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quit¹

  • /kwɪt/
  • [kʰw̥ɪt]

Rhymes with -ɪt

Where it comes from

From Middle English quiten, quyten, from Anglo-Norman quitter, Old French quitter, from quitte (“acquitted, quit”), ultimately from Latin quietus, which itself derives from Proto-Indo-European *kʷyéh₁-ti-s, from *kʷyeh₁- (“to rest”). Doublet of coy, quite, quiet, and quietus.

Compare Dutch kwijten (“to quit”), German Low German quitten (“to quit”), German quitten, quittieren, Danish kvitte, Swedish qvitta, kvitta (“to quit, leave, set off”), Icelandic kvitta.

adjective quight

  1. not comparable, usually Released from obligation, penalty, etc; free, clear, or rid. With mounting anger the King denounced the pair, both father and son, and was about to condemn them to death when his strength gave out. Faint and trembling he was unable to walk and the sword fell from his hands as he murmured: 'May the Protector of the Buddhist Faith grant me but seven more days g

verb quits · quitting · quit · quitted

  1. transitive To leave (a place). The British quit India in the 1940s.
  2. transitive To set at rest; to free, as from anything harmful or oppressive; to relieve; to clear; to liberate. To quit you […] of this fear, […]you have already lookt Death in the face; what have you found so terrible in it?
  3. transitive To release from obligation, accusation, penalty, etc.; to absolve; to acquit. God will relent, and quit thee all his debt;
  4. transitive To abandon, renounce (a thing).
  5. ambitransitive To resign from (a job, office, position, etc.). After having to work overtime without being paid, I quit my job.
  6. ambitransitive To stop, give up (an activity). John is planning to quit smoking.
  7. transitive To close (an application).
  8. archaic, transitive To pay (a debt, fine etc.). Edmund, enkindle all the sparkes of Nature To quit this horrid acte.
  9. archaic, reflexive To conduct or acquit (oneself); to behave (in a specified way). Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.
  10. archaic, transitive To carry through; to go through to the end. Never worthy prince a day did quit With greater hazard and with more renown.
  11. obsolete, transitive To repay, pay back (a good deed, injury etc.). Vnthankfull wretch (said he) is this the meed, With which her soueraigne mercy thou doest quight?
  12. obsolete, transitive To repay (someone) for (something). I was but late att a Iustynge and there I Iusted with a knyghte that is broder vnto kynge Pellam and twyes smote I hym doune & thenne he promysed to quyte me on my best frynde and so he wounded my sone that can not be hole tyll I haue of that knyghtes blood

Similar: call it quits, conclude, finish, quit

quit²

  • /kwɪt/
  • [kʰw̥ɪt]

Rhymes with -ɪt

Where it comes from

Probably of imitative origin.

noun quits · quight

  1. Any of numerous species of small passerine birds native to tropical America.

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