quit

¹

[ kwit ]

verb (used with object)

, quit or quit·ted, quit·ting.

1. to stop, cease, or discontinue:

   She quit what she was doing to help me paint the house.

   Antonyms: start

2. to depart from; leave (a place or person):

   They quit the city for the seashore every summer.

   Antonyms: enter

3. to give up or resign; let go; relinquish: She quit her job.

   He quit his claim to the throne.

   She quit her job.

   Synonyms: release, vacate

4. to release one's hold of (something grasped).
5. to acquit or conduct (oneself).
6. to free or rid (oneself): to quit oneself of doubts.
7. to clear (a debt); repay.

verb (used without object)

, quit or quit·ted, quit·ting.

1. to cease from doing something; stop.
2. to give up or resign one's job or position:

   He keeps threatening to quit.

3. to depart or leave.
4. to stop trying, struggling, or the like; accept or acknowledge defeat.

adjective

1. released from obligation, penalty, etc.; free, clear, or rid (usually followed by of ):

   quit of all further responsibilities.

quit

²

[ kwit ]

noun

1. any of various small tropical birds.

quit

/ kwɪt /

verb

1. tr to depart from; leave

   he quitted the place hastily

2. to resign; give up (a job)

   he quitted his job today

3. intr (of a tenant) to give up occupancy of premises and leave them

   they received notice to quit

4. to desist or cease from (something or doing something); break off

   quit laughing

5. tr to pay off (a debt); discharge or settle
6. archaic.
   tr to conduct or acquit (oneself); comport (oneself)

   he quits himself with great dignity

adjective

1. usually predicativefoll byof free (from); released (from)

   he was quit of all responsibility for their safety

Other Words From

• quitta·ble adjective
• un·quitted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of quit¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English verb qui(t)ten “to pay, acquit oneself,” from Old French quit(t)er, from Medieval Latin quittāre, quiētāre “to release, discharge,” Late Latin quiētare “to put to rest, quiet; ” quite ( def )

Origin of quit²

First recorded in 1845–50; originally Jamaican English, of uncertain origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of quit¹

C13: from Old French quitter, from Latin quiētus quiet ; see quietus

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with quit , also see call it quits .

Example Sentences

She quits cold turkey — “It took four days,” she says — after meeting her husband Kevin Hunter.

From Washington Post

Naturally, you want to share this workload with your husband, but requesting he quit something he has done for years was going to be met with understandable resistance.

From Washington Post

A few people quit high school to do the show and then got their GEDs, and we were aware that getting this job was changing their life trajectory.

From Washington Post

For the family, if Peter quit flying, it meant he’d be home more to help with the kids.

From ProPublica

Despite the threats and harassment not one Parler employee has quit.

From Washington Post

Park employees helped John quit tobacco by way of a butts-proof glass enclosure, a drastic change in diet, and regular exercise.

From The Daily Beast

But they had not quit and here they now were as the Emerald Society Pipes and Drums came into the Garden.

From The Daily Beast

Army B-squad players who fail to make it onto the varsity team after a year or two usually quit football.

From The Daily Beast

On Tuesday, two senior Kremlin officials, Vladimir Avdeyenko and Boris Rapoport, quit their jobs.

From The Daily Beast

His breath became so strained that he was forced to quit his job as a horticulturalist for the parks department.

From The Daily Beast

Hain't I kep' in doors uv a nite, an quit chawn tobacker and smokin' segars just to please her?

From Project Gutenberg

And knowing that bunch as well as I do, I don't think they'll lift the plunder and quit the country till they can go together.

From Project Gutenberg

The seller may safely give a quit-claim deed for he thereby sells only whatever interest he may have.

From Project Gutenberg

King Edward refused to believe the evidence of his senses, and obstinately refused to quit the field.

From Project Gutenberg

That you and Jim don't mention the sale to anybody, and keep on runnin' the place—for wages—until I'm ready for you to quit.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• abandon
• break off
• cease
• conclude
• discontinue
• drop
• give up
• halt
• leave
• retire
• suspend
• terminate
• withdraw