGod will relent, and quit thee all his debt.
- (transitive) To abandon, renounce (a thing).
- (transitive) To leave (a place).
- (transitive, intransitive) To resign from (a job, office, position, etc.).After having to work overtime without being paid, I quit my job.
- (transitive, intransitive) To stop, give up (an activity) (usually + gerund or verbal noun).John is planning to quit smoking.
- (transitive, computing) To close (an application).
quit
(past of quit)
Derived terms
Usage notes
The past tense of quit is now quit for most speakers and writers; dictionaries usually allow quitted as an alternative, but it is rare or nonexistent in North America and Australia, and outnumbered by quit by about 16 to 1 in the British National Corpus. Quitted is more commonly used to mean "left". ie. She quitted her job.