kit

¹

[kit]

noun

1. a set or collection of tools, supplies, instructional matter, etc., for a specific purpose.

   a first-aid kit; a sales kit.

2. the case for containing these.

3. such a case and its contents.

4. a set of materials or parts from which something can be assembled.

   a model car made from a kit.

5. Informal.,  a set, lot, or collection of things or persons.

6. a wooden tub, pail, etc., usually circular.

7. Chiefly British.,  a costume or outfit of clothing, especially for a specific purpose.

   ski kit; dancing kit; battle kit.

verb (used with object)

kitted, kitting 

1. to package or make available in a kit.

   a new model airplane that has just been kitted for the hobbyist.

2. Chiefly British.,  to outfit or equip (often followed by out orup ).

kit

²

[kit]

noun

1. a violin or rebec small enough to be carried in the pocket, used by dancing masters in the 17th and 18th centuries.

kit

³

[kit]

noun

1. kitten.

2. a young fox, beaver, or other small furbearing animal.

Kit

⁴

[kit]

noun

1. a male given name, form of Christopher.

2. a female given name, form of Catherine or Katherine.

kit

¹

/ kɪt /

noun

1. a set of tools, supplies, construction materials, etc, for use together or for a purpose

   a first-aid kit

   a model aircraft kit

2. the case or container for such a set

3. 1. a set of pieces of equipment ready to be assembled

   2. ( as modifier )

      kit furniture

4. 1. clothing and other personal effects, esp those of a traveller or soldier

      safari kit

      battle kit

   2. informal,  clothing in general (esp in the phrase get one's kit off )

5. a flax basket

6. informal,  everything or everybody

kit

²

/ kɪt /

noun

1. an informal or diminutive name for kitten

2. a cub of various small mammals, such as the ferret or fox

KIT

³

abbreviation

1. keep in touch

kit

⁴

/ kɪt /

noun

1. a kind of small violin, now obsolete, used esp by dancing masters in the 17th–18th centuries

kit

⁵

/ kɪt /

noun

1. a plaited flax basket

Word History and Origins

Origin of kit¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English kit(te), kyt(t) “wooden bucket or tub,” from Middle Dutch kitte “jug, tankard”

Origin of kit²

First recorded in 1510–20; origin uncertain

Origin of kit³

First recorded in 1555–65; shortening of kitten ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of kit¹

C14: from Middle Dutch kitte tankard

Origin of kit²

C16: by shortening

Origin of kit³

C16: of unknown origin

Origin of kit⁴

from Māori kete

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. kit and caboodle / boodle, the whole lot of persons or things; all of something (often preceded bywhole ).

   We took along the whole kit and caboodle in the station wagon.

Example Sentences

According to a CBS News report, this was to have included “‘large, beefy’ agents … ‘in full kit,’ including Kevlar vests and exterior wear emblazoned with the FBI logo.”

Read more on Salon

The kit includes arm and leg sleeves and a headband.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It is within the Fed’s tool kit, for example, to buy mortgage bonds, one variety of a maneuver known as “quantitative easing.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Along with its partner, the ticker, the telephone completed an investor tool kit that would stay basically unchanged for decades, through crash, depression and war.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Chung, who was vice chairman of Hyundai Motor at the time, then brought out his drum kit and played a few more songs.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• apparatus 
• bag 
• container 
• gear 
• material