quits

American  

[kwits] / kwɪts /

adjective

1. on equal terms by repayment or retaliation.

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idioms

1. call it quits,

   1. to end one's activity, especially temporarily.

      At 10 o'clock I decided to call it quits for the day.

   2. to abandon an effort.

2. cry quits, to agree to end competition and consider both sides equal.

   It became too dark to continue play and they decided to cry quits.

quits British  

/ kwɪts /

adjective

1. on an equal footing; even

   now we are quits

2. to agree to end a dispute, contest, etc, agreeing that honours are even

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interjection

1. an exclamation indicating willingness to give up

Usage

What else does quits mean? If someone quits or calls it quits, they abruptly leave or give up on something, especially leaving a job, relationship, or game.

Etymology

Origin of quits

1470–80; perhaps < Medieval Latin quittus quit ¹

Example Sentences

Quits remain the missing confirmation, but that is exactly what one would expect early in a turn.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 6, 2026

Appeared in the February 5, 2026, print edition as 'Head of Paul Weiss Firm Quits Over Revelations'.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026

On her release, six years later, a Chicago Tribune headline read: “Tokyo Rose Quits Jail, Shows No Repentance.”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2025

Quits as a share of the overall employment base have fallen slightly from 3 percent at the end of 2021, but plateaued over the past few months.

From New York Times • Feb. 1, 2023

"Jim" Vinson was featured in the play of "Quits" and "Billie" Crosbie in some favorite farce, supported by Arrah and the stock company.

From The Mormons and the Theatre or The History of Theatricals in Utah by Lindsay, John S.